The World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) is a not-for-profit professional organisation founded in 1972. It represents the interests of family physicians and general practitioners and is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of good medicine to enhance high-quality family care. Its mission is to promote “high standards in family medicine, education, research, and service, with a focus on person-centred, equitable, and continuous care”.

WONCA observes World Family Doctor Day annually on May 19. This year’s theme is “Compassionate Care in a Digital World”. WONCA has decided to focus on “integrating digital tools and AI in primary care while maintaining human-centric, empathetic care”. At the heart of this topic is the intent that technology supports, and not distracts from, the patient-doctor relationship, while enhancing the trust that patients have in family doctors.

WONCA believes the practice of family medicine should guide digitalisation and not the other way around. AI should benefit both patients and doctors. Although inanimate integrated circuits, processors, and pixilated images are antithetical to the warmth, empathy, and compassion of family medicine, WONCA wants modern tech to “clear the path for compassionate care”.