Introduction to Family Medicine:
Family medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on physical, psychological, and social health of all members of society; in terms of providing them with preventive and therapeutic health services for disease prevention, early detection and control, in addition to providing healthy lifestyle services.
Family medicine is one of the most important basis of the primary health care system, which constitutes the cornerstone and first line of defense for any health system. It is distinguished from other specialties with its unique and extended relationship with individuals and families of all ages; which helps improve the health of the individual and society.
Roles of a Family Medicine Physician:
- Provide preventive healthcare, through early detection of diseases, their risk factors, as well as providing proper and timely interventions.
- Provide therapeutic healthcare, and continuous follow-up of common and chronic diseases.
- Coordinate, refer, and follow-up with other medical specialties for cases that require advanced therapeutic or surgical interventions and are not available in primary healthcare centers (PHCCs).
- Develop health planning, and set health priorities in the community.
- Participate in the leadership of the medical team at health facilities
- Mange effective and continuous communication with individuals, families, and the community.
Family Medicine Services:
- Providing early screening services for some diseases, such as: diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, and others.
- Treatment of common infectious diseases, such as: bronchitis, urinary tract infection (UTI), and others.
- Treatment and follow-up of chronic diseases, such as: asthma, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, and others.
- Diagnosis and treatment of the most important common psychological disorders, such as: depression, anxiety, and others.
- Providing primary medical care for mothers during pregnancy, including follow-up, periodic check-ups, promoting healthy nutrition, and others.
- Providing pediatric primary health care that contributes to supporting healthy growth and development, including basic vaccinations, nutritional follow-up, and others.
Clinics Locations:
Family medicine clinics are available at PHCCs throughout the Kingdom.