$Unique_ID{BRK00961}
$Pretitle{Community and Social Problems}
$Title{Why Aren't There Any Family Doctors to be Found Anymore?}
$Subject{family doctors}
$Volume{Q}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Why Aren't There Any Family Doctors to be Found Anymore?


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QUESTION:  I notice that your column is headed "Family Doctor".  Why aren't
there any family doctors to be found anymore?  We had a family doctor who
passed away.  Since his death we have found that we now have to go to a
different doctor for each different ailment.  I know a lot of senior citizens
and other people too, are asking the question "where have all our family
doctors gone?

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ANSWER:  Where else to find a proper response to your question but from my
good friend Dr. Kenneth Whittington, President of the American Academy of
Family Physicians?  Here is his reply.  "I'm happy to say that family doctors
are very much alive and well!  Some 68,000 family physicians, residents and
medical students across the nation are members of the American Academy of
Family Physicians (AAFP)--the national medical specialty association
representing family doctors.  Family medicine is a unique specialty and treats
all members of the family, regardless of age, from newborn to elderly.  In
fact, 85 to 90 percent of a patient's healthcare needs can be met by a trained
family physician.  As you can see there is no need to be shuttled from
specialist to specialist if your health care and treatment are managed by a
family physician.  Granted, there are times a family physician must refer a
patient to a physician in another medical specialty.  And true, true
increasing medical liability insurance premiums, along with other factors,
have driven some family doctors to drop obstetrics and other services.  But it
is important to remember that by having an established relationship with your
family physician, you and your family will have an advocate who will work to
ensure you receive the best medical care possible.  With its emphasis on
preventive, office based care, it is no wonder that family medicine is one of
the few medical specialties for which demand continues to increase.  For
patients who feel they have been on a merry-go-round of specialists, the
family doctor is a natural choice.  There are many ways to locate a family
doctor who is a member of the AAFP.  Ask your friends and relatives, look in
your community's yellow pages under Physicians, Specialists, or write to the
AAFP 8880 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO. 64114-2797 for a list of family
physicians in your area who are members of the AAFP."
     It would seem your search for a new family doctor can now be successfully
completed.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
