Prognosis refers to the development of possible “outcome” of disease i.e., survival in patient with cancer. Prognostic factors are characteristics of a particular patient that can be used to predict that patient’s eventual outcome i.e., patients with advanced TNM cancer stage may have lower probability of survival than those with less advance TNM cancer stage. Thus, prognosis is a prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual’s condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations. Family physicians are often asked by patients about the probable course of their disease, they need skills on how to inform patients about this.
Prognosis

Case reports remain to be an essential part of knowledge generation in health care. It is a research design that involves writing about a patient’s illness with either an unusual, new, unexpected, or unique characteristic. It can be about new findings, a novel diagnostic test, unfamiliar adverse events or innovative medical and surgical interventions. It is a detailed description of a patient’s course of illness including symptoms, physical examination findings, laboratory results, treatment modalities and outcomes. The essential element of writing a case report or series is to contribute to the generation of new knowledge. Wellwritten manuscripts have a valuable purpose in medicine as they present new illness, unexpected effects of treatment, novel diagnostic exams or unforeseen patients’ outcomes. The sections of a case report include an Abstract, Introduction or Background, Case Presentation [history, physical examinations, investigations or laboratories, differential diagnosis (if relevant), treatment (if relevant), outcome/follow-up, Discussion, Learning points/Take home messages, Patients perspectives and References. Manuscripts written as case reports or case series by nature of their design are not required to get approval from an Ethics Review Board (ERB). However, there should be an institutional process to clear and register papers. Case reports or a case series has its own distinctive writing components and features as not all single or series of clinical cases are reportable. This article aimed to define case reports/series, describe the different parts, how to write and evaluate a case report manuscript using the CARE guidelines.

Case Reports ; Writing

BACKGROUND

Family and Community Medicine is a medical specialty that plays a crucial role in the healthcare system and will be in the best capacity to provide primary care services, coordinate referrals to specialists when needed, and promote continuity of care across different healthcare settings in the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law. These are policy recommendations on how family and community medicine can play a significant role in the successful implementation of the UHC.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation #1. The undergraduate curriculum in Family and Community Medicine must be competency based.

Recommendation #2. The competency outcome of Family and Community Medicine undergraduate curriculum must be aligned with the need of the Philippine health system in the context of Universal Health Care reform.

Recommendation #3. The process of delivery of Family and Community Medicine undergraduate curriculum must adopt to new technology and teaching innovation.

Recommendation #4. Family and Community Medicine must develop strategies to make it as career choice.

Recommendation #5. Family and Community Medicine must develop and implement an effective and sustainable faculty development program.

Recommendation #6. Family and Community Medicine must be socially accountable to the community it serves.

Recommendation #7. Family and Community Medicine must be one of the major core competencies of a licensed physician ready to practice as primary care provider in the UHC.

Recommendation #8. Early placement for Family and Community Medicine practice must be available for newly licensed physicians.

Recommendation #9. Family and Community Medicine practitioners must be provided with continuing professional education and training to provide quality patient care.

Recommendation #10. Family and Community Medicine postgraduate education and training must adopt to new technology and training innovation.

Recommendation #11. Family and Community Medicine postgraduate training should cover urban and rural community health service.

Recommendation #12. Family and Community Medicine continuing professional education and training programs must meet the prescribed standards.

Recommendation #13. Regulation of Family and Community Medicine practice must be a public-private partnership.

Human ; Universal Health Care ; Policy Making ; Community Health Services