Canberra Family Health Centre brings a thoughtful, whole-person approach to general practice, supporting patients across all stages of life. The practice focuses on understanding each individual’s unique circumstances, with an emphasis on continuity of care, strong communication and collaboration.
“General practitioners and family physicians stand at the frontline of healthcare, keeping the community safe and healthy,” says Associate Professor Dr Maryse Badawy, Principal Practitioner at CFHC.
“We connect with patients to understand their sensations, perceptions and feelings to provide good health outcomes. Our approach focuses on understanding health concerns while taking into account each person’s unique situation.”
Dr Badawy highlights the value of preventative care, early intervention, and health counselling, as well as long-term management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and chronic pain.
“We have a unique opportunity to provide preventative medicine, health counselling, and early detection of disease — even before symptoms appear. We work collaboratively with medical and allied health professionals to help manage our patients’ overall care,” she says.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr Badawy holds an academic appointment at Griffith University, where she contributes to medical education. She says this allows her to teach and mentor students on how to support patients with complex, long-term conditions by considering physical, emotional and social dimensions together.
“I consider it a privilege to participate in and contribute to a patient’s emotional and physical wellness. My goal is to attend to all dimensions of a person’s health,” she says.
This perspective reflects the practice’s commitment to whole-person care, where the focus is not just on treating illness, but on supporting the broader health and wellbeing of each patient.
“Even after many years of practice in the field, I remain committed to walking alongside patients as they navigate their individual health journeys,” Dr Badawy says.
At Canberra Family Health Centre, this approach helps foster meaningful, long-term relationships between patients and their care team.
