Distribution of Burden in the Healthcare System and the Role of Family Medicine
According to Ministry of Health 2025 data, family physicians account for only 13 percent of all physicians yet handle 40 percent of all visits.
Statistics for the year 2025 published by the Ministry of Health have shed light on the workload distribution of the healthcare system in Turkey. According to the data, family medicine units have become one of the busiest points of the system by bearing approximately 40 percent of total visits.
2025 Health Statistics
Data for 2025 released by the Ministry of Health reveals a detailed picture regarding healthcare visits and physician counts across Turkey. The report provides important clues about the general functioning of health services.
Total Visits and Physician Counts
While there was a total of 232,315 physicians in Turkey in 2025, the total number of visits made to healthcare institutions was recorded as 1,138,060,185. A significant portion of these visits took place in primary healthcare services.
Family Medicine Visit Rates
According to the disclosed data, 466,327,428 of the total visits were made to family medicine units. This situation indicates that approximately 41 out of every 100 visits made to the healthcare system are directed to family physicians.
Workload per Unit
Considering the 30,006 family medicine units across Turkey, the annual number of visits per unit is calculated to be around 15,500. When compared to the workload per physician in secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, it is seen that this figure is many times higher.
Discrepancy Between Physician Rate and Visit Rate
While family medicine units handle approximately 40 percent of total healthcare visits, physicians in this field represent only about 13 percent of the total number of physicians. This ratio clearly reveals the imbalance in workload.
Comprehensive Duties of Family Physicians
Family physicians do not only conduct examinations; they also carry out many critical processes such as infant development monitoring, pregnancy tracking, vaccination, chronic disease management, cancer screenings, and preventive health services.