A Primary Care Physician (PCP) can be your “go-to” when it comes to you or someone in your family’s medical needs. A large part of their job is to learn about you - medical conditions, personal or family medical history and other variables that may impact your health and wellbeing. In so many cases, establishing a relationship with a PCP will help to eliminate unnecessary trips to the ER, costly specialist bills, or misdiagnosis due to a lack of knowledge with your medical history and needs.
Here are the four reasons we believe Primary Care is important to establish and maintain overall wellness:
You Will Establish a Trusted Connection.
Whether you have questions about unexpected aches and pains, or you think you may have an issue that requires specialty care, your PCP is the best “first stop” for guidance and referrals to other physicians. Just like anything else, having an established relationship with someone makes them a person you are more likely to trust when you are in need. The same goes for your relationship with healthcare providers. With time and routine visits, your PCP will get to know your health history and your ongoing healthcare needs. This will make your trust in their support with your health grow stronger with time. Establishing trust with your PCP allows for you to feel more comfortable discussing your needs and knowing you will receive the most optimal guidance and recommendations.
You Will Receive Proper Management for Existing Conditions.
Part of the responsibility of a PCP is to screen for major health-related conditions, including existing conditions. That can include (but is not limited to) things like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. With the completion of those screenings, as well as routine check-ups, your PCP can help manage your existing conditions by providing the proper treatment based on what has or hasn’t worked in the past. Additionally, they can recommend additional screenings or alternative options (like working with a specialist, if necessary), while maintaining open communication with you.
You Get to Experience a Team Approach to Healthcare.
Many PCPs are part of a larger team of healthcare professionals that bring a well-rounded level of expertise to their individual practice. In most cases, the teams include physicians, nurses, physician assistants, front office staff and even mental health counselors. Having a team approach to health care allows for you, as the patient, to have access to a variety of professionals with varied perspectives and experience, making your healthcare extremely comprehensive and multifaceted. The goal of primary care is to provide you a unique and tailored experience, not a one-size-fits all approach. The best way to achieve that is by having a team involved in your care.
Potential Problems Can Be Addressed Sooner (and Possibly Avoided).
At each appointment with your PCP, routine tasks are completed like checking your temperature, blood pressure, weight, etc. These things may seem tedious and sometimes irrelevant to the issue at hand, but this data can help the team to identify a health issue that may come up unexpectedly in the future. Developing a baseline with these routine screenings over the course of routine appointments can provide doctors the information they need to identify a problem before it becomes a more serious issue. This will help to improve your overall quality of life and ensure no rock is left unturned.
Heyl Family Practice is a local primary care practice that consists of a well-rounded team of knowledgeable family practitioners that can assist with a variety of needs for patients of all ages. In many cases, Heyl Family Practice has established care for generations of families in our local community as a result of their passionate, caring and experienced staff.
If you are looking for a PCP to enhance your healthcare routine, we have availability for new patients. Call the practice today to request an appointment with one of our practitioners today! We’d love to be your family’s trusted healthcare provider.
