Objective:
The objective of the study is presentation of various models of the physician-patient-family relationship, emphasizing the family as an actual entity of medical and health care.

Material and methods::
The research methods applied were analysis of records and critical analysis of the content. Analysis of the documentation covered legal acts concerning the organization and functioning of primary health care (PHC) in Poland, while the critical analysis of the content covered selected publications pertaining to the functioning of a patient and family in the situation of disease and disability, competences of a family physician, organization and financing of medical care.

Conclusions:
The article discusses four models of physician-patient-family relationship, beginning from the model entirely omitting cooperation with a family, and ending with the partnership model. The comparison of current family physician’s tasks and competences places family medicine, approached as task-oriented (analysis of contacts with health care management office), between the second and third model physician-patient-family, i.e. halfway to the partnership model. The holistic model of medicine and a systemic approach to health care requires a new education of physicians and nurses, and a new vision of their roles. Physicians and nurses should become the main advisers, professional family consultants and guides, partners in health-related tasks which are traditionally fulfilled in a family. However, in events associated with an acute disease, threatening to health, they will still remain experts in the treatment of disease – in health repair and restoration (therapeutic medicine).