To mark the occasion of World Family Doctor’s Day, on the 19th of May, the Malta College of Family Doctors (MCFD) and the Association of Private Family Doctors (APFD) said in a statement that they “look forward for further developments that strengthen family medicine as the heart of health care.”
“Family doctors play a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Through their dedication, compassion, and expertise they are a trusted source of support for patients and families,” they said.
They noted that Malta follows the trend of contemporary European countries as having a Family Doctor-based primary health care system as the base of its national healthcare system. This way of doing things calls for a long-term relationship between family doctors and patients, a holistic approach to healthcare, coordination of care for a patient’s healthcare needs, advocacy for patients tackling the healthcare system and education on various healthcare needs.
The two Voluntary Organisations pointed out that Family doctors are “typically the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care.”
They added that, they also “provide continuous and comprehensive care to patients throughout their lives, building long-term relationships with them. This allows them to understand their patients’ medical history, lifestyle, and social circumstances, and offer personalised care and support.”
In a contemporary life-style of narrow specialisation and even sub-specialisation Family Doctors take a holistic approach to healthcare, considering not just a patient’s physical health, but also their emotional, social, and psychological well-being, the organisations said.
“They focus on preventive care, screening, and early detection of illnesses to help patients maintain good health and prevent chronic diseases.”
The trend is for ever more healthcare services from various entities, and the organisations stressed that “Family Doctors serve as a central point of coordination for a patient’s healthcare needs. They work with other healthcare providers, such as specialists in hospitals, to ensure that patients receive the best possible care and avoid duplication of services.”
Within the healthcare system, Family Doctors are advocates for their patients, helping them navigate the healthcare system and access the resources they need. They also educate patients about their health, including how to manage chronic conditions, make healthy lifestyle choices, and prevent illness.
The APFD and the MCFD said that they are “committed to help national authorities to deliver accessible, equitable, and sustainable, high-quality care.”
They pointed out how the electoral programmes of the 3 main parties shared this reasoning and included pledges to give more tools to family doctors so that they can deliver more.
The MCFD and the APFD said that “consequently we are “reaching out to national authorities to accomplish the electoral promises to enable our society to move forward.”