Anita D. Spitz, MD  
Family Practice and Medical Acupuncture

Family Practice - Traditional Western Medicine

Western medicine often involves either medications or surgery. These are powerful interventions, but also have powerful side effects and should often be a last resort rather than a first step. 

Western medicine is fragmenting into specialties. Sometimes, the specialists do not communicate among themselves, and may prescribe treatments that conflict, to the detriment of the patient. 

Family practice is a specialty which attempts to provide high quality medical care by looking at the patient as a member of a family and of a community, and considering his or her medical treatment as a whole. This can include referring to a specialist, but the family doctor should stay informed of all the patients treatments, particularly chronic treatments.