Family medicine physicians provide health care for your family

By Dr. Ru-Hsueh Wang 

2021/07/10

At present, healthcare professionals are overspecialized in the medical community of Taiwan. When members of the general public suffer from a medical issue or require a consultation for a medical problem, they are usually not aware of which medical department or doctor to turn to. Well, if a family doctor is available, these problems will be easily managed and solved. But specifically what can family physicians do for us?

Treatment and care for common chronic diseases and mental illness:

Family physicians are well-trained medical professionals with specialties in a wide range of specific medical fields, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, neurology, otolaryngology and dermatology. Therefore, they can provide health care to people of all ages, and thus all members of your entire family. With their professional attendance, common diseases can be diagnosed and treated (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, respiratory disease, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinitis, anxiety, depression, physical fatigue, heart palpitations, dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, chest pain, back pain, joint disease, thyroid disease, anemia, skin disease, osteoporosis, obesity, and other physical and mental diseases related to personal family and surrounding environment).

Health consultations for the prevention of various diseases, and programs of smoking cessation and weight loss:

In recent years, most risk factors for the top ten causes of death in Taiwan are associated with poor lifestyles, which can be better prevented through risk factor assessment and health consultation. In addition to clinical diagnosis and treatment of diseases, family medicine physicians also assist you and your family in the prevention of diseases or complications, health consultation, vaccination, hygiene education, and consultation for smoking cessation and weight loss.

Providing adult preventive health care, four major cancer screening services, and other types of health examinations under the national health insurance program:

Everyone has different needs and expectations of physical health examinations. You can consult with well-trained family physicians to make decisions in this regard. They will advise you to plan free adult health examinations and receive screening tests for four major cancers (i.e., cervical cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and oral cancer) provided by Health Promotion Administration, or to arrange more comprehensive health examinations at your own expense. Most importantly, they will provide follow-up treatments of abnormal test results. With their professional interpretation, analysis and consultation, you will get the most of your health examination.

Preventive health care for vaccination, overseas travel or study:

Vaccination is an important part of preventive health care for family physicians. Various types of vaccinations are available at our clinic, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, varicella vaccine, influenza, streptococcus pneumoniae, tetanus vaccine, mumps, measles and rubella vaccine, human papilloma virus vaccine, varicella zoster vaccine, Japanese encephalitis vaccine. We also cooperate with Taiwan Centers for Disease Control to provide meningitis vaccines, rabies vaccines, and yellow fever vaccines for overseas travelers.

Making referrals to other medical specialists or related supporting institutions according to the needs of patients:

In general, family doctors can provide patients with medical care for more than 95% of common diseases or health problems. However, we still have limitations in our medical care capabilities. Therefore, when necessary, we will assist patients in referrals to other medical specialists. Meanwhile, responding to special needs of specific patients, we will also make referrals to social welfare or psychological counseling institutions to facilitate proper and optimal medical treatments. Since family physicians have a more comprehensive understanding of medical resources in the entire hospital or community, we can help patients with more effective and efficient referrals to other medical specialist or related supporting resources.

To sum up, family physicians are medical specialists in common diseases, who work as guardians of health to provide medical care for you and your family. We recommend that you and your family have a family physician, like a close friend, with whom you can trust and communicate. A good family doctor can provide medical and health information to help you prevent the occurrence of diseases, make appropriate diagnosis and treatment when you have a disease, and make appropriate referrals when necessary. Now is the time for you to get a reliable doctor of family medicine to safeguard your health!

 NCKU Hospital Online Outpatient Appointment - Family Medicine Clinic