Family Medicine

The family medicine physicians at Encompass Medical Group provide continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and the family. Family medicine integrates the biological, clinical and behavioral sciences to address the health issues of all ages, both sexes, each organ system and every disease entity.

The family physician is typically the physician of first contact in most situations and, as the initial provider, is in a unique position to form a bond with the patient and the family. The family physician evaluates the patient’s total health needs, and provides personal care within one or more fields of medicine, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion. The family physician refers the patient when indicated to other sources of care while preserving continuity of care. The family physician’s role as a cost-effective coordinator of the patient’s health services is integral to the care provided. If the patient is hospitalized, this role prevents fragmentation and a lack of coordination of care. The family physician also has the unique advantage of utilizing knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community.

 

Internal Medicine, or Medicine for Adults

The internal medicine physicians at Encompass Medical Group are skilled in disease prevention and in managing complex disorders of the body. Patients are encouraged to visit their personal internal medicine physician for regular physical examinations, consultations about preventive care, and diagnosis and treatment of most non-surgical illnesses.

Nine subspecialties are recognized within the area of Internal Medicine: Cardiology, the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels; Endocrinology, the study of glands and other structures that secrete hormones; Gastroenterology, the care of conditions of the digestive tract, liver, and pancreas; Hematology, the study of blood and blood-forming tissues; Infectious disease, the study of blood and blood-forming tissues; Nephrology, the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases; Oncology, the study and treatment of cancerous tumors; Pulmonary disease, concerned with disorders of the lungs and other components of the respiratory system; and Rheumatology, the treatment of disorders involving joints and other connective tissues. An additional subspeciality gaining prominence is Geriatrics, the study of diseases affecting older adults.