When I was in Grade 6, I spent two weeks in Burnaby Hospital for a flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis.
Feverish, covered in rashes and suffering from swollen painful joints, it was a frightening experience for a child.
I found great comfort from my nurses, pediatrician and familiar family doctor who treated me as a whole person and not just my medical conditions. That’s when I knew I wanted to work in health care – to provide comfort to others in distress, and since the doctors seemed to have an easier job than the nurses, I chose medicine.
After graduating from UBC 15 years later, and spending time with family doctors, I was immersed in the rich, moving stories of their patients. I recognized that these physicians had a perspective and approach unique among the specialties.
They treated the whole person – not a single system of the body or disease in isolation. Family physicians advocate for their patients - through our complex healthcare system – to meet the challenges of their lives.
You may have heard that primary care is longitudinal; we build mutual trust in relationships that can span a lifetime. In fact, the research of Barbara Starfield demonstrated that patients provided with good primary care have lower costs of care, improved access to appropriate healthcare and improved health outcomes.
But your relationship with a family physician is also “latitudinal” with depth and breadth; our care is informed by our patients’ lived experience and we understand in the context of each whole life.
Sadly, there is a serious shortage of family physicians across the country. I frequently hear from readers whose family doctors have moved or retired from practice. They are unable to find a new family doctor.
Part of the reason is the increased stress associated with our work – particularly during the pandemic – with burnout rates among physicians at an all-time high. In addition to supporting patients suffering from multiple complex problems each day in my clinic, I spend a minimum of three hours completing numerous forms and letters for patients and reviewing up to a 75 medical reports or test results.
Last week, I heard from another reader who has not been able to access his own family physician. He is not alone; he has heard of others having similar difficulties.
I’m not certain of the reasons for this.
The family doctors in my clinic – unfortunately none of whom have the capacity to accept new patients – have remained open throughout the pandemic, attending to patients by telehealth and in person when needed.
If you don’t have a family physician, it’s important that you know what screening tests you may have missed throughout the pandemic and recognize what symptoms do warrant medical attention.
As part of the Burnaby Division of Family Practice’s Empowering Patients public health education program, I’ll be giving a free online talk on Making Sense of Symptoms and Screening Tests at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 31.
I’ll provide an update on adult screening tests that for many of us are long overdue since the beginning of the pandemic and review the symptoms that should prompt a visit to your doctor. With this information, you could request an assessment with a physician at a walk-in or urgent and primary care clinic.
For more information or to sign up, please check https://divisionsbc.ca/burnaby/for-patients/empowering-patients
If you are unable to attend my online talk, you can still access some key information I’ve put together on screening tests and important symptoms. https://divisionsbc.ca/burnaby/for-patients/empowering-patients/other-resources
When seeing an unfamiliar physician – at a walk-in clinic or in an emergency department, it is helpful for you to have a one-page summary of your medical history. This should include: 1. any allergies, 2. your family medical history, 3. hospitalizations, major illnesses and operations, 4. chronic medical conditions and 5. any medications you may be taking.
Dr. Davidicus Wong is a family physician. His Healthwise Column appears regularly in this paper. For more on achieving your positive potential in health, read his blog at davidicuswong.wordpress.com.
