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Patient Stories

Family Medicine: Another Option for Your Family
By Healthy Life 2011 Winter



For Lisa Parker of Saugus, a busy mother of a teenager and a pre-teen, the family medicine model meets many needs. “Having one physician for my entire family is wonderful. It is so easy to have all of our care coordinated at one office,” says Parker, whose family sees Christine Valdes, M.D., at the North Shore Physicians Group practice in Saugus. “Oftentimes, when I am here with one of my kids, Dr. Valdes can check in with me too. I especially appreciate that when we are all sick at the same time.”

North Shore families are fortunate to have several excellent choices of family medicine physicians. Family medicine physicians have expert training in the care of all age groups: adults, seniors and children. These multi-generational physicians can offer families an extra measure of convenience and connection.

“The model for family medicine has its roots in the general practitioners of old,” says Alain Chaoui, M.D., chair of Family Medicine at NSMC, “when an entire family would be treated by the same physician. This common practice approach enables the physician to better understand family dynamics and health history and more thoroughly manage their impact.”

Family medicine physicians complete training in general adult medicine as well as geriatrics, women’s health and pediatrics. NSMC offers more than 35 family medicine physicians for families looking for this one-stop option—a convenient choice for adults caring for children, aging parents and themselves. Through a single office, patients can make appointments for multiple members of the family and more easily manage multiple health care details.

A doctor for the in-between years

Another benefit for the Parker family was finding a doctor with whom their daughter, Haley, 14, was comfortable. “As I got older, I didn’t feel like I fit in to a pediatrician’s office anymore, where there were mostly toys and babies in the waiting room,” she says. “With Dr. Valdes, I feel like I can ask questions about growing up and getting older. I can talk to her.”

To find an NSMC family medicine physician, please visit nsmcphysicians.partners.org.