[The future of primary care]

The role and function of the general physician in the provision of primary care has stirred much discussion, which, however, has yet to produce a definition satisfactory to all. The author considers general medicine as an academic discipline in the light of experience in his country (Cuba) and is of the view that the physician and the health team should come closer to the community. He offers a number of conclusions on the practice of community medicine and presents the study plan proposed to be introduced in Cuba so that the clinical-epidemiological and social approach can be used to solve the health problems of the individual, the family and the community.