MOST people in Hong Kong visit a Government or private doctor when they are ill. But few know that the first doctor they should consult is a family physician.
Family Medicine is a discipline of growing importance worldwide. It is also receiving greater attention locally, thanks to the recent establishment of an institute for that branch of medicine.
The Hong Kong Institute of Family Medicine, located at the new Union Hospital in Tai Wai, New Territories, has been set up as a centre for advanced postgraduate training.
''A specialist family doctor provides total care by emphasising not only the physical, but also the social and psychological aspects of health,'' said Professor Natalis Yuen, the institute's chairman.
Being familiar with the medical history of the patient and his family, a family doctor can usually make an early and accurate diagnosis and recommend the appropriate management. This helps to protect his client from unnecessary treatments.
However, Hong Kong has less than 20 training posts in the discipline at present.
By comparison, countries like Canada and Australia give the largest share of the Government medical budget to family medicine. Australia, in particular, trained some 2,000 doctors each year, Professor Yuen said.
