What is family practice?
Family practice or family medicine is a medical specialty that provides continuing, comprehensive health care for individuals and families at every stage of life. The patient-physician relationship is a key element of family practice.

Old-fashioned values
Remember hearing about doctors who made housecalls? They practiced family medicine. For thousands of years, generalists provided all of the medical care available. They diagnosed and treated illnesses, performed surgery and delivered babies.

Meeting total health needs
Today's patients still want that continuing, comforting relationship. They seek doctors who will provide initial, continuing and comprehensive care for their total health needs.

The benefits of family practice include:

• Physicians know their patients not just individually, but holistically - in the context of family and community.
• Care emphasizes disease prevention and health promotion, as well as treating illness.
• The family physician is a cost-effective liaison for patients and health services. If patients are hospitalized, the doctor coordinates their care.
• This role also allows the family physician to serve as a patient's advocate in dealing with third-party payers, employers and others.

At Fort Loudoun Medical Center, our physicians - including family practitioners and other specialists - are here for you.