COMPOUNDERS, ASSISTANTS OF FAMILY DOCTORS

• Gone are the days when there were compounders who assisted Doctors. These terms 'COMPOUNDER AND FAMILY DOCTOR' are familiar to the earlier generation, they are the ones who will at once relate themselves with Compounders and with those typical glass bottles with bitter medicines.
  
• Those born roughly after 1980's would not be able to relate to the 'Assistant of Doctors who were called Compounders.' Though Family Doctors are still playing an important role in establishing a lasting relationship with the patients, compounders have disappeared today.
• Compounders?  Who were they?
• Actually compounding is a process of mixing one ingredient into another thus to prepare a drug. The person who involves in this process is called compounder.
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• In the earlier times, at the clinic of a doctor often known as a General Practitioner or a Physician, there would be an assistant who did the job of giving the medicines as per the physician's instructions. The assistant did this job in a small section of the clinic itself that separated from the checkup area of the clinic, where the doctor examined the patients. The medicines were given to the patients by the assistant through a small window or across a counter in those typical glass  bottles and the tablets powdered and wrapped in tiny packets. These assistants were called as Compounders. 
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• Nowadays with the advent of modern pharmaceutical development, the process of compounding disappeared thus compounders also. Today, In modern medication system, there are well qualified professionals who deal with modern medicines are called Pharmacists.
• The earlier generation is very much familiar with FAMILY DOCTOR,  one who does not specialise in any particular area of medicine, but who has a medical practice in which he treats all types of illnesses.
  
• A family Doctor, often a General Practitioner looked after the health of the entire family. He followed the lifecycle of all the members of family, he treated the toddlers, teens, middle aged adults, retirees and people well into their 90's. In the long term, the family built a lasting relationship with him and building such a relationship meant he knew the personal and family history. 
  
• When a doctor treats you for years he gets to know your medical history inside and out, that helps him to make accurate diagnosis, watch for red flags regarding medications and monitor changes in your health through the years.
• Seeing multiple generations of a family can help a family doctor record an accurate in -depth family health history. Whenever a specialist  is needed for any serious concerns like heart disease, cancer a family Doctor helps to find someone who fits your specific needs and personality. 
• Another aspect that was very common was HOMEVISIT. It is still very much there mostly in rural practice setting and in older patients.
  
•  The relationship of  a family with its family Doctor is not only lasting but often it's emotional also. No wonder he is spotted in family function like marriages of the family members.
• To conclude,  I would say though Family Doctors are still playing the major role and can be the right answers for most healthcare situations of a family, COMPOUNDERS assisting them and giving bitter liquid medicinal doses in those typical and  peculiar shaped glass bottles with markings as per the Doctor's instructions have disappeared!!! 
• On that note, All those who may not relate with Compounder, may ask their parents, who will have their own memories of compounder to share with you!!!