Primary care refers to the first point of contact your doctor provides for your general health and well-being, meaning that primary care providers (PCPs) are responsible for keeping you healthy and monitoring any chronic diseases you may have. That’s why if you have a condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, a PCP is often who will keep up with your treatment and monitor how you’re doing. Lenox Medical Clinic is a medical establishment that offers primary care in Chamblee, GA. The following are the ways primary care can help:
Annual Exams
Primary care providers allow you to have a checkup at least once a year. These appointments can help identify anything from potential health problems to your risk for certain diseases. In addition, PCPs can provide preventative services to keep you healthy and out of an emergency room or other high-stress medical establishment.
Offer Referrals
The PCP who initially diagnosed you with this condition will likely continue to manage it throughout its course. However, if, for some reason, your doctor does not or cannot provide the care you need anymore, they can give a referral for another doctor in the practice or the network. You should expect referrals to be quick, easy, and painless.
Family Medicine
Primary care doctors are responsible for your whole family, so they tend to have a lot of experience treating people of all ages. Family medicine is the ideal specialty since it allows physicians to become well-versed in pediatrics and geriatric care.
Prompt Access
If you have an emergency, don’t be afraid to head straight to the nearest PCP. These doctors are trained in diagnosing and treating illnesses that present themselves immediately, so they’re prepared to take care of you even if you didn’t have an appointment scheduled for a few weeks. With primary care, you can expect prompt access to quality healthcare.
Family Planning
PCPs are often who you go to for family planning needs. For example, if you are interested in fertility treatments or have concerns about your birth control options, PCPs can offer their expertise in helping you with these things. And because these doctors have so much experience with family planning, they will likely be able to guide you through the process.
Medical History
If you frequently see a PCP, they must know your medical history. That means everything from your current state of health to what drugs or supplements you may be taking. If at any point there’s something relevant to your past, say, a tick bites on a camping trip several years ago, your physician will have all the details they need to determine the cause of your current symptoms.
Better Relationship With Your Healthcare Provider
Primary care doctors can become a massive asset to your healthcare team. That’s because they’re responsible for connecting you with other medical professionals, such as specialists, and helping you manage time-sensitive treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. And since primary care physicians know all about your history and medical concerns, it may be easier to build a trusting relationship with this doctor.
PCPs are different from primary care providers like urgent care clinics or general practitioners because they offer continuous primary prevention and management. Lenox Medical Clinic is ready to give you this type of care by providing comprehensive treatment for chronic conditions, immunizations, family planning services, and more.
