If you think that General Practitioners (GP) or Family Physicians (FP) can only treat cough, headache, ๏ฌu, stomachaches and provide you with a specialist referral letter when you need one, you should read on as they do more than that.ย
What Can My GP / FP Do?ย
The World Health Organisation recognises Family Medicine as a discipline that providesย personalised (patient-centred), primary, prevention, comprehensive, coordinated and continual care to people ofย all ages (from cradle to grave).ย
GPs / FPs with the necessary qualifcations and training can provide patients with the following services.ย
Disease Preventionย
- Health screeningย
- Health promotionย
- Childhood vaccinationย
- Adult vaccinationย
- Travel vaccinationsย
- Advisory on travel medicineย
- Family planning and birth control advisoryย
Chronic Problems:ย Chronic disease management such as:
- Diabetesย
- Hypertensionย
- Hyperlipidemiaย
- Asthmaย
- Chronic obstructive lung diseaseย
- Chronic kidney diseasesย
- Benign prostatic hypertrophyย
- Osteoarthritisย
- Osteoporosisย
- Rheumatoid arthritisย
- Mental health issues โ anxiety, depression, etcย
- Epilepsyย
- Dementiaย
- Parkinsonโs diseaseย
- Psoriasisย
Acute / Emergencyย
- Emergency medical treatmentย
- House callsย
- Minor offce-based surgeries such as: ย
- Ear syringingย
- Suturing of wounds / lacerationsย
- Drainage of abscessย
- Wound debridementย
- Excision of lumps and bumpsย
- Excision of ingrown toe nailsย
- Cryotherapy for wartsย
- Intra-articular (joint) injectionsย
- Cauterisationย
ย ย ย 4. Orthopaedic and sports injury management such as:
- Reduction of fractureย
- Splinting and castingย
Behavioural Modification
- Smoking cessation programmeย
- Weight management programmeย
- Exercise prescriptionย
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