Australian Medical Association

Welcome to the AMA’s Family Doctor Week webpage.

Family Doctor Week runs from 19-25 July 2010. Family Doctor Week acknowledges the vital work of family doctors in caring for the community.

Family doctors are the first point of call for patients and deliver over 110 million Medicare funded services each year for patients.

A national survey of general practice patients commissioned by the AMA earlier this year revealed that Australians want a health system that is built on the family doctor.

The family doctor is the foundation of our health system, with 88% of Australian’s having a usual family doctor. They deal with 90% of the problems they see and help guide patients through an often complex health system. Your family doctor is truly central to your care.

Family Doctor Week is a chance to show our appreciation of the contribution family doctors make to their communities. The AMA’s own survey shows that the vast majority of Australian’s are very satisfied with the care they receive from their family doctor and that the key priority for patients is to be able to spend enough time with their family doctor.

This year’s Family Doctor Week falls during an intense health reform debate and provides a timely opportunity to discuss how the health system can provide GPs with the support they need to continue delivering high quality care to patients.