Clinical Application of Family-Centered Health Care

For practicing comprehensive approach to health problems, family physicians should see both biomedical aspects and psychosocial aspects of each patient at the same time. Family physicians can hypothesize and intervene effectively the psychosocial aspects of patients through family-centered health care. Genogram, family life cycle, family's resources for stressful life events, and adaptability and cohesiveness of patients' family are the four eyes of family physicians, those enable family physicians to see the family of patients in their health care practice. Family-centered health care in family practice can be achieved by applications of family-related questions to routine health care practice, approaches to the family dynamics in patients with red fl ags, and family conferences for inpatients and patients with more diffi cult problems. Family-centered health care is the core practice of comprehensive approach to health problems and an important identity of family medicine.