Significant Challenges For Doctors In Family Practice
A career in healthcare can be very rewarding, especially when it comes to family practice doctors (primary physicians). Family doctors, many will say, are the backbone of the medical profession. Helping patients heal and live healthier lifestyles is a great contribution to humanity, and it can enable patients to lead satisfying lives. Unfortunately, however, being a family doctor does not come without its challenges though and being aware of what a doctor goes through during their career is important in fully appreciating their day to day efforts.
With this in mind, it’s time to check out a few of the many challenges doctors face every day.
Time Pressures
Working as a doctor is a huge time commitment and the pressures of balancing work life and personal life can be straining. Choosing to work as a family doctor typically means long hours and occupational stressors. Those in the medical profession devote a lot of time and energy to ensure the needs of their patients are fulfilled and they receive the best possible care. Doctors are frequently on call and have to be available on short notice in the event of an emergency. A strong support system on the home front can make those long days manageable and help reduce their stress. Doctors often cite shared values and common goals with a life partner as the glue in personal relationships.
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Keeping Up With Technology
Researchers are continually developing new technology for the medical field, since there is always room to make things more efficient, get to cures faster, and more. These advancements provide better and more successful treatment options for patients and provide greater insight for effectively diagnosing medical conditions. While these advancements provide great contributions to the medical profession, doctors are constantly being trained on new devices and methodologies. Being able to adapt to an always-changing environment is necessary and important, and it allows patients the best care possible. However, it can be difficult sometimes to always use new technology like an expert when it changes frequently.
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Maintaining Confidentiality
Doctors in family practice are given the opportunity to really get to know their patients. Of course, all doctors know keeping patient information confidential is vital in protecting their privacy and building trust. Doctors must always be educating staff on proper protocol and legal obligations. On top of stressful hours and patient care, doctors need to be constantly on guard against threats to patient privacy. While all doctors know what they have to do, it can sometimes be challenging to ensure confidentiality is always maintained, even if there are outside forces at play and patient confidentiality is threatened through no fault of their own. These forces can include elements such as computer and technology issues and compromise.
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Keeping Up With Knowledge
Similar to how medical technology is always changing, the medical field is constantly growing and expanding on new techniques and procedures. As a family practice doctor, keeping up with the growing expanse of medical knowledge is important and necessary. Doctors go through extensive schooling and devote countless hours to educating themselves in medical college. However, their schooling does not end when they graduate. Rather, it continues throughout their career and they must constantly educate themselves to ensure their patients get the best care possible. As new threats to patients well being arise and new advancements are discovered, we can rest assured that doctors are being updated regularly on the best possible treatment methods, even if it can be hard to keep up at times.
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Staff Supervision
Each person in an organization plays a significant role and patients can encounter quite a few different individuals before they meet with a doctor, including receptionists and nurses. In many instances, when doctors own the practice, they must also supervise their staff in addition to dealing with patients. Making sure all of these staff members are trained and following the proper protocol for their position is vital. Receptionists and nurses are often the first individuals to ask for confidential information from a patient. If a patient does not feel comfortable, they will not share the needed information about their background or medical history, which can compromise their care. Proper training can help patients feel comfortable, which is just one reason why it is crucial.
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Earning Patient Trust
In today’s world, most patients search the internet for their symptoms and possible diagnoses before they even schedule an appointment with their family doctor. This often leaves them walking into the doctor’s office with a preconceived idea of what ailment they have. They may then second guess the doctor’s professional opinion, should they disagree with it. Family practice doctors must work hard to earn their patient's trust and gain their respect. The doctor is often chosen for personal and emotional reasons, not always rational ones. Finding the right balance is important as they work diligently to ensure each patient receives the treatment they require, while showing respect for their personal preferences. Building patient trust helps ensure they receive the best possible care and avoids potential downfalls due to elements such as misinformation from others and having blinders on due to research.
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Maintaining Certifications
New certification standards are always being implemented and doctors must get theirs updated on a regular basis. This means adding more on their to-do list and responsibilities to an already busy schedule. Continuing education plays a vital role in a doctor's responsibilities, as has been made clear previously. Doctors work hard to ensure they are as up-to-date as possible on all medical procedures. We already know the field of medicine is always evolving and developing new equipment and procedures, so staying current on all of the information out there is important. It is also part of giving patients peace of mind, knowing their medical concerns will be addressed and taken care of as efficiently as possible.
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Meeting Patient Expectations
Patients have high expectations of their doctors. When they come in, they expect to be seen right away and be given quick solutions to their problems. Based on the diagnosis, this cannot always be done and patients can be left feeling disappointed about something out of the doctor's control. Doctors are in their line of work to treat their patients and guide them into living longer and healthier lives. Doctors have to be at their best every day and not give into moments where taking a shortcut is a more expedient option. When the process gets frustrating, it can be challenging to communicate this to patients and have them understand elements out of their control are at play, but doctors must be sure to give this a good attempt either way.
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Liability Issues
There is a wide array of possible liability issues a family doctor could face, and if exact and proper procedures are not followed, both by them and their staff, serious problems may arise. In today’s technologically-advanced society, patients can easily research and locate possible instances where something was not done properly and decide to pursue legal action regarding malpractice. Evaluation and handling medical liability claims is one of the most serious occupations for health lawyers, health administrators, and medical professionals. This is precisely why all doctors, family doctors included, should possess liability insurance. While they may have patient interests at heart, it’s hard to predict the future and know when something might go wrong.
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Putting Themselves Second
For a family doctor, the patient is always the first priority. Medical professionals chose their career path to ensure others are taken care of and they live long and healthy lives. This means, despite feeling tired, hungry, or stressed out, a doctor’s entire focus must be directed towards the patient and what treatment they should receive when they are working. Not making oneself the number one priority is a challenge for anyone, doctors included, so it would be great for all patients to show some appreciation for their doctor the next time they are in the office. Recognizing the doctor’s efforts and showing respect for how they contribute to patient well being may give them the boost they need to keep moving forward with their already hectic lifestyle.