Approach to the Patient

Abstract

The patient-centered family physician deals with patient problems in the context of the whole person: life history, personal issues, family, physical surroundings. With a disease-oriented approach the physician deals only with the disease process, exerting authority over the patient to control abnormal biomedical processes. In contrast, the patient-centered physician addresses the disease process, the patient’s illness experience, and the overall psychological and social contexts. This physician works with the patient to set priorities and determine each participant’s role in management.1 This approach empowers the patient, improves healing, develops an ongoing therapeutic relationship, and enlists other appropriate resources and personnel in an overall management plan. The patient-centered method promotes a “sustained partnership”2 that continues over time to manage the patient’s medical problems. By incorporating discussion about and understanding of the patient’s family system into the interaction, the patient-centered physician automatically practices family-centered care.