FAMILY MEDICINE

Family medicine is a specialty that aims to provide comprehensive care to individuals and families. This includes diagnosis and treatment or referral, chronic and long-term care, palliative care, health promotion, and disease prevention activities. It encompasses a spectrum of care and services to meet the entire needs of the community. A family medicine practitioner provides primary and secondary healthcare to all patients, regardless of age, gender, or health problems. The family medicine practitioner can address a wide range of health issues, either through direct care or through referral to other specialties, thereby maximizing the cost-effectiveness of the healthcare system Family doctors provide personalized healthcare services for most health problems and act as the first line of contact with the healthcare system. Quality primary care has been associated with diagnostic accuracy, a reduction in avoidable hospitalizations, and better health outcome.

MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING:

	Asthma
	Diabetes
	High cholesterol
	Hypertension
	Cardiovascular disease.
	Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.
	Epilepsy
	Osteoarthritis
	• Osteoporosis
	Cerebrovascular disease (stroke).
	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
	Coronary artery disease.
	Anxiety, depression, and mental illness.
	Other pulmonary conditions.
	Cystic fibrosis (a genetic condition that affects the lungs and the digestive tract).
	Thyroid diseases.
	Chronic kidney disease.
	Anemia.
	Obesity.
	Sleep apnea (a sleep disorder that causes breathing to stop intermittently).