Keywords: family medicine, family physician, future,

Background:

Primary care faces numerous challenges, including an aging population, physician shortages, evolving roles of medical staff, increasing bureaucracy, and the growing impact of telemedicine and artificial intelligence. These changes raise critical questions about the future role of family physicians.

Research questions:

To evaluate the perceptions of family physicians about the future of family medicine.

Method:

We conducted focus group discussions using a semi-structured interview developed by the TLV-GPRN (Tel Aviv General Practitioner Research Network). Discussions explored key themes related to the future of family medicine. The meetings were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results:

Three focus groups were conducted: two with young family physicians and one with senior leaders in family medicine. A total of 18 practicing family medicine specialists participated in the study. The interviews were held via Zoom between October and December 2024. Family physicians expressed confidence in their ability to adapt to future challenges while maintaining comprehensive patient care. They emphasized the importance of adopting new technologies to enhance diagnosis, patient management, and efficiency while minimizing administrative burdens. A key concern was balancing their broad expertise with increasing topic-specific specialization demands. Participants emphasized the importance of structured support in integrating AI and digital tools into daily practice while maintaining the physician-patient relationship.

Conclusions:

Family physicians feel prepared to evolve with the healthcare landscape but emphasize the need for strategic technology implementation and role adaptation. Policymakers should incorporate their perspectives when designing future healthcare systems to ensure that changes align with primary care needs and the principles of patient-centered care.

Points for discussion:

What do family physicians think about the future of family medicine?

What are the main issues that family physicians consider as the most challenging for the future of family medicine?

How can we better prepare ourselves as family physicians for the future?