Family Health Centers, which provide free services from cancer screening to vaccination, from follow-up of chronic patients to pregnant and elderly follow-ups; continues to save the lives of patients and reduce the burden of hospitals.
Dr. İlknur Deniz Öztürk, Family Physician at Kayseri Hatice Asım Nalbantoğlu Family Health Center, who stated that family physicians are with citizens in all health problems and preventive health services from birth to death; “Family medicine; are health professionals who are with individuals in all health problems and preventive health services from birth to death. Family medicine units consist of family physicians and family health workers. Family health centers are a health unit that covers a wide range of preventive health services such as screening programs from newborns, follow-ups of children between the ages of 0-5, pregnant follow-ups, elderly health, follow-ups of chronic patients, vaccinations, as well as cancer screenings.” Öztürk emphasized the importance of citizens first applying to family physicians instead of hospitals; “We have 1st Step Polyclinic Services in Family Health Centers, we have laboratory services, apart from that, dressings and injections can be made, and the family physician can be used as a consultant. The family physician can guide the patient about whether to go to hospitals or not, and warn the patient not to go to the hospital when it is not necessary. Thus, the patient will neither lose time nor money.”
Underlining that many diseases that may occur when family medicine offices are actively used can be prevented, Dr. Öztürk said; “The cancers that we diagnose early are the cancers that we make positive progress. For example, we have screenings for cervical cancer, which is done as screening for women between the ages of 30-65. In breast cancer, mammograms are performed between the ages of 40-69. Between the ages of 50 and 70, occult stool blood is checked, especially in order to make an early diagnosis of digestive system cancers. These provide a positive return to both the national economy and the patient. The fact that they are all free of charge is also a great advantage. When they receive early diagnosis, the life expectancy of patients is prolonged and they get rid of cancer more easily.”
All services free of charge
Emphasizing that they attach great importance to vaccination in terms of infant and child health, Dr. Öztürk said: “Especially with the transformation programs in health and the introduction of family medicine, vaccination rates have increased significantly in our country and province. Recently, we have encountered vaccine refusals due to some dirty information, especially in infancy and childhood vaccines. But our infancy and childhood vaccines are very safe. They are all administered with results based on scientific studies. The cold chain is followed by the ministry until it arrives at the family health center and is administered to the person. We attach great importance to vaccines in terms of public health, the health of families and the health of babies and children.” Emphasizing that family health centers should always come to mind first in the health needs of citizens, Dr. İlknur Deniz Öztürk; “The first thing that always comes to mind should be the family doctor. When our citizens apply to family health centers, our colleagues are in the field with all their efforts to help them in every subject. Pregnancy follow-up, birth, newborn screenings, heel prick blood collection, follow-ups between the ages of 0-5, pre-marital thalassemia screenings are all free of charge. These are all services provided by our ministry and they are really valuable. Family health centers should be the first step for the patient. If family health centers are used actively, unnecessary applications to hospitals will definitely be prevented. There will be no unnecessary congestion there. Then, patients who really need hospitalization will reach the relevant units much more easily.”
