The family physician: your lifeline to years of good health
"What I really enjoy about family practice is pulling together the various pieces of a person's health puzzle," says
James Gamble, MD, primary care physician at Virtua Health.
"Often, patients will have several health problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure or cancer and arthritis — all of which need acute attention at the same time. It just makes sense to have one physician who oversees everything on an ongoing basis."
Mary Campagnolo, MD, Virtua family physician agrees: "Patients with complex medical problems need continuity of care." Take the case of Christa Irick, who has been a patient of Dr. Campagnolo for more than 17 years. Irick's health problems include polymyalgia, a rheumatic disorder that causes stiffness and muscle pain in the neck, shoulders and hips. This is compounded by atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm problem for which she needs anticoagulant (blood thinner) medication. And, she has peripheral neuropathy, a neurological disorder causing pain and numbness or loss of feeling in the extremities.
As Irick's primary care physician, Dr. Campagnola's role is to manage these multiple conditions as well as to treat new problems. "When a patient comes to my office, I begin the evaluation process by really listening to what's troubling the patient. Then, I refer to pre-existing illnesses, current medications, the social history and other criteria. Based on this, I create a flowchart in my head. Next, I think of the various tests that may need to be completed before making a diagnosis. Sometimes the process involves a referral to a colleague in a more specialized field of medicine such as oncology or orthopaedic surgery for their consultation and feedback."
Indeed, managing the health care of patients like Irick takes considerable training and experience. A family physician's expert diagnostic and medical management capabilities come from years of education and clinical practice. Most have completed three years of in-depth residency training after medical school, focusing on every segment of the life cycle from prenatal care through geriatrics. The family physician stays up-to-date on the latest medical topics by attending courses, reading medical journals, participating in electronic continuing education projects and communicating with colleagues.
Irick says with confidence: "Dr. Campagnolo is my central station for all my health issues. She receives reports from my cardiologist and rheumatologist. Thanks to her great care and supervision, I'm literally back on my feet again."
An annual visit to your primary care physician is an important step in staying healthy. Virtua has nearly 400 family physicians and internists located throughout Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. To schedule an appointment, call
1-888-Virtua-3.