How To Combat Pandemic As A Family Doctor ft. Dr. Geeta Khaitan Gupta
(Full interview: https://youtu.be/7agF5gfMWHM)
"Do as much as possible for the patient, and as little as possible to the patient." -Dr. Bernard Lown
A family doctor is one who takes care of the whole family. Many doctors train in a specialty area of medicine. However, family doctors are trained in all areas of medicine. They care for you as a whole person through all stages of your life, regardless of your age or gender. This includes care for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Family doctors get to know their patients. They build a caring relationship with you and your family. They listen and document your health history. This helps them better understand how to help you make good decisions about your health. Family doctor is responsible for diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses. They also provide routine health screenings and counselling on lifestyle changes. This helps prevent health issues before they develop. If you require care from a specialist, your family doctor will refer you to a specialist. He or she will help coordinate all aspects of your care.
In the fifth episode of TuriyaTalks Season 5, we had an opportunity to discuss the theme “Importance of Family Doctors” with our Guest of Honour Dr. Geeta Khaitan Gupta, an expert in internal medicine. The interview, hosted by Sandhya Sutodia, encompassed a discussion on the dire necessity of family doctors in the midst of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Some insights incorporated from the interview are as follows:
Family doctors acts as a bridge between patients and specialists.
Family doctors are primarily physicians, who take care of individuals in a family from birth till death.
If the family doctors feel that there is a need for a specialist, he will refer an individual to the optimal doctor.
In Canada, family doctors are basically trained after graduating from the medical school for three years. For first two years, they have to take two years of residency training program. In the third year, they undergo special training before been qualified as a certified family doctor.
Telemedicine has initiated a great impact during the pandemonium of COVID – 19 in the lives of patients and doctors. It has helped the physician to assess the patient on an initial basis, whether they are required for a check-up or not.
Some genetic disease such as Diabetes can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and proper diet.
She advised to avoid panic and isolate himself if an individual has been infected by COVID-19. Majority of those infected recovered within fourteen days of isolation and rest at home. But if one faces severe complications in breathing, he must immediately contact the nearby hospital.
Dr. Khaitan ended the session with the quote saying " Mental wellness can be increased by learning to praise yourself and others around you, learning to be thankful and appreciating what we have ”.