What are the key tenets of professionalism in family medicine?

Key Tenets of Professionalism in Family Medicine

The core tenets of professionalism in family medicine include honesty and integrity, reliability and responsibility, respect for others, compassion/empathy, self-improvement, self-awareness, communication and collaboration, and altruism and advocacy, all of which are essential for providing high-quality patient care that prioritizes patient well-being and outcomes. 1

Core Professional Values

• Honesty and integrity - Embodying fairness, meeting commitments, keeping one's word, and maintaining intellectual honesty in all patient and professional interactions 1
• Reliability and responsibility - Demonstrating accountability to patients, families, colleagues, and society, including willingness to acknowledge and discuss errors and their consequences 1
• Respect for others - Treating all persons with dignity, showing sensitivity to differences in gender, race, and culture, and maintaining appropriate patient confidentiality 1
• Compassion and empathy - Understanding patients' and families' reactions to illness from their perspective rather than the physician's viewpoint 1
• Self-improvement - Committing to lifelong learning and continuing education to maintain and enhance clinical knowledge and skills 1, 2
• Self-awareness and knowledge of limits - Recognizing when a problem exceeds one's expertise and appropriately seeking consultation 1
• Communication and collaboration - Working cooperatively with patients, families, and healthcare team members to provide optimal care 1
• Altruism and advocacy - Placing patient well-being ahead of physician's own interests and needs 1

Professional Responsibilities

To Patients and Families

• Establish collaborative relationships with patients and families, recognizing appropriate boundaries and promoting respect for privacy and nondiscrimination 1
• Provide accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective care 1
• Communicate clearly and effectively, including honest disclosure of errors and their potential consequences 1
• Document medical care concisely and correctly using the OLFACTORY principles: Original, Legible, Factual, Accurate, Consistent, Timely, Objective, Rational, and Yours 1

To Other Healthcare Professionals

• Treat colleagues and all healthcare team members with integrity, honesty, and respect 1
• Recognize the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and the unique contributions of other healthcare professionals 1
• Provide appropriate supervision and referral when needed 1
• Avoid verbal or physical abuse and sexual harassment in the workplace 1

To Communities

• Develop collaborative relationships with the wider community to address child health advocacy issues 1
• Promote effective use of healthcare and public health resources 1
• Practice evidence-based care while advocating for just and cost-effective distribution of finite clinical resources 3

To the Profession

• Commit to lifelong learning, teaching, and contributing to medical knowledge 1
• Engage in self-care and treat team members with respect 1
• Communicate effectively and promote integrity in medical practice 1
• Participate in professional self-regulation and accountability 1

Unique Aspects of Professionalism in Family Medicine

• Generalist approach - Maintaining a perspective on the whole person and the context of illness including family, culture, and society 4
• Continuity of relationship - Developing interpersonal bonds of trust and respect with patients and families over the life course 4
• Reflective mindfulness - Cultivating awareness of thoughts and emotions, manifested as presence and attentiveness toward self and others 4
• Patient-centered care - Focusing on the person rather than the disease, with scope of practice defined by human needs rather than diagnoses or procedures 5
• Comprehensive care - Managing common complaints, recognizing important diseases, uncovering hidden conditions, and addressing most acute and chronic illnesses 5

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Hidden curriculum influence - Be aware that trainees may learn more from observing daily behaviors than from formal ethics training; model appropriate professional behavior at all times 1
• Balancing competing values - Recognize tensions between organizational expectations and individual physician or patient values; develop strategies to navigate these conflicts 6
• Neglecting self-care - Remember that physicians who attend to their own needs are better able to show compassion and empathy to patients 1
• Information overload - Schedule regular time for updating knowledge and focus on high-quality, peer-reviewed sources 2
• Professional isolation - Actively seek opportunities for collaboration and peer learning 2