When it comes to providing comprehensive medical care for those you love, what better choice than to rely on the expertise and services of a family physician?
Unlike other medical specialists whose focus is on a specific medical condition or area of the body, a family doctor can diagnose, treat, and help prevent a variety of common injuries, illnesses, and conditions in people of all ages and genders throughout all stages of life – making them your first contact when medical attention is required.
Let’s take a closer look at why a family physician is a valuable healthcare resource.
Essential Roles of a Family Physician
Serving as your go-to-doctor at any point in your life, a family physician performs a number of essential roles, such as:
Treating You and Your Family for Common Health Issues
If you or a loved one comes down with the flu, or an ear infection, or sustains an injury, your family physician is there to provide the necessary treatment. Your family doctor provides diagnosis and suitable treatment for a wide range of common illnesses and conditions – from joint or muscle pain to allergies to viral infections, sports or work injuries, and minor medical emergencies, such as cuts, burns, and skin infections.
Overseeing Your Preventive Care
Your family physician can provide healthcare screenings and educate you on disease prevention and health maintenance, keeping you as healthy as possible and improving your overall well-being. This includes addressing your emotional and physical health in the form of stress and anger management, fertility counseling, weight management, nutritional counseling, and recommending appropriate exercises for your individual fitness level.
Diagnosing Any Developing Conditions
As someone who knows your medical history, a family physician can recognize the warning signs of emerging health conditions requiring prompt attention, such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Your family doctor can analyze any new or unusual symptoms by performing and interpreting diagnostic tests, monitoring your treatment and rehabilitation, and re-evaluating your therapy, as needed.
Managing Chronic Illnesses
A family physician can oversee the treatment of any chronic and degenerative conditions such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. They can provide personalized, ongoing care by using diagnostic tests to assess your progress and determine the most effective follow-up measures in treatment planning, preventing complications, and keeping you or a loved one as active and fit as possible.
Providing Appropriate Referrals
If you or a family member require specialized medical treatment, your family physician can refer you to an appropriate healthcare professional. As your primary care physician, it is your family physician’s role to coordinate your care with specialists, physical rehabilitation or occupational therapists, pharmacists, and any other necessary health care providers. By collaborating with other physicians, your family doctor can make certain that all your medical needs are addressed properly.
Caring Family Physician in Kennesaw, Georgia