Læknablaðið - 01.06.1977, Page 76

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LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
A DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK OF
THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER
The general practitioner is a licensed
medical graduate who gives personal,
primary and continuing care to individuals,
families and practice population, irrespec-
tive of age, sex and illness. It is the
synthesis of these functions which is uni-
que. iHe will attend 'his patients in his con-
sulting room and in their homes and some-
times in a clinic or a hospital. His aim is
to make early diagnosis. He will include
and integrate physical, psychological and
social factors in his considerations about
health and illness. This will be expressed
in the care of his patients. He will make
an initial decision about every problem
wihich is presented to him as a doctor. He
will undertake the continuing manage-
ment of his patients with chronic, recur-
rent or terminal illnesses. Prolonged con-
tact means that he can use repeated oppor-
tunities to gather information and a pace
appropriate to each patient and build up a
relationship of trust which he can use
professionally. He will practice in co-ope-
ration with other colleagues, medical and
non-medical. He will know how and when
to intervene through treatment, preven-
tion and education to promote the health
of his patients and their families. He will
recognise that he also has a professional
responsibility to the community.
EDUCATIONAL AIMS
From this broad description of the gene-
ral practitioner are derived the following
educational aims which should be attained
by the time a doctor enters independent
practice. Many of them are s'hared with
other doctors.
They are arranged in three groups; those
mainly involving:
1. knowledge
2. skills
3. attitudes
All three groups are equally important.
At the conclusion of the training pro-
granune, the doctor should be able to
demonstrate:
1. Knowledge
a. that íhe has sufficient knowledge of
disease processes, particularly of common
diseases, chronic diseases and those which
endanger life or have serious complications
or consoquences.
b. that 'he understands the opportunities,
methods and ' limitations of prevention,
early diagnosis and management in the
setting of general practise.
c. his understanding of the way in which
interpersonal relationships within the
family can cause health problems or alter
their presentation, course and manage-
ment, just as illness can influence family
relationships.
d. an understanding of the social and
environmental circumstances of his pa-
tients and how they may affect a relation-
ship between health and illness.
e. his knowledge and appropriate use of
the wide range of interventions available
to him.
f. that he understands the ethics of ;his
profession and their importance for the
patient.
g. that he understands the basic methods
of research as applied to general practice.
h. an understanding of medico-social
legislation and of the impact of this on his
patient.
2. Skills
a. how to form diagnoses which take
account of physical, psychological and
social factors.
b. t'hat he understands the use of epi-
demiology and probability in his every
day-work.
c. understanding and use of the factor
„time“ as a diagnostic, therapeutic and
organisational tool.
d. that he can identify p>ersons at risk
and take appropriate action.
e. that he can make relevant initial de-
cisions about every problem presented to
him as a doctor.
f. the capacity to co-operate with medi-
cal and non-medical professionals.
g. knowledge and appropriate use of the
skills of practice management.