Everyone needs a primary care physician. Having a primary care physician is vital for your peace of mind because they can monitor your health continuously, ensure routine screenings, keep a record of your entire health history, provide access to specialists, allow for better care of your entire family, and even save you on your health care costs!
Once you find that great primary care physician and want to show them some appreciation, especially considering the tough times that doctors and nurses have endured during the pandemic, an excellent way is to buy them some nursing gear at Uniform Advantage for their crew. Just consider all the ways that a primary care physician empowers you to take full ownership over your health.
Monitoring Your Health Continuously
A primary care physician can constantly monitor your health on an ongoing basis, whereas a specialist may only see you for an appointment every six months. Continuously monitoring your health is important because that physician will see if anything changes your condition. They will know when it’s time to discuss potential changes or interventions.
If something about your health does change, a primary care physician can help decide how best to proceed with testing and treatment. Importantly, this continual monitoring means your doctor won’t necessarily need records from other providers because of their previous knowledge of your health over time.
Recording Your Entire Health History
Your primary care doctor will maintain an extensive record of your complete health history. They will know what medicines you’re taking, your family’s medical history, and any other health issues that may need monitoring.
Keeping a record of your medical history is crucial in that a primary care physician can use it to prepare for any potential health risks. This information will also help your doctor decide if you should see a specialist — and it may even allow them to make an accurate diagnosis without your having to visit your doctor’s office. For example, the only way that your doctor could know about medical occurrences, such as heart arrhythmia or fainting spells, would be if they had access to your entire medical history, along with all of the other specialists’ records as well. A complete medical record like this is invaluable for you and your doctor!
Providing Access To Specialists
Your primary care physician is the first point of contact for a healthier lifestyle. This means that if you need to see a specialist, they will manage this process on your behalf, by ensuring the completion of all necessary tests before sending you to a medical specialist. For example, an orthopedic surgeon might request X-rays or MRI scans from your doctor, in order to make a diagnosis more quickly and accurately, without needing additional investigations.
Having said that, not every medical issue requires access to specialists: some consultations are best taken care of right away by your general practitioner instead. Furthermore, primary care doctors can provide easy access and referrals to a wide variety of health professionals — your primary care physician is able to work with any health professional to ensure that they have all the information they need.
Allowing Better Family Care
If you have children, your doctor is able to monitor their health more effectively than other medical professionals because they know the most about your family’s history of illnesses or medical conditions. If your child develops a sudden illness that needs immediate treatment, your physician’s quick attention may alleviate your children from developing complications later on.
Ensuring Routine Screenings
Regular screenings are a must for everyone. Most of the time, screenings are quick and painless. Your primary care physician can regularly screen for a variety of conditions. This is done to ensure that you have all the information necessary about your health — and to control any potential issues before they become big problems.
Usually, screenings involve blood tests, ultrasounds, or other medical procedures by qualified providers. However, some screenings may be necessary depending on what comes up during an annual physical examination, which every primary care physician offers as part of their services.
Managing Terminal Illness
In the unfortunate event of a terminal illness, often your caretaker will be the person you mainly rely on — but they usually can’t handle all of your needs. This is when having a long-term primary care physician becomes really important. Taking freely with your doctor, who you have hopefully had a long-term relationship with, can be very therapeutic and valuable during one of the most challenging times imaginable. It will also help you discuss your condition with family and friends — to understand what may be coming up next and how best to answer questions without feeling vulnerable or embarrassed.
Saving In The Long Run
Having a primary care physician will help you save in case of medical emergencies. They can help you save on medication costs and also with your insurance costs, which are difficult to manage without their expertise. A primary care physician is a valuable resource for dealing with the health care system.
In general, visits to your primary care physician are cheaper than other health professionals who come into contact with the same patients, such as neurologists or cardiologists. It’s also important to realize that your primary care physician is able to monitor and manage your general well-being, which can prevent you from developing more serious and costly medical conditions.
Owning Your Health
Having a primary care physician is a no-brainer. Your regular doctor can keep you on track, provide access to specialists when necessary, and ensure that you have routine screenings, like mammograms for women or prostate exams for men. They can also help monitor your family’s health by linking conditions together through family history. They also lower health care costs and are able to see you if you are experiencing a terminal illness.
If you don’t yet have a primary care physician, strongly consider how much impact this has on your own well-being — as well as the benefit to your loved ones. Plenty of great primary care physician are out there — rest assured that you can find someone who would be a great fit for you.
