World Family Doctor Day is celebrated on 19 May - an initiative of the World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca), which is a global organisation that represents family physicians and general practitioners from more than 130 countries.

In our increasingly fast-paced lives, digitalisation of health care, online accessibility of health information and ChatGPT, one may find it much easier to simply use these methods to obtain reassurance or self-diagnosis. So why is the family doctor still important in today's society?

Family Medicine is a speciality in its own right, with family doctors having undergone formal training in various medical specialities to be able to deliver comprehensive and continuous healthcare to their patients, as one would say from "cradle to grave".

Family doctors form long-term relationships with their patients - going beyond the symptom, but looking at the emotional, social and psychological aspect of one's well-being. Additionally, there is an interplay regarding the impact of the patient's illness on both themselves and their families, an area where the family doctor is particularly well-suited to provide support. Family doctors play a role in preventive health and education such as offering vaccinations, screening for diseases, counseling on lifestyle changes or medications.

The family doctor is a point of coordination with specialists and various healthcare professionals. This is especially important when the patient may be suffering from more than one condition which requires more than one specialist or healthcare professional. It provides better cohesion and continuity of care.

The family doctor is the first point of contact for the patient and therefore a "gatekeeper" who refers patients for appropriate care and use of services. Thus reducing the workload on emergency services and secondary care (saving money to the country and long unnecessary waits for the patient!)

In conclusion, it has been shown that having a relationship with a family doctor reduces unnecessary admissions to hospital, picks up diseases earlier on, gives better control of chronic conditions and reduces complication rates.

The family doctor is pivotal in a primary healthcare system and our call is for governments to invest in better support of this important speciality, which benefits primarily our patients but in turn the health of the country.

The Association of Private Family Doctors are full members of Malta Health Network www.maltahealthnetwork.org