Why Do You Need Primary Care Physicians In 2022?

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Do you have that one doctor who treated you from infancy to adulthood? He has become such an integral part of your life that he gets invitations to family celebrations. Indeed, your children are already seeing the very same doctor. What we have described here is a family doctor. They are a critical part of managing health needs.

If you do not have a family doctor, who do you turn to for advice? For many, the first step is to visit a primary care physician (PCP). These professionals practice general medicine and can dispense invaluable medical advice to patients. So yes, your family doctor does fall under the category of PCPs. 

Others are pediatricians, obstetricians, geriatricians, internists, and OB-GYNs. Do note, though, not all PCPs are doctors. Nursing practitioners or even assistants to physicians can work as PCPs.

So, why  is getting a  personal primary care physician a sound idea? 

Proper Health Management with a PCP

PCPs do a lot in health management. We can summarize their critical healthcare roles as follows:

• Immediate medical attention. A primary care physician is who you turn to for immediate medical attention. 
• Early disease detection. The PCPs can do routine health checkups. During such procedures, they can discover life-threatening diseases that need urgent intervention. 
• Disease prevention through medical processes like immunizations and cancer screenings
• Chronic disease management for conditions like diabetes and blood pressure. Continuous health monitoring by the PCPs helps patients keep illnesses under control. 

Please make sure you have a primary care physician on your speed dial. Even if you don’t have a PCP, it is easy to find one. All you need to do is use the search engines. Type in doctors near me, and let the search engines do the work. You will get a complete list of physicians near you. 

Other information includes the physical addresses, areas of specialization, and the practitioner’s profile. You can also book appointments right on the platforms. 

Longer Life Expectancy

There is no magic pill that can help us avoid death. We have to contend with one truth. Mortality is something we must all live with. But, we do all we can to push back the date as much as possible. 

And, one of the best ways to live longer is to remain healthy. A primary care physician can help with that. 

Don’t take our word for it, though. Research carried out by the University of Stanford supports this premise. Adding 10 PCPs for every 100,000 individuals resulted in a 51.5-day increase in life expectancy. The researchers attributed this to the critical roles carried out by PCPs.

As the primary contact point for many people, these professionals provide preventive care. They also help with early disease diagnosis, cancer screening, etc. 

Lower Healthcare Costs with A PCP

The best way to keep your health care costs low is to take the necessary steps to prevent any illnesses. As we stated above, PCPs provide this critical service to clients. Based on their advice, you can avoid diseases like diabetes or even cancer. 

The physicians can determine risk levels, allowing you to take pre-emptive action. A simple lifestyle change, for example, can help avoid diabetes. The savings you get cannot compare to what you would spend on costly medication. 

But that is not the only benefit. Savings also come in the time spent seeking medical services. In one appointment, the PCP can manage different health needs. A routine checkup session does not have to end there. 

The professionals can treat existing health conditions. You could also get services like immunizations during the same visit. All this without having to book separate appointments to take care of your health needs. 

Linkages to Other Service Providers

A primary health care physician provides that link to other critical service providers. PCPs can take care of some of the health conditions. But, more serious ones need specialized treatment. In that case, a PCP can recommend the best specialists, depending on your need. 

Over the course of their professional lives, they have built excellent networks. You can be sure of getting the best treatment available by following their advice on whom to consult. 

Your PCP Understands You

Remember, a PCP is that health adviser and advocate you can trust. Building relationships with them provides long-term value to you. Long-term relationships give them insights into so many aspects of your health. This includes medical history, lifestyle goals, personality, medications, and more.

In that way, they can provide the best advice to help you stay healthy. They can, for example, recommend health screening or lifestyle changes. The PCP does this based on what they know about you. In that way, as we stated, you can keep specific diseases at bay. 

You can also share concerns or personal information without any discomfort. Further, they are the best source of advice. That means you can ask them any health-related questions without fear or embarrassment.

It can be hard to have the same level of intimacy or comfort if you do not have that one trusted health care provider. Think about your PCP as that friend you can call upon any time you need to. 

Lifelong Care With a PCP

There is comfort in knowing that you have a healthcare physician available to you. Let’s go back to the example of the family doctor.

In some cases, that doctor has cared for you from infancy to adulthood. They have an extensive record of your medical history, as such, they also have an in-depth understanding of your health. Indeed, much better than you would ever hope to know about yourself. 

Final Thoughts

We have shared some of the reasons why you need a primary care provider or physician. The benefits to your health and well-being are many.

If you do not already have a family doctor, take the time to find the right PCP. One of the most vital resources you have is the online space. All you need to do is type the correct search query. This could include a general practitioner near me or a doctor near me. 

Take time to read reviews from other clients on your PCP of choice. See what the patients have to say about the services and communication skills. 

The physician you choose is someone who will become an integral part of your life. So take the time to find the best for you.