Personal (Family) doctor Vs Polyclinic specialists (Corporate Hospital)

Big companies provide medical benefits to their employees. Since the employee is too busy with his job and career, he goes to the company approved corporate hospital for even for small ailments. He is not bothered about the charges.

Now he is attended by some doctor. This doctor prescribes a series of tests and after the test reports only, he decides his course of treatment. If the patient happens to go for a second time, most probably the attending doctor is different, unless it is specified. Then if that doctor is not available for that day, the patient ends up with another doctor, who goes through the earlier records to decide his treatment or further tests. These tests will be explained as to make sure that there are no other problems other than complained.

Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, Japan, who turned 101 last year, is one of the world's longest-serving physicians and educators. He advises

“When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors can't cure everyone.” 

Today, many that go to the doctor with problems in their daily lives hear that their problems are 'stress-related' but don't know the reason or how to stop it. Doctors today are encouraged to know more, but ask less. They have access to huge amounts of medical information, but rarely take the time to have a real conversation with a patient to find out about other factors in their lives including how they actually live them

The Bio –psycho- social model, or BPS, instructs the medical professional to take not only the sheer physical status of the patient at a given point, relying on physical measurements, but to take other factors in. These factors may be psychological (thoughts, emotions, behaviors) and/or social (socio-economical statues, environmental and cultural issues).

This approach is followed by homeopathy practitioners.

If you have a family doctor, who knows you very well over years, he will advise you the course of action, with few or no tests.