What is primary care?

Primary care is typically defined by the care and type of services provided to the patient. For most patients, a primary care practice will be the first point of contact for healthcare and may include care for a wide range of illnesses and injuries, as well as services like disease prevention, health maintenance, health counseling, and education.

A primary care practice is typically located close to the communities it serves to make care more convenient for its patients. A primary care doctor generally acts as a patient’s healthcare partner, advocating for their needs and coordinating care with specialists, when required.

What is primary health care?

Primary health care is the type of care provided by a primary care doctor, most often within a primary care practice, or in an in-patient, critical care, long-term care, home care, or day care setting. Types of primary health care may include wellness and prevention measures such as screenings and immunizations, acute Illness and injury care, as well as management of long-term health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Specifically, a primary care general practice will most often include wellness and prevention screenings for:

High blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors
High cholesterol
Diabetes mellitus
Breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers
Developmental disorders
Sexually transmitted diseases
Depression
Signs of domestic violence

In addition, primary care may include diagnosis and treatment of symptoms related to acute illnesses and injuries. For example, a primary care doctor will generally be able to:

Perform tests to diagnose a condition
Prescribe medications for a condition
Check for interactions with other medications a patient is currently taking
Conduct EKGs (electrocardiograms) to evaluate the heart
Conduct a spirometry test to asses lung function
Treat acute conditions like asthma, migraines, and urinary tract infections

Provide wound care
Manage fever or dehydration
Provide preliminary tests to check for broken bones
Provide a splint, cast, or brace for certain types of injuries
Treat minor skin infections, bites, and rashes
Treat muscle strains and sprains
Recommend a specialist or mental health resources, when appropriate

A primary care general practice also typically covers treatment of long-term, chronic conditions, such as:

Coordinating care with specialists
Prescribing and adjusting medications as needed
Recommending diet, exercise, and other self-care measures

Monitoring for drug interactions in those being treated for multiple conditions
Performing lab tests to monitor progress

What is a primary care doctor?

A primary care doctor is typically trained in either family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, or geriatrics. In some cases, a primary care practice may offer treatment by a physician assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP), usually supervised by a primary care doctor within the practice.

A family medicine doctor typically treats patients of all ages, including children, whereas internists practice internal medicine and, for the most part, treat only adults. Internists may have received training in a number of different fields, including endocrinology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics, rheumatology, and rehabilitation.

Pediatricians focus on the treatment of conditions that affect infants, children, and teenagers, sometimes up to the age of 21. Geriatricians treat older adults, focusing on issues such as balance problems, dementia, and insomnia.

In most cases, primary care doctors will consult with specialists on behalf of their patients and, when appropriate, coordinate the care their patients receive from those specialists.

“In order to provide a broad scope of care, primary care doctors tend to be highly trained and skilled”

In order to provide a broad scope of care, primary care doctors tend to be highly trained and skilled, often receiving years of training beyond medical school. After spending four years earning a bachelor’s degree and another four years earning a medical degree, a primary care doctor will typically spend three to seven years in residency, depending on their field of interest.

Some will go on to receive fellowship training for another one to three years at an approved facility in their chosen area of expertise. Those who wish to receive board certification will then undergo rigorous testing of their knowledge in the chosen field.

What is the advantage of primary care for patients?

The broad level of expertise provided by most primary care doctors gives patients a clear advantage. A 2019 study by JAMA showed that those people in the United States who received primary care had an overall better healthcare experience. Specifically, these patients were more likely to have received a high value of care, which included cancer screenings, diagnostic care, preventive care, and diabetes care.

In fact, the primary care doctor’s broad view of a patient’s entire health situation, coupled with the comprehensive care they provide, tend to make this type of doctor a patient’s best first step for addressing a wide range of healthcare needs.

Find a primary care physician near me

One of the most important considerations in choosing a primary care doctor is often the convenience factor. If that’s important to you, you will definitely want to consider a concierge primary care practice. A concierge practice will offer a range of convenient services that are difficult to find in the traditional primary care practice setting.