Family practice is the branch of medicine concerning the total health care of the person and the family. A family practice physician can have a varied and extensive medical background, including internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and geriatrics. A family physician has the skills and knowledge to provide care and health maintenance education for all ages. This physician is trained to diagnose and treat each member of the family, no matter what the problem.
Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Emphysema, cystic fibrosis, Bronchitis, Broncho-Esophagology, Asthma, osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis , Pneumonia, pectus excavatum, cancer, Diabetes, infection, Mono, Alzheimer's disease, Aneurysm, lice, Strep throat, Herpes, Influenza (flu), and Hepatitis.
Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including mole removal and wart removal.
To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Bone density test, FAA-Flight Physicial, physicial / check up, physicial, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), x-ray, biopsy, ultrasound, Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Blood Test, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), stool test, electrolyte test, Lower GI (Barium Enema), microbiological culture, and pH probe test.
Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 126,602 practicing family doctors. Broken out by state, family practice doctor density in Alabama is 1,581, in Alaska is 549, in Arizona is 2,415, in Arkansas is 1,374, in California is 13,700, in Colorado is 2,568, in Connecticut is 681, in Delaware is 420, in District of Columbia is 325, in Florida is 7,229, in Georgia is 3,290, in Hawaii is 589, in Idaho is 772, in Illinois is 4,888, in Indiana is 3,175, in Iowa is 1,967, in Kansas is 1,590, in Kentucky is 1,834, in Louisiana is 1,359, in Maine is 956, in Maryland is 1,545, in Massachusetts is 2,019, in Michigan is 4,990, in Minnesota is 3,193, in Mississippi is 1,091, in Missouri is 2,459, in Montana is 547, in Nebraska is 1,072, in Nevada is 796, in New Hampshire is 690, in New Jersey is 2,469, in New Mexico is 1,054, in New York is 4,974, in North Carolina is 3,508, in North Dakota is 472, in Ohio is 4,849, in Oklahoma is 2,046, in Oregon is 1,784, in Pennsylvania is 6,331, in Rhode Island is 372, in South Carolina is 2,057, in South Dakota is 427, in Tennessee is 2,321, in Texas is 8,422, in Utah is 934, in Vermont is 330, in Virginia is 3,335, in Washington is 3,839, in West Virginia is 1,062, in Wisconsin is 2,847, and in Wyoming is 277.
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