Family Medicine Clinic in Joliet, IL

Family medicine refers to a wide range of medical services provided by a doctor who treats patients of all ages. The word family refers to the scope of the doctor’s practice in that they treat patients whose ages range from newborn through to the elderly. In many cases, a doctor practicing family medicine will provide primary care to most, if not all members of a family. This ensures that care and treatment is consistent for all patients and that each person’s medical history is linked together.

Many medical conditions and diseases have a genetic and hereditary factors to them, so having the rest of the family’s history readily available can make it faster and easier to make a diagnosis of a potential condition that can run in the family. It also allows the doctor to monitor younger patients for potential signs of a genetic condition. Primary care provided by family doctors is largely aimed at preventative medicine, performing annual physicals and vaccine administration, as well as regular checkups and screenings to catch any early signs of illness. A family doctor can also treat patients for most illnesses or injuries that aren’t life-threatening or require diagnostic testing such as x-rays or bloodwork.

When it comes to healthcare, the terms family medicine, and primary care are often used interchangeably. This isn’t incorrect, as doctors who practice family medicine provide primary care services to their patient base. Family doctors are trained to treat patients of all ages, from newborns through to geriatric patients. When talking about primary care services, the term is used broadly to describe the scope of care that doctors provide to their patients. Primary care services refer to a wide range of preventative and reactionary medical care.

Family doctors focus on preventative care which includes regular checkups and physical exams, guidance and administration of vaccines, prenatal care, well-child and well-woman care, and preventative screenings. They are also the first point of contact for any medical concerns that are not urgent or life-threatening for their patients. Family doctors provide a convenient healthcare option for families as all members are able to be treated by the same doctor for consistent care and sharing of each other’s medical history.

Family doctors can choose to practice medicine in a wide variety of settings, depending on their interests, further education, and location. In most cases, family doctors work out of either their own private practice or as one of several doctors in a multi-specialty group practice. In smaller markets, doctors may work in a smaller practice that can operate out of a clinic or on a house call basis or a combination of clinic and house call appointments.

Family doctors can choose to work on a full-time or part-time basis, adapting their hours of work to their own schedule and choosing when to have clinic hours in which to see patients. They might also work out of an urgent care clinic or hospital, either as their primary practice or in addition to their private practice. Regardless of the physical space where they practice medicine, family doctors are able to treat patients of all ages under the scope of general medicine, covering a wide range of illnesses, injuries, and preventative medical care.

There are many benefits to having a family doctor, with the primary one being a single source of medical care that has your complete medical history on file. People with a family doctor will use their doctor as the first point of contact for any medical issues that come up, such as a sickness or injury that isn’t life-threatening or requiring urgent attention.

A family doctor also provides preventative medical care such as physical exams, vaccine administration, preventative screenings, and regular checkups. If you are looking for a family doctor, reach out to the team at Internal Medicine and Family Practice Joliet today. We are accepting new patients and would be happy to take care of all of your medical needs. For more information, call us or schedule an appointment online! We are conveniently located at 1719 Glenwood Ave Joliet, IL 60435. We welcome walk-ins! We serve patients from Joliet IL, Manhattan IL, Channahon IL, Bolingbrook IL, Naperville IL, Lockport IL, Romeoville IL, and Plainfield IL.