Introduction To Family Medicine Flashcards
When was Family Medicine approved as a specialty?
In 1969 by the American Board.
When was WONCA (World Organization of Family Doctors) established?
In 1972.
What is Family Medicine?
Family Medicine is a medical specialty which gives coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous care to an individual irrespective of age, sex, race, or disease entity within the context of the family and the community using the biopsychosocial model of care.
What is the conventional definition of family?
A group of persons linked by kinship, either through bloodlines or marriage.
What is the broader definition of family in Family Medicine?
A group of people related biologically, emotionally, legally, or by choice, from whom the patient can expect support.
What are the six principal roles of a Family Physician?
- Caregiver – Provides patient-centered care.
- Coordinator – Networks with other healthcare providers.
- Communicator – Explores patient fears, ideas, and expectations (FIFE model).
- Advocate – Involved in healthcare policy-making.
- Manager – Manages the 4Ms (man, money, materials, minutes).
- Researcher – Conducts medical research.
Name some tools used in Family Medicine.
- Family Genogram
- Family Life Cycle/Stages
- Family APGAR
- Ecomap
- SCREEM
- Family Lifeline
- Home Visits
What is a Family Genogram?
A graphic representation of family structure summarizing a large amount of family-related information.
What are the components of a Genogram?
- Title
- Three or more generations
- Names, ages, deaths, and diseases of family members
- Household members, schools, occupations
- Marriage/divorce dates
- Symbols representing relationships
What is the Family Life Cycle?
A conceptual tool describing family development through various stages and transitions.
Name the eight stages of Evelyn Duvall’s Family Life Cycle Model.
- Beginning family – Adjusting to marriage.
- Early childbearing – Birth to 30 months.
- Families with preschoolers – 2½ to 5 years.
- Families with school children – School age to puberty.
- Families with teenagers – Adolescence (13–19 years).
- Launching center families – First child leaves home to the last child’s departure.
- Middle-age families – Empty nest to retirement.
- Aging families – Retirement to death of both spouses.
What does the Family APGAR tool assess?
The patient’s perception of family function based on Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve.
How is Family APGAR scored?
- 7-10 = Highly functional
- 4-6 = Moderately functional
- 0-3 = Dysfunctional
What is an Ecomap?
A pictorial tool showing the family’s interaction with its social and environmental context.
How are connections represented in an Ecomap?
- Thick solid lines = Strong relationships
- Dotted lines = Weak connections
- Jagged lines = Conflicted/stressful relationships
What does SCREEM stand for?
Social, Cultural, Religious, Economic, Educational, and Medical resources.
What is the purpose of SCREEM?
To assess a family’s capacity to participate in healthcare and cope with crises.
What are the SCREEM score interpretations?
- 0-6 = Severely inadequate resources
- 7-12 = Moderately inadequate resources
- 13-18 = Adequate resources
Name some subspecialties in Family Medicine.
- Adolescent Health
- Geriatric Medicine
- Pain Medicine
- Hospice & Palliative Care
- Sports Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
- Travel Medicine
What are the key characteristics of Family Medicine?
- First point of medical contact
- Efficient use of healthcare resources
- Patient-centered approach
- Longitudinal continuity of care
- Manages both acute and chronic health problems
What is the core focus of Family Medicine?
Providing holistic, coordinated, and cost-effective healthcare within the context of the family and community.
