Detailed medical records and trust key to your good health

Developing a trusting and lasting relationship with your family practitioner holds a multitude of benefits when it comes to the health and wellbeing of you and your loved ones. 

There are many good reasons why it is advisable for members to return to their preferred family practitioner, rather than consulting a different doctor each time they are ill.

A dedicated family practitioner is able to build a comprehensive medical history of each patient, says Liziwe Nkonyana, communications and member affairs executive of GEMS.

"A complete medical record, established over years of treating the same patient, assists doctors in diagnosing potential health problems more quickly, as they are able to identify changes in the patient over time."

"In the case of medicine allergies, for example, a lack of in-depth patient knowledge could have potentially life-threatening consequences," says Nkonyana.

GEMS recognises the benefits of a close relationship between patients and family practitioners. This is why the Scheme recently launched a campaign to encourage its members to return to a solid relationship with their family practitioners.

"A relationship of trust between the family practitioner and patient should be placed at the heart of healthcare. Where a patient feels comfortable with their family practitioner, they are more likely to openly express the kind of details that doctors rely on to make their diagnoses," she adds.

The relationship can be further strengthened where the same doctor treats members of the same family. This can be useful in a number of ways, particularly when it comes to identifying and managing hereditary illnesses, which are diseases that are passed through the genes from parent to child.

Another benefit of family practitioner-based healthcare is that your family doctor has a particular interest in proactively promoting the wellbeing of your family, rather than simply treating illness. Family practitioners provide guidance which helps you to stay healthy and can even prevent non-communicable diseases, as prevention is always preferable to cure.

These are just a few of the reasons why a patient's first port of call should always be their family practitioner.

"Often, patients incorrectly assume they need to consult a specialist for a specific complaint, when their own family practitioner is perfectly capable of treating them at a fraction of the cost."

Family practitioners are also best placed to refer their patients to the correct specialist to match their needs, thereby saving both costs and time. This is to the benefit of the patient, as it prevents unnecessary referrals from taking place between specialists.

"The best way to get the most out of your relationship with your doctor is to help your doctor to help you," Nkonyana concludes.