Bridging the Gap: Integrating General Medicine and Cardiology for Comprehensive Patient Care
1
Babar Shahzad, 2Imran Iftikhar, 3Dr Ahmed Muqeet, 4Naznin tabbasum, 5Qaiser ikhlaq, 6Haroon raja
1
PIMS, Islamabad,
2
Rawalpindi institute of cardiology
3
Jinnah Hospital Lahore
4
Service Hospital, Faisalabad
5
UHS, Lahore
6
Gangaram Hospital, LahoreAbstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases shows the major cause of mortality worldwide. In spite of
advancements in cardiology, fragmented care continues to hinder optimal results. General physicians
may often manage co-existing conditions that impact cardiac health, making their role critical in
integrated care models.
Objective: This article finds out the importance of a collaborative approach among general medicine and
cardiology, assess current integration models, and highlights the key results linked with interdisciplinary
care.
Methods: A mixed-methods design combining systematic literature study and clinical data analysis was
employed. Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for articles from 2001 to
- Clinical data were drawn from shown practices across tertiary care hospitals in different countries.
Results:
Integrated care models illustrate improved medication adherence, reduced hospital re-admissions, and
improved patient satisfaction. Multi-disciplinary teams led to earlier identification of cardiovascular risk
factors and better chronic disease control.
Conclusion:
Integrating general medicine and cardiology fosters a patient-centered approach, minimizes care
fragmentation, and enhances clinical outcomes. Institutional policy, electronic health records, and
structured communication pathways are important enablers.
Keywords: Cardiovascular, morbidity, medicine, obesity, diabetes