Primary Care Physicians fill an important role in modern healthcare. Studies have consistently shown that patients with a dedicated primary care physician live longer, and have better overall health than those who do not.
This is not really all that surprising since the role of a primary care physician is to provide what is known as continuity of care. Continuity of care simply means that you develop a long-term wellness relationship with your primary care doctor, and he or she coordinates your healthcare with any other necessary specialists..
More About the Role of a Primary Care Physician
Primary care doctors can specialize in several different areas. While most are family physicians or internal medicine specialists, some focus on geriatrics, or pediatrics. No matter their specialty, a primary care physician is in a unique position to spot issues before they become more advanced, monitoring and treating medical conditions as they arise.
A primary care physician, for instance, might notice that you are at risk for prediabetes (where blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to be considered diabetic), and advise you about preventive lifestyle changes that keep the disease from developing into full blown adult onset diabetes. By closely monitoring and treating chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, a primary care physician may be able to help you avoid a heart attack or debilitating stroke.
If medicine were a football game, your primary care physician would be like the quarterback, calling all of the shots and directing the action on the field. Besides the fact that they know your health history and risk factors, your primary care doctor is the go-to point person that directs your care when you visit a specialist.
Acting like a lynchpin, they take all the test results and other medical information to oversee and guide your care. In between, they perform routine tests and exams, write prescriptions, and provide ongoing care across all life stages.
Some people think that they can save time by doing a “self-referral” and going directly to a specialist for their care, rather than seeing a primary care doctor first. The problem is that while you may have a general idea about the nature of the problem, you may not be going to the right specialist.
For example, let’s say that you have been feeling what you think is heart related pain. You go to a cardiologist and she tests for heart related conditions. The results are inconclusive. Now what? Do you go to another cardiologist or do you need to see a gastroenterologist? A primary care doctor has the expertise to oversee and guide your care, directing medical traffic and tests in a coordinated flow, and ruling out other issues to better hone in on the real cause of your symptoms.
If you would like to know more about our exceptionally trained and caring primary care physicians, please call Intercoastal Medical Group today. Contact information located here for an appointment with one of our highly qualified, caring family practitioners or Internal Medicine Physicians, or request an appointment online.
