[Core values in family medicine revisited]

Area of Science:

• Family Medicine
• Healthcare Values
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Family medicine relies on core values for direction.
• Implementation of these values requires accurate impact data.
• The specialty's existence is threatened by a lack of value clarification or implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and highlight significant values in family medicine.
• To emphasize the dual nature of family medicine as value-based and evidence-based.
• To underscore the importance of value implementation for specialty survival.

Main Methods:

• Review of established and significant values in family medicine.
• Analysis of the relationship between values, evidence, and impact.
• Discussion of the necessity for value clarification and implementation systems.

Main Results:

• Identified key values: people, comprehensiveness, trust, patient-centeredness, accessibility, continuity, family/community focus, teamwork, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
• Highlighted the critical role of these values in defining and sustaining family medicine.
• Emphasized that data on health impact is essential for assessing value implementation.

Conclusions:

• Family medicine is fundamentally a value-based specialty, reinforced by evidence.
• Effective implementation of core values is vital for the specialty's continued existence and relevance.
• A robust system for clarifying and implementing values is necessary for the future of family medicine.