Hashim M Jawad
Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2018 Jan;28(1):76-77. doi: 10.29271/jcpsp.2018.01.76.
Definitions of general practice and family medicine have tended to be difficult to understand. We propose a new definition that is brief and clear. General practice / family medicine is defined as the medical specialty that manages common and long-term illnesses in children and adults, focusing on overall health and well-being. The definition should be followed by local examples of diseases within the scope of primary care such as asthma, diabetes as well as end-of-life care. This definition is based on the concept of common illnesses, reflecting the reality that family physicians manage most health conditions in a community. Unlike 'comprehensive care', common illnesses is a scope of practice that is familiar and credible to laypersons. The new definition focuses on a unique and enduring attribute of the specialty: holistic care. This core characteristic of general practice encompasses patient-centred care and continuity across the family lifecycle. By being sharply focused, the definition can guide the nature of clinical care in general practice as well as the content of undergraduate and postgraduate training in family medicine.
全科医学和家庭医学的定义往往难以理解。我们提出一个简洁明了的新定义。全科医学/家庭医学被定义为管理儿童和成人常见及长期疾病的医学专科，注重整体健康和幸福。该定义之后应列举初级保健范围内的当地疾病实例，如哮喘、糖尿病以及临终关怀。这个定义基于常见疾病的概念，反映了家庭医生管理社区中大多数健康问题的现实。与“综合护理”不同，常见疾病是一个外行人熟悉且可信的执业范围。新定义聚焦于该专科独特且持久的属性：整体护理。全科医学的这一核心特征涵盖以患者为中心的护理以及贯穿家庭生命周期的连续性。通过精准聚焦，该定义能够指导全科医学临床护理的性质以及家庭医学本科和研究生培训的内容。
