Family Medicine Scope: Conditions, Diseases, Treatments, and Procedures
Family medicine is a medical specialty that is focused on providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages.Family physicians are trained to provide comprehensive care to individuals and families, with an emphasis on prevention and health promotion.
The scope of family medicine is wide-ranging, encompassing a variety of primary care services such as preventive health screenings, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, ordering laboratory tests and x-rays, providing immunizations, and managing mental health issues. Family physicians also coordinate care with other healthcare professionals when necessary. Additionally, family physicians often act as patient advocates, helping to ensure quality healthcare for their patients.
Family physicians are trained to diagnose and treat a wide variety of acute and chronic illnesses, injuries, and conditions. This includes: diagnosing and treating common illnesses such as colds, flu, and strep throat; providing preventive healthcare services such as immunizations; ordering laboratory tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic tests; performing minor procedures such as suturing wounds and removing moles; and, managing mental health issues.
In addition to treating acute and chronic illnesses, family physicians also provide preventive health services. This includes performing regular physical exams, ordering screenings for diseases such as cancer and heart disease, providing nutritional counseling, and offering advice on lifestyle changes for maintaining good health.
Qualifications, Training, and Certifications
After medical school, aspiring family physicians will need to complete a three-year residency program in family medicine. During this time, they will gain experience in areas such as preventive health, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses, medical procedures, and patient advocacy. The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) provides board certification for family physicians who have completed the required residency training and meet other eligibility criteria.
Related Medical Specialties to Family Medicine
Some of the related specialties include: pediatrics, which focuses on medical care for children; internal medicine, which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases; obstetrics and gynecology, which focuses on women’s health issues; and geriatrics, which focuses on the care of elderly patients. Other related specialties include dermatology, ophthalmology, psychiatry, and neurology.
Medical-Legal Cases Involving Family Medicine
An example of a medical-legal case involving family medicine is an allegation the physician failed to order appropriate test or make a correct diagnosis. A second example is when a family physician is alleged to fail to provide adequate follow-up care or fail to provide timely referrals to specialists, resulting in an adverse outcome for the patient.