A primary care provider (PCP) serves as the main healthcare professional you turn to when you have a non-emergency health issue. PCPs such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or doctors can diagnose and treat common conditions, like the cold, high blood pressure, back pain, or skin rash. Your primary care provider can also help you prevent health issues before they start or refer you to a specialist when needed.
What Exactly Does a Primary Care Provider Do?
PCPs help you maintain an optimal state of health or get better when you're not feeling well. Your primary care provider will:
See you for annual health checkups to keep an eye on your overall health.
Examine you when a sudden health problem occurs.
Assess the urgency of your medical issue and direct you to the right place for additional care.
Refer you to a specialist if a medical issue is more complicated.
Understand your background, personality, medical history, and treatment preferences.
Help you prevent health issues by suggesting you quit smoking, eat more nutritious foods, or manage stress more effectively.
Answer your questions about medications, medical conditions, infections, symptoms, and treatment options.
Prescribe medications.
Suggest and order medical tests, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, to diagnose conditions.
Help manage long-term conditions like diabetes, arthritis, depression, and high blood pressure.
When Should I See My Primary Care Provider?
Visit your PCP at least once a year for your annual checkup. Your checkup provides the perfect time to ask questions, update your primary care provider on any changes since your last physical, and talk about any health concerns you have.
Other reasons to see your PCP include:
Having symptoms of an infection that need treatment, like strep throat, a persistent cough, or a bladder infection
Noticing new or unexplained pain anywhere in your body
Experiencing side effects from medication
Asking questions about your current treatment plan
For instance, you wake up in the morning, and you have a sore throat you didn't have when you fell asleep. Perhaps you go outside in the sun, and a hot feeling occurs on your face after just 10 minutes, and you look in a mirror to see a red rash there. Maybe you feel a headache and a bit dizzy shortly after taking a new medication. These are all reasons to contact your PCP.
Do I Need to See My PCP Even After Going to the ER or Urgent Care?
Yes, you should generally follow up with your primary care provider a few days after going to the emergency room or urgent care. Reasons for following up include:
Review of the diagnosis, test results, and treatments for accuracy and continuity of care
Management of your new prescriptions, if any
Monitoring your recovery to handle any lingering symptoms
Referrals to specialists, if needed
Continuing to help you stay in an optimal state of health after the ER or urgent care visit
Who Can Be a Primary Care Provider?
A primary care provider typically must have advanced medical training and be licensed to diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, and manage your care. Your PCP could have one of three main roles: a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician.
At Corner Health, we offer better care for patients with our primary care providers who meet for twice the time of a typical visit, with highly flexible appointments accommodating same day, evening, and Saturday appointments while only costing $30 on average with all major insurance accepted.
How Do I Choose a Primary Care Provider?
Consider several criteria for choosing a PCP that fits your needs:
Contact your health insurance to review your plan. The insurance company can provide a list of in-network PCPs and ones near your home.
Ask for recommendations from people you trust, including family, friends, and people you look up to, like a supervisor or religious guide at your place of worship.
Search online to find a primary care provider, and review their site, qualifications, and what patients have said about their experiences.
Call medical offices to ask questions about insurance, office hours, taking on new patients, and scheduling an initial visit.
Visit a PCP office that stands out, so you can get to know the staff, your primary care provider, and what they offer.
Ask these questions when searching for your PCP:
Is the staff helpful and friendly?
Do the office hours work for your schedule?
Can you reach the PCP easily?
What type of communication style do you prefer with your provider?
What do you want the PCP to focus on?
How does the provider handle your health? Do they favor an aggressive treatment style, order a lot of tests, or refer people to specialists frequently?
What do patients say about the provider?
How involved does the provider want you to be in your care?
You can find referrals from these sources:
Friends
Neighbors
Relatives
Current care providers such as a dentist, optometrist, or other health professional
Medical associations or advocacy groups
Health insurance plans and their networks
Read this article for more details on how to narrow down your choices for a primary care provider.
Why Is a Primary Care Provider Important to My Health?
In addition to serving as your main contact for health-related issues and questions, you can get many benefits from a primary care provider:
Coordinating all aspects of your health, from prevention and treatment to post-surgery follow-up and specialist referrals.
Detecting potential problems early with health screenings for diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Maintaining your personal health and medical history, which can make diagnoses more accurate.
Managing chronic diseases like asthma, arthritis, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
Find a Primary Care Provider Near You
Choosing a PCP can be a life-changing decision, and it should be done carefully. Corner Health is a trusted source for primary care providers (PCPs) who put their patients first with:
