Medical Family Therapy in Healthcare: Theoretical Framework and International Practice Ist part

Abstract

This publication is the first part of a two-article series focusing on Medical Family Therapy (MedFT). MedFT is a biopsychosocial and systems-oriented approach to healthcare that understands patients’ health and illness within the context of family relationships and interactions. In this first paper, we provide a narrative review of the principal theoretical foundations of MedFT and discuss its relevance within the Hungarian healthcare context. The review highlights the role of the family as a key mediating system in symptom appraisal, coping processes, treatment adherence, and collaboration with healthcare providers. In Hungary, the significance of this approach extends beyond clinical considerations and encompasses issues of service accessibility and healthcare organization. The routine implementation of MedFT requires not only increased awareness and dissemination of the approach, but also clearer indications and referral pathways, brief and structured family-oriented consultation models, and further empirical research in Hungarian healthcare settings. The second paper presents baseline findings from a Hungarian integrated care program applying the principles of Medical Family Therapy.