Why You Need a Primary Care Physician
November 29, 2021
Primary care physicians are your first point of care in addressing your health and well-being and can provide care from adolescence through senior care.
Preventative Care
These physicians are not only good resources for when you need to address a health problem, but also provide preventative care. Preventative care, such as annual checkups, immunizations, and cancer screenings, can help you and your primary care physician identify conditions and treat them earlier, leading to a better health outcome.
Preventative care can also help lower your cost of health care by preventing or treating illness before it requires an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or surgery. Many of the preventative measures provided by your primary care physician are covered by your insurance provider.
Chronic Care Management
Primary care physicians are also helpful in managing any chronic conditions you may have, like high blood pressure or diabetes. Regular checkups with your primary care doctor can help you ensure your condition is well managed, and any new issues can be addressed more quickly. This can help prevent you from having further, more serious complications, and in some cases, can prevent your health from getting to the point of requiring hospitalization.
Continuity of Care and Efficiency
Because your primary care physician can address most of your health needs in one visit, he or she can more efficiently provide you care and point you in the direction of a specialist, if needed. The continuity of care that your primary care physician provides means you don’t have to relay all your health information and medication information each time you need a doctor – they will already be aware of your medical history.
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