5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Family Doctor

They tend to different medical conditions in the best way possible. If you are a person who needs medical help regularly, or if you have a family member that does, having a family doctor can be of great advantage.

Visiting a doctor at a nearby medical clinic can also be an option if your family members feel sick. However, a family doctor would be better to have. Whenever there is a family medical emergency at home, rushing to the hospital can be time-consuming. Thus, the best solution to that is to call your family doctor.

If you need more convincing as to why you need to have a family doctor, here are five reasons why you should have one.

1. Family doctors know you and your lifestyle better.

The best advantage to get if you have a family doctor is they already know your life cycle. Many families have their doctor and physician know them since they were babies. Thus, it is easier for them to know their medical conditions because their family doctors know their medical history.

Also, family physicians do not only focus on one health condition but also a wide range of diseases. This is a great advantage because you do not need other health professionals to get yourself checked with illnesses. Family doctors are knowledgeable about any medical conditions, so it is a guarantee that you are in the right hands.

2. Family doctors know you personally.

Families that have a family doctor not only works for them as a medical practitioner, but they are also considered as a member of the family. In the long-run, you and your family will build a long-lasting relationship with your family physician, and it is a great advantage to have. Family doctors will know you and your family’s medical history, and it will be easier for you to track and monitor medical issues.

If your family doctor has been treating you and your family for years, they already know your medical history. This will be easier because they can make the right diagnosis and solution to your medical condition quickly. Your medications will also be prescribed and monitored regularly compared to visiting a random doctor at a hospital or a walk-in clinic.

Family doctors do not also keep track of current medical conditions in the contemporary family generation. Still, they can again go back to the family’s medical history in the past to get accurate results. Let’s take cancer as an example. Suppose a family has a vast record of cancer in the past generation. In that case, it could be that the younger generation in the family can also be diagnosed with cancer, especially when they show the same symptoms as what the older generation had.

Aside from the family’s medical history, family doctors can also show compassion towards the family, especially when going through a family problem. When parents go through a lot of stress and anxiety and it, later on, affects the children, family doctors can also help in easing the mental focus for both parties.

3. Family doctors do not just treat through medication.

A regular annual check-up is a guarantee if you have a family doctor. However, it depends on your medical condition, as well. If you are diagnosed with a severe illness, you may visit your family doctor more often than those who are healthy.

Aside from always being available for family emergencies, a family doctor can also conduct annual medical examinations. The results are usually more efficient and accurate. Since you are only seeing one doctor, you do not have to go through interviews and assessments anymore since they already record your test results.

One misconception that a lot of people think is family doctors only treat flu and seasonal medical conditions. However, other people do not know that they can also do minor surgical procedures and help monitor and manage other severe health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and more. If there is a pregnant woman in your family, they can also help throughout the whole pregnancy.

4. Family doctors can easily find health specialists if necessary.

Although we have mentioned that family doctors know almost everything when it comes to medical conditions, there might be times that you will need to find a specialist for a specific disease. Let’s take eye disease as an example. If a family member has an eye problem, like glaucoma, a condition that is now at severity, a family doctor can find an eye specialist to help with that condition or connect with you to a reputable eye clinic.

Your family doctor has tons of connections in the medical field. If a member has a heart condition, they can indeed find a cardiologist that can give a second opinion about your relative’s health condition. Family doctors take the initiative as to what their patient needs, and it is one thing that you can rarely find in doctor’s stationed in hospitals and clinics.

5. Family doctors help improve their family’s life.

Whether you are an individual or living with your family, we all know how important it is to have healthcare insurance covered. It is one of the essential things that one should have in their life. However, we also know that healthcare insurance is expensive.

Most people think that having a family doctor is more expensive than seeing a doctor at a hospital. However, it is otherwise. Family doctors help families save more money on healthcare. They hold more country money, and at the same time, they can tend to your family’s health better.

Also, many families tend to send their relatives, especially kids, to daycare centers and facilities if they know they cannot take care of them properly. Family doctors can be a safe haven for all members of the family, including children.

Finding a reputable family doctor

Doctors are everywhere, but finding a reputable one, you can hire as your family doctor is not easy. Medical certifications are not enough for you to see that a doctor is qualified to be a family doctor. It should be someone you and your family can rely on and trust regarding your medical history.