Working in Multidisciplinary teams for the Family Physician

ABSTRACT

This article shows how a typical patient with multiple chronic medical problems can be managed well by a Family Physician despite the pressure of time in Singapore. Resources like the Agency for Integrated Care, Community Health Centres, Centre-based Services, and Social Service Offices will be discussed in the context of how they help the busy Family Physician to stabilise multiple chronic medical problems in the community based on a multidisciplinary team care model. Optimal utilisation of such resources by family physicians can significantly alleviate the chronic patient load in the hospitals and government polyclinics. Furthermore, this will promote the Ministry of Health’s vision of “One Singaporean, One Family Doctor.”