Although a basic goal of family practice is to provide care for all members of the family, few studies have been done to test the ease of accomplishing this goal. At the Downstate Medical Center Department of Family Practice in Brooklyn, New York, an attempt was made to increase family enrollment by introducing several educational interventions directed at patients and resident physicians. Family enrollment levels were documented during a study period from June 1981 to September 1982, and again in June 1984. Both before and after the intervention efforts, family enrollment levels remained the same. It was concluded that the educational interventions used were unsuccessful in both short-term and long-term follow-up. Only one subgroup that participated in a specific educational intervention (patient orientation groups) showed an increase in family enrollment.