A family practice provider is a physician who has studied the integration of clinical, biological, and behavioral science, in order to treat and care for patients. They provide more holistic care, regardless of age, sex, or diagnosis.
Family practice physicians can perform routine medical procedures, including checkups, immunizations, infant screenings, and regular monitoring of chronic illnesses. Patients with minor ailments and acute diseases may also consult these physicians to receive treatment. For more severe illnesses, the doctor can refer you to a specialist that they think will suit your case best.
Let’s learn more about the routine procedures performed by a family practice provider and where you can find the best family practice providers in Sarasota & Manatee Country, FL.
What Is a Family Practice Provider?
Family medicine is the primary specialty of family practice providers. They provide care for all areas of an individual’s health. They are also called primary care physicians because of the versatility of their practice.
A family practice doctor cares for patients of all ages, from infants to seniors. They may also attend to prenatal care patients and assist in deliveries.
For more complex sicknesses and health issues, a family practice physician can also offer a referral to a specialist.
Routine Medical Procedures Performed by a Family Practice Doctor
1. Routine Physical Checkups
Regularly visiting your doctor for a physical checkup is needed to maintain your health. A family practice provider will assess you to find abnormalities or symptoms that need further evaluation.
A typical assessment will entail measuring your weight and height to calculate your body mass index or BMI. Your BMI is important as it can indicate being prone to diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
It also tells if you are in a healthy weight range. Either way, your doctor can prescribe steps to improve your BMI upon a routine checkup.
They will also check your blood pressure. The normal range is anything less than 120 over 80. You have high blood pressure or hypertension if you go over 130 over 80.
Your family practice provider will create a plan to normalize your readings.
Apart from those, a routine physical checkup with your family practice doctor can include the following:
- Listening to your lungs and heart
- Observing your vital signs
- Discussing your current lifestyle and diet
- Checking your blood pressure
2. Immunizations
Vaccinations are essential for mitigating the spread of life-threatening and contagious diseases. Your family practice provider can administer needed immunizations for you.
A vaccine is a weakened form of a disease. Once you receive it, your body’s immune system works to create a response. That way, you possess the antibodies needed to fight off the actual disease once it tries to enter your body.
Family practice doctors can safely immunize children, adults, and older patients.
3. Infant Care
Parents of infants and newborns can consult a family practice provider for checkups, screenings, and vaccinations.
During your first meeting, your doctor will perform a medical exam on your baby. It usually occurs right before you get discharged from the hospital upon giving birth.
A family practice physician will:
- Measure the weight, head size, and length of your baby
- Plan out a metabolic screen, heart assessment, and hearing test
- Administer the first hepatitis B immunization for protection from liver disease
- Recommend you and your family members who will be living with the baby receive the Pertussis or whooping cough vaccine
4. Health Screening Tests
Your family practice provider can perform regular health screenings. These are needed to find possible health diseases in patients without severe symptoms.
Doing routine screening tests can prevent the progression and spread of serious illnesses. Early detection can increase the chances of recovery and minimize the risk of the disease spreading to other body parts.
Some screening tests that your family practice doctor may do are:
- Diabetes and prediabetes blood sugar testing
- Mammography
- Pap test or pap smear
- Colonoscopy
- Fecal immunochemical test (FIT)
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test
- Cholesterol level screening
5. Pain Management for Chronic Diseases
While family practice physicians can treat minor ailments such as sinus infections, strep throat, and the flu, they can also care for chronic illness symptoms.
People diagnosed with a chronic disease experience pain and discomfort due to the nature of their illness. A family practice doctor can provide regular screenings and treatment to manage pain symptoms.
Your family practice provider can regularly monitor your blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol. These are crucial factors for managing chronic disorders such as:
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
They will monitor any breathing and skin issues resulting from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
A family practice physician can also prescribe refills for specific medication as coordinated by your specialist.
Family Practice in Sarasota & Manatee Country, FL
Do you need family practice near you? Intercoastal Medical Group provides only the best care and service to our patients. Our team of family practice providers performs routine medical procedures to assess, diagnose, and treat different diseases. Advanced services such as ultrasound, mammography, and MRI are available at our locations, as well as an array of specialists. Visit us if you’re looking for a family doctor near you that you can trust.
We currently have ten locations in Sarasota and Manatee Country, Florida. Alternatively, schedule an appointment with our primary care doctors by using our online request form.
