Consultant Family Physician at Lifecrest Medical Services Ltd

Duties and Responsibilities
While a family physician’s day-to-day duties and responsibilities are determined by where they work, there are many core tasks associated with the role.

Based on Our Analysis of Job Listings, Responsibilities include:
Provide Holistic Care to Patients:

• Family physicians see patients in their medical office and visit them in hospital settings when needed.
• Their job is to develop a roster of patients by providing comprehensive medical care. Family physicians help repair and improve diseased or injured body parts and internal health problems.
• They order prescriptions or additional therapy for patients when necessary.

Order and Interpret Diagnostic Tests:

• Family physicians request, perform, and interpret diagnostic and clinical tests. They analyze test images and results in light of their patient’s medical history to inform their examinations and make accurate diagnoses.
• Family physicians then explain test results to patients and implement a care plan.

Advise Patients on Needed Health Changes:

• Patients look to family physicians to provide expert advice concerning disease prevention.
• They may suggest critical changes in diet, activity levels, and hygiene.
• The lifestyle changes physicians recommend help patients improve their quality of life.

Monitor Patient Progress and Records:

• Another critical activity for family physicians is keeping accurate and detailed records that document their observations from medical exams.
• Over time, family physicians monitor patient progress and treatment responses.
• They continually evaluate their patients’ overall heath and adjust individual treatments as necessary.

Collaborate with Other Healthcare Professionals:

• Consulting with additional specialists and doctors about patient needs is another vital task for family physicians.
• Other healthcare professionals can offer different perspectives on client diagnoses and treatment options.
• Family physicians commonly coordinate care with physical therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers. They also refer patients to other specialists when further diagnosis or treatment is needed.

Qualifications

• Employers expect Physicians to have a valid State Medical license (with Fellowship of West Africa or National College) and at least three years of experience as a practicing primary physician in a family care setting.

Essential Skills:

• Family physicians should be energetic, compassionate, and dedicated to meeting the long-term health needs of families.
• Family medicine experience - family physicians must have the combined skills of an internist and a pediatrician to care for children and adults
• Analytical diagnosis - since all doctors are scientists, they use scientific techniques to sort through data and conflicting information to reach an accurate medical diagnosis
• Physical fitness - performing physical tasks such as lifting or turning disabled patients is a requirement for family physicians. They also spend hours on their feet each day walking between patient rooms
• Bedside manner - family physicians often interact with people who are sick, injured, or in pain. They need a kind and compassionate attitude when treating patients and their families
• Problem-solving skills - physicians use problem-solving to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments
• Organization skills - handling multiple patient caseloads among different age groups requires that family physicians be organized
• Leadership skills - family physicians who manage their own practice must effectively lead a staff of other professionals
• Communication skills - since family physicians must communicate with a variety of patients of all ages as well as various support staff, they need excellent interpersonal skills.