Utilization of gyniatricians as primary health care providers for women.

The role functions activities educational preparation and relationship with other health professionals of a new type of primary health care provider for women -- a gyniatrician -- is described. The term gyniatrician is applied to this kind of physician who will be qualified to provide overall primary health care for women from the onset of puberty through adult life. Gyniatricians will have a wide range of functions and activities. They will assume responsibility for the provision coordination integration and management of the full range of womens health care and services. The care provided by gyniatricians will be based on a firm foundation of integrated knowledge from the medical biologic social psychologic and behavioral sciences. The gyniatricians will be responsible for recognizing and evaluating their patients total health needs and for teaching women how to enter the health care system. The gyniatricians specialized education and training will be 5 years in duration will begin during the 1st year in medical school and will include a 1-year residence spent primarily in ambulatory settings. All 5 years of gyniatric training will include intensive study of all aspects of primary health care and services for women. Students desiring to become gyniatricians will be selected from those candidates for admission to medical school who have demonstrated special motivation and interest in primary health care for women. A table of the functions and activities of the gyniatrician is included along with a curriculum guide. Gyniatricians will work with obstetrician-gynecologists in giving the improved total health care that women are requesting. As a result of womens increasing awareness that the health care system is failing to provide what they need and want women are requesting more pertinent comprehensive accessible and competent professional health care.