WFDD

What’s This?

Today was WFDD.
What’s this, you ask? Why, it’s World Family Doctors Day, celebrated every May 19th since 2010. According to WONCA, it is a time dedicated to celebrating the work and accomplishments of primary care physicians. Each year, family physicians around the world host conferences and seminars, share their experiences, or educate persons in their communities.

The Roles of the Family Physician

Family Physicians care for patients across the entire spectra of life, gender, conditions… you name it, family physicians (or FMs) have seen it all. From Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity, to coughs/colds, back sprains and uncomplicated pregnancies, FMs care for all “from the cradle to the grave”. They serve as coordinators, advocates, mediators, therapists; all in the name of providing quality holistic care.

The Unhappy Doctor??

If you ask an FM how he/she feels about their work as a primary care provider, many will say that they love the interaction with their patients, and the fulfillment they get when their patients do better. In fact, primary care physicians have multiple roles and responsibilities in patient care, but they are some of the lowest paid specialists. Yes, Family Medicine is an actual specialty. However, if you ask the layperson, most are unaware that this exists. Unfortunately, the same can also be said for some persons in other specialties, who view primary care as mundane and relatively unimportant.
These unhappy doctors will also lament the excessive paperwork or electronic health record entries needed for insurance reimbursement, or the bureaucracies which exist within health care institutions, or the effects policy-makers have on their patients (abortion ban anyone??).
As a result, they have high rates of burnout, ranking highly among fellow specialists.
And it’s starting to take its toll.

The Shortage Crisis is Coming…

Winter is not the only thing that is coming; there is also a pending shortage crisis of qualified family physicians to meet the needs of an expanding population which is living longer with more and more complex diseases. In the USA, it is estimated that by the year 2030 there will be a projected deficit of up to approximately 49,000 FMs.
To complicate matters, less physicians are pursuing careers in Family Medicine/Primary Care, likely because of the excessive student loans to repay and far less financial compensation compared to other specialties.

What To Do?

You may ask, “Soooo… what am I to do with all of this information?”
Well, if you have a great primary care physician, tell them, “Thanks, and Happy WFDD!”
Sometimes a simple show of gratitude can brighten the day of someone going through the motions. It may also help them to be more motivated to encourage other emerging physicians to choose Family Medicine as a specialty.
If you are a primary care physician, hats off to you for choosing this path of serving your patients. You are not alone, and if anyone loves you besides your family and friends, it’s probably your patients.

So Happy World Family Doctors Day to you, your patients, and your families!