Family Medicine: A Cure for Congested Hospitals ?

For years, the concept of family medicine has been discussed, but it remained a complex and challenging idea to implement. Coupled with the decentralization of public health services, this concept could help decongest hospitals.

However, several complexities need to be addressed before it can be put into practice.

The concept of family medicine has been debated under various governments, but it still struggles to take shape.

“It’s a complex concept. It’s not as simple as implementing it, especially since it won’t be in a vacuum.

We will have to work with existing structures and personnel,” explained Defi Media’s source from the Ministry of Health.

It may not be tomorrow that the project will come to fruition, as Mauritius is a small country, and patients have the luxury of consulting a doctor at any health center.

The Ministry of Health is investing heavily in decentralization for primary health care, but many patients still head straight to hospitals for basic treatments, which could be handled by nearby clinics or Area Health Centers (AHC) or Community Health Centers (CHC) in their locality.

According to Defi Media’s sources, 80% of cases treated in regional hospitals are non-urgent medical cases.

Only 30% of patients visit primary health centers, with the majority opting for hospitals, which explains the frequent congestion.

Healthcare professionals acknowledge that the concept of family medicine is commendable and works well in many European countries.

A private doctor and a public doctor emphasized that it is unacceptable in these countries for patients to go directly to hospitals without being referred by a general practitioner.

The private doctor noted that a family doctor is better equipped to know a patient’s medical history and can avoid unnecessary medical exams with specialists.

He also emphasized that family doctors can be consulted at any time. However, there is some “reticence” among healthcare professionals about implementing the project.

A public doctor stressed that an education campaign is needed to educate patients to first visit primary health centers before heading to regional hospitals.

He believed that implementing family medicine, coupled with decentralization, could help decongest hospitals.

On the other hand, Dr. Dawood Oaris, president of the private clinics association, considered there is a shortage of doctors on the market.

He also noted that there is a lack of equipment and personnel at primary health centers.

The Government Medical Consultant in Charge Association agreed that the concept is “a good proposal” but stated that there is a shortage of personnel for its implementation.

The association emphasized that the most important question is the recruitment of medical and paramedical personnel.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), family doctors are essential for improving population health and providing personalized, comprehensive, and continuous healthcare to patients.

The organization also highlighted that many family doctors’ roles go beyond just patient care. Education and direct interactions with local communities are crucial for disease prevention.

The WHO stressed that implementing family medicine requires addressing several complexities, including training healthcare professionals and improving healthcare infrastructure.

Source: Defi Media