World Family Physician's Day reminds us that family medicine is not just treatment - it is long-term care, relationship, trust and prevention. - We wish all our colleagues fulfillment in the extremely responsible, but also honorable service they perform for Polish patients," says Bożena Janicka, president of the Healthcare Employers' Agreement.
Today is World Family Doctor's Day
Published May 19, 2025 10:39
Family physicians are the first point of contact between the patient and the health care system. They diagnose symptoms, refer for tests, monitor chronic diseases, coordinate specialized treatment and support recovery. A close patient-physician relationship promotes openness and more effective treatment.
In addition to treatment, preventive health care is an important aspect of a family doctor's work. In view of the growing number of diseases of civilization - diabetes, hypertension, obesity or depression - the role of family doctors becomes even more important. They are the ones who can catch alarming signals in time and help the patient change habits before specialist intervention is necessary. Family physicians look at the patient holistically. They are interested not only in the test result, but also in how the patient feels, what concerns he or she has, how he or she functions in society and in the family. With their holistic approach, family doctors brilliantly combine biological, psychological and social aspects, making them indispensable guides to health.
They take care of chronically ill patients, caring for children, seniors, pregnant women, and patients in terminal conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they became the system's shield, taking on a huge amount of responsibility for monitoring infections and managing patients remotely.
Although the role of family physicians cannot be overestimated, they face many problems. The biggest of these is the shortage of staff. An aging population, an increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases and rising health expectations directed at primary care only exacerbate these difficulties. However, despite the lack of sufficient resources and often administrative support, family physicians open the doors of their offices every day, ready to listen, diagnose, support and help the patient through the most difficult moments.
...- World Family Physician's Day is a good opportunity to thank those who often remain in the shadow of more spectacular specialties on a daily basis. And yet they are the ones who build the foundations of the health of entire communities - working at the root of the system, often under difficult conditions, with full commitment and heart. Let this day be an opportunity to reflect on the role of family physicians and an appeal for multidirectional support for this branch of medicine. After all, each of us deserves to have a trusted doctor next to us, who knows us not only from our PESEL number, but first and foremost as a human being," stressed Bozena Janicka.
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