A family practice is a community-based clinic where individuals and families receive most of their everyday health care. Primary care providers – a family doctor or a nurse practitioner – at family practice clinics build relationships with their patients and understand their medical history and healthcare needs. Patients can get care from their primary care provider and their teams which may include nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists and other types of professionals.
Family practice clinics provide comprehensive primary care for patients throughout their entire life, from infancy to senior years. Care at a family practice clinic might include:
- Disease prevention
- Chronic diseases
- Reproductive and sexual health
- Mental health
- Other physical health concerns
Family practice clinics provide ongoing, longitudinal care. This means that people see the same provider or team of healthcare professionals on a regular basis and build a long-term relationship with them. This is often called being attached to the family doctor, nurse practitioner or the clinic.
