[Family medicine and practice in the Mexican Social Security Institute].
The central ideas of this research paper are related to the practice of family medicine as a specialty. It focuses in its origins, problems, unique characteristics, limitations, scope, management, and processes within the context of primary care of the Mexican Social Security System. This approach was based on a qualitative, hermeneutical study closely related to the Structural Functionalism Theory. Within this framework, medical practice is seen as an equation: Meaning = action + function/structure. This offers an approach to the understanding of reality through surveys and observations in five categories: identity, activity, purpose, values/norms, and power/relationship. The practice of family medicine is defined as a medical act in the Mexican Social Security Institute. This act is limited to a brief encounter and a prescription, which makes it a short, fleeting, medicalized interaction. The result is a negative social imaginary of the physician, the patient and the whole of society. Thus, individuals and society host a negative social imaginary bestowed on doctors and users of the health system.
Centro Universitario Amecameca, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México. Address: Carretera Amecameca, Ayapango Km 2.5, Colonia Centro C.P. 56900, México. Email: capo730211@yahoo.es.
Donovan
D
Casas Patiño
Unidad Académica Xochimilco, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, México.
Edgar
E
Jarillo Soto
Centro Universitario Amecameca, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México.
Alejandra
A
Rodríguez Torres
D000047:Academies and Institutes; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012943:Social Security
family medicine; medical practice; structural functionalism