Kenta Clinic is a family doctor clinic established with reference to the management culture of Japanese clinics.

 

Family doctors are committed to providing patients with good quality, convenient, and affordable medical services. Patients can receive treatment they need in one place without having to go to doctors of different specialties. The following case illustrates the healthcare services provided by a family doctor to patients.

 

Mrs. O, 30, came to see Dr. So because of dry skin on her hands. She had used a lot of moisturizing creams to no avail. She had also visited many doctors. Although she got better after using prescribed medications, her skin problems always relapsed. Upon examination, Dr. So found that Mrs. O suffered from chronic hand dermatitis commonly known as housewife's hand. The skin was dry, hardened and scaly. There were cracks and fissures on her fingers which might even bleed in bad days. Mrs. O, a housewife, took care of her two young children and did all household work. She did not sleep well at night, often felt fearful and irritable during the day, and she could never relax. After diagnosis, Dr. So found that she was also suffering from anxiety disorder.

 

Dr. So explained the diagnoses to Mrs. O. He then educated her on how to take care of her hands day-to-day and the proper way to use skin medications, and also suggested that she used anti-anxiety treatment. Mrs. O now understood her own conditions, and agreed to the proposed treatment with peace of mind. The treatment took up to half a year to complete, during which regular follow-up visits were required. Since the clinic was not far from her home, the visits did not cause much inconvenience to Mrs. O. Dr. So monitored her self-care and medication use, provided appropriate guidance, and adjusted the prescriptions according to her progress. Sometimes the children had ailments, if it happened that her next appointment was approaching, Mrs. O would ask the clinic staff to arrange a longer appointment for herself and her child to see Dr. So together, and thus saved time and effort. After several months of treatment, Mrs. O's fingers no longer cracked, and the skin on her hands gradually became smooth. At this time she was also able to sleep well, and rarely felt fearful during the day. She said, "I feel that my children are cuter than before."

 

Family doctors are familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of various common diseases. By observation and consideration of the patient's physical illness, mental state, and living environment, they are often in a better position to provide appropriate treatment that meets individual needs.