What is "general practitioner"

General \Gen"er*al\, a. [F. g['e]n['e]ral, fr. L. generalis. See Genus.]

1. Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.

2. Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.

3. Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.

4. Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.

   This general applause and cheerful shout Argue your wisdom and your love to Richard.
   --Shak.

5. Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire.
   --Milton.

6. As a whole; in gross; for the most part.

   His general behavior vain, ridiculous.
   --Shak.

7. Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.

   Note: The word general, annexed to a name of office, usually denotes chief or superior; as, attorney-general; adjutant general; commissary general; quartermaster general; vicar-general, etc.

   General agent (Law), an agent whom a principal employs to transact all his business of a particular kind, or to act in his affairs generally.

   General assembly. See the Note under Assembly.

   General average, General Court. See under Average, Court.

   General court-martial (Mil.), the highest military and naval judicial tribunal.

   General dealer (Com.), a shopkeeper who deals in all articles in common use.

   General demurrer (Law), a demurrer which objects to a pleading in general terms, as insufficient, without specifying the defects.
   --Abbott.

   General epistle, a canonical epistle.

   General guides (Mil.), two sergeants (called the right, and the left, general guide) posted opposite the right and left flanks of an infantry battalion, to preserve accuracy in marching.
   --Farrow.

   General hospitals (Mil.), hospitals established to receive sick and wounded sent from the field hospitals.
   --Farrow.

   General issue (Law), an issue made by a general plea, which traverses the whole declaration or indictment at once, without offering any special matter to evade it.
   --Bouvier.
   --Burrill.

   General lien (Law), a right to detain a chattel, etc., until payment is made of any balance due on a general account.

   General officer (Mil.), any officer having a rank above that of colonel.

   General orders (Mil.), orders from headquarters published to the whole command.

   General practitioner, in the United States, one who practices medicine in all its branches without confining himself to any specialty; in England, one who practices both as physician and as surgeon.

   General ship, a ship not chartered or let to particular parties.

   General term (Logic), a term which is the sign of a general conception or notion.

   General verdict (Law), the ordinary comprehensive verdict in civil actions, ``for the plaintiff'' or ``for the defendant''.
   --Burrill.

   General warrant (Law), a warrant, now illegal, to apprehend suspected persons, without naming individuals.

   Syn: Syn. General, Common, Universal.

   Usage: Common denotes primarily that in which many share; and hence, that which is often met with. General is stronger, denoting that which pertains to a majority of the individuals which compose a genus, or whole. Universal, that which pertains to all without exception. To be able to read and write is so common an attainment in the United States, that we may pronounce it general, though by no means universal.

Practitioner \Prac*ti"tion*er\, n. [From Practician.]

1. One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession, particularly that of law or medicine.
   --Crabbe.

2. One who does anything customarily or habitually.

3. A sly or artful person.
   --Whitgift.

   General practitioner. See under General, 2.

n. A physician who provides primary care; treating acute and chronic illnesses and providing preventive care and health education; a family doctor.

n. a physician who is not a specialist but treats all illnesses [syn: GP]

In the medical profession, a general practitioner (GP) is a medical doctor who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education to patients.

A general practitioner manages types of illness that present in an undifferentiated way at an early stage of development, which may require urgent intervention. The holistic approach of general practice aims to take into consideration the biological, psychological and social factors relevant to the care of each patient's illness. Their duties are not confined to specific organs of the body, and they have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues. They are trained to treat patients of any age and sex to levels of complexity that vary between countries.

The role of a GP can vary greatly between (or even within) countries. In urban areas of developed countries their roles tend to be narrower and focused on the care of chronic health problems; the treatment of acute non-life-threatening diseases; the early detection and referral to specialized care of patients with serious diseases; and preventative care including health education and immunization. Meanwhile, in rural areas of developed countries or in developing countries a GP may be routinely involved in pre-hospital emergency care, the delivery of babies, community hospital care and performing low-complexity surgical procedures. In some healthcare systems GPs work in primary care centers where they play a central role in the healthcare team, while in other models of care GPs can work as single-handed practitioners.

The term general practitioner or GP is common in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries. In these countries the word physician is largely reserved for certain other types of medical specialists, notably in internal medicine. While in these countries, the term GP has a clearly defined meaning, in North America the term has become somewhat ambiguous, and is not necessarily synonymous with the term " family doctor" or primary care provider, as described below. Historically, the role of a GP was once performed by any doctor qualified in a medical school working in the community. However, since the 1950s general practice has become a specialty in its own right, with specific training requirements tailored to each country. The Alma Ata Declaration in 1978 set the intellectual foundation of what primary care and general practice is nowadays.