Family Medicine

Family medicine, also known as family practice, is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages and dedicated to treating the whole person.

The cornerstone of family medicine is an ongoing, personal patient centered relationship focused on integrated care. Unlike other specialties that are limited to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family medicine integrates care for patients of both genders across the full spectrum of ages within the context of community and advocates for the patient in an increasingly complex health care system.

The specialty of family medicine is centered on lasting, caring relationships with patients and their families. Family practitioners integrate the biological, clinical and behavioral sciences to provide continuing and comprehensive health care. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, genders, each organ system and every disease entity. Providing patients with a personal medical home, family practitioners deliver a range of acute, chronic and preventive medical care services. In addition to diagnosing and treating illness, they provide preventive care, which includes routine checkups, health-risk assessments, immunization and screening tests, and personalized counseling on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.