Overview

Providing Holistic Approach to Patient Care

The Department of Family Medicine is the oldest and the first accredited program in Saint Paul’s Hospital in Iloilo City. It started in 1977, with Dr. Henry Gonzales and Dr. Rene Juaneza as the pioneer graduates of the training in 1980. It was founded to provide training for physicians, not only in dealing with the clinical aspect of the disease but in dealing with the patient and the family as a whole. As an academic discipline, Family Medicine encompasses a distinct body of knowledge appropriate to the needs of our changing society. It is centered on the family as a basic social unit. It is not only disease-oriented but health or wellness oriented which emphasizes on the importance of disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance, and curative medicine.

The department maintains a 3-year Residency Training Program accredited by the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians. It covers major rotations in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetric and Gynecology, Family Health Care, Community, and minor rotations in Radiology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Ophthalmology, EENT and Psychiatry. A 1 month subspecialty rotation is also provided which includes Toxicology, Infectious Diseases, Geriatrics, and Hospice Care. Individualization of electives is based on interest of trainees and needs of areas of practice.

It envisions producing a 5 star Family Physician playing the role as healer, teacher, counselor, manager / social mobilizer and a researcher. Aiming to produce well – rounded practitioners, the training focuses on compassionate p atient and family care. By the end of the training, the physician should be able to provide first contact continuing and comprehensive care to members of families, taking into consideration the socio-cultural and economic factors.

In the future, the Department, with the support of the administration, aims to have its own Hospice Care Unit and Wellness Program which would further provide holistic care and service to the patients.

Mission:

1. The development of a complete physician who is able to provide continuing, comprehensive and personalized care that is patient centered and family oriented, in the ambulatory, hospital and community setting.

2. The establishment of an identity which is unique to every Family Physician at par with
other medical specialties in both hospital and community setting.

Vision:

Develop a training program that will produce Family Medicine graduates who are compassionate, patient and family centered, who could work in harmony with other specialty for the betterment of the patient and whose practice is updated and at par with other Family Physicians all over the nation and internationally. Develop a training program that will provide opportunities for the establishment of a dynamic Family Practice set-up in the hospital and the community.