The Göktaş definition of family medicine/general practice

Family medicine is the first gateway to primary health care in health systems. This feature makes the definition of family medicine complex due to its inclusive, holistic and continuous approach. The definition of family medicine should include the professional individual aspect of the family physician as well as its duties, authorities and responsibilities.(1) Since the development of family medicine, definitions of the discipline have been frequently modified and updated, continuing to the present day. Family medicine represents the most basic aspect of the health-care system, which makes developing such definitions quite complex, and definitions must be revised and updated as conditions change. The first definition of family medicine, presented in 1974, was followed by a definition by Olesen et al. in 2000, and later by the European Society of General Practice/Family Medicine (WONCA Europe) in 2002. The WONCA Europe definition was then updated in 2011. Although this last definition explains family medicine in the most detailed way, today it needs updating especially in defining the individual characteristics of family medicine and its relations with the environment. There is a need to define the highly intensive role of family physicians while considering, the physicians’ spiritual and personal agenda as human beings. The Göktaş definition of family medicine/general practice, which was suggested at the WONCA Europe 2018 conference in Krakow, Poland, represents a suitable means of completing the 2011 WONCA Europe definition in this regard.