Dr. Mohamud Verjee was recently invited to speak about family-centered care when the staff of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) was introduced to “My Family", an initiative that will explore the role of families in the care and support of patients.

“My Family” may be a new program for HMC, but in fact the concept recognizes and encourages the traditional role Qatari families have long played in the recuperation and support of loved ones.

Dr. Verjee, Director of Primary Care and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, is a proponent not only of family-centered care, but also of primary care, two concepts that co-exist nicely together.

Primary care describes an approach whereby the primary care physician is the first contact and the "medical home" for a patient, the pivot point for providing continuity and integration of health care. Family-centered care is a natural extension of this philosophy, as it brings the family into the picture as members of the care team.

He describes the key attributes of family-centered care as the education of families and patients to expand their role in decision-making, health-related behaviors and self-management; involvement of family and friends with patient empowerment; collaboration and team management; sensitivity to non-medical and spiritual dimensions of care; respect for family and patient values, needs and preferences; and free flow and accessibility of information.

At HMC, “My Family” aligns well with this idea of a more holistic approach to treatment. The program will endeavor to alleviate one consequence of modern medicine, which is that some families feel shut out from the medical care choices presented to their loved ones.

The kind of comprehensive care practiced by primary care and family-centered care physicians appeals to many doctors, since the opportunity to make a significant contribution to a patient’s well-being is greatly magnified when the physician has a personal commitment to seeing the patient’s care through from start to finish.

The field attracts “some of the brightest people – those with honors and accolades,” says Dr. Verjee. No longer is family medicine a "second choice career".

The intellectual challenge is one reason. He points out that as a primary care physician, you are expected to be an accomplished generalist; the next patient who walks into your examining room might be exhibiting signs of a brain aneurysm … could need help managing diabetes … or may simply have a sore throat. Effective collaboration with other specialists when required can be as important as the initial diagnosis and treatment.

The primary care physician is not so much a “gatekeeper” of care – an outdated concept, says Dr. Verjee – as a trusted advocate for the patient and his family.

“My Family” is the first initiative to be launched following the creation of the HMC Center for Health Care Improvement in May this year. The program exemplifies HMC’s ongoing commitment to improving the communication skills of all staff, with the goal of maintaining and strengthening relationships between patients, families and employees.

 

Report by Nora Minor