The Role of Primary Care Physician in Geriatric Care

Abstract

General practice is the first point of medical contact for patients with the health issues and is a key component of primary care. Primary care provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and not only treats the patient when they are ill, but works with the patient when they are healthy to establish strong health maintenance skills by practicing disease prevention and health education. Geriatric population is a rapidly growing worldwide; this rise of the aging population has had an impact on the practice of medicine (Jamison DT, Sandbu ME, 2001). Clinical practice in primary care focuses on the unique needs of the geriatric population which is different from other patient population. The aged body is different physiologically from the younger adult body, older patients tend to develop a more severe disease state and have co-morbidities leading to longer lengths of stay in the hospital (Zafar SN, Ganatra HA, Tehseen S, Qidwai W, 2006). The chronic non communicable disease and risk for falling increases in the older population, resulting in an increase in serious outcomes and associated health care costs (Graham Ellis, Martin A Whitehead, 2011).