Express News Service
Chennai, May 1

OVER the last decade or so, the concept of the 'family physician' has been dying a slow death. With the burgeoning of multi-speciali¬ty tertiary care hospitals, patients now consult a specialist for every minor ache and pain and end up waiting several hours and spending huge sums for what may be a simple illness.

To revive the concept of the 'family doctor' who knows everyone from the grandfather to the latest baby in the family who makes visit to the home and who counsels and explains med¬ical procedures, Lifeline Hospital has launched a Family Physician Care Centre at Vettuvan-keni and plans to start five more this year.

“The entire concept revolves around a win-win situation for both the hospital and the patient. Neighbourhood clinics where practi¬tioners of general and family medicine will be available round the clock will be a boon to patients who do not need to travel long dis¬tances or pay huge sums. And at the hospital level, specialists can save time and resources if they don't have to examine patients who require minimal care for a simple ailment,” said Dr. M. Baskaran, CEO of Lifeline.

The clinics will have two to three doctors, diagnostic equipment, lab facilities and am¬bulances with trained paramedics for emer¬gency and trauma care. If the doctor feels a patient needs secondary or tertiary level care, he will then refer the patient to a specialist. Consultation charges will be kept minimal.

“We are trying to bridge the gap between trust and cost. With our brand name, the pa¬tient will trust the clinic and because the costs are much lower than that of a hospital, there will be accessibility,” said Dr. J.S.Rajkumar, chairman of the hospital.

The clinics will incorporate a hybrid ap¬proach and try to evolve the group practice con¬cept by also inviting interested general practi¬tioners to come under the Lifeline umbrella. “We will offer them not less than what they earn now and they will also have the benefits of a lab and equipment at their disposal,” he added.

Weekly consultations by specialists will also be arranged. Home visits will also be in¬corporated in the clinic where the doctor will visit the family when required. However, these features are still being worked out.

“We have received an incredible response to our Vettuvankeni clinic in ECR and hope the others which will be launched shortly will receive the same,” said Dr.Rajkumar.