Family and General Practitioners

Family and general practitioners help people maintain and improve their health.

Family and general practitioners are doctors who see a wide variety of people. Most are primary care physicians and are often the first point of contact for people 1)…………. health care. They may see infants, children, and adults 2)…………. young and old. They see the same patients on a regular basis. When needed, they send patients to health care specialists for testing or 3) ………. .

Family and general practitioners ask patients questions to learn more about their medical 4) ………….. . They examine patients and order lab tests. They also explain test 5) ………….. and review treatment options with patients and their families. If more than one treatment is available, they help patients decide which option to choose. Sometimes family and general practitioners perform 6)…………. surgery on patients or deliver babies. They watch a patient's condition and make changes in the treatment if needed. They also talk to patients about good health practices, such as diet and exercise.

Family and general practitioners 7)…………. tasks to nurses and other health care workers. They also regularly consult with other health care professionals. In private practice, they may oversee the business aspects of running an office. Family and general practitioners 8)……………. to keep detailed records about each patient. They write reports for insurance companies and government agencies that collect 9)……………… on births and deaths.

Some family and general practitioners teach at medical schools. They may also do research on 10)……………. and treatments for disease. Advances in medicine require doctors to update their skills regularly.

1. a) in search of b) in the hunt of c) seeking d) looking through

2. a) neither b) either c) as d) both

3. a) healing b) treatment c) handling d) remedy

4. a) case b) past c) history d) record

5. a) consequences b) samples c) results d) outcomes

6. a) minor b) light c) trivial d) ordinary

7. a) hand over b) assign c) appoint d) ascribe

8. a) take care b) ensure c) provide d) make sure

9. a) date b) numbers c) data d) facts

10. a) measures b) procedures c) actions d) dealings

2) Read the text about dentists in the UK and fill in the correct word derived from the word in bold.

Dentists in the UK

After reading.Compare responsibilities of general practitioners in the UK with those of Ukrainian district doctors.

IV. Grammar Check

Change the sentences below from active to passive tense. For example:

Active: The GP referred the patient to a consultant.

Passive: The patient was referred to a consultant by the GP.

Remember that it is not always necessary to mention the subject in a passive sentence. For example:

Active: We have identified the cause of this outbreak of dysentery.

Passive: The cause of this outbreak of dysentery has been identified.

1. The nurse noticed a rise in the patient's pulse rate.

2. The consultant is allowing him to watch the operation.

3. All chemists sell the tablets.

4. The doctor diagnosed appendicitis.

5. The paramedics comforted the injured person until the ambulance arrived.

6. The midwife delivered the twins.

7. The gland was producing an excess of hormones.

8. They looked after him very well in hospital.

9. We examined the tissue under the microscope.

10. The doctor gave me an unpleasant mixture to drink.

11. You cannot take the lotion orally.

12. Toxic fumes poisoned the workers.

13. Doctors are predicting a rise in cases of whooping cough.

14. The drug suppresses the body's natural instinct to reject the transplanted tissue.