Got PCP? Four Benefits to Having a Primary Care Provider

Staying healthy is best done with expert medical help.

You will need medical care at some point, and if chronic illness strikes, it will require the guidance of someone with the ability to diagnose and create treatment plans. A primary care provider (PCP) will be your go-to for routine health care or, in the case of any chronic health issues.

They can be a familiar face for your preventive care and more. You can depend on them if your child comes down with a case of strep throat or if you need more details for routine exams. Having a dedicated person for most of your healthcare needs isn’t just convenient but highly beneficial. Keep reading to learn the four benefits of having a PCP.

What is a primary care provider?

To understand the benefits of a primary care provider, it’s essential to know who they are and what they do.

A PCP is a committed healthcare professional that helps you manage your health. They are the first person you talk to when you have any medical problem that is not an emergency.

Preventive care for lifelong health management.

A quality PCP will help with identifying and treating health issues early through preventive care. So, what is preventative care, and how does it work? Preventive care is all the things you do when you’re healthy to help prevent getting sick.

Preventive care helps prevent illness or disease. It also allows for a condition to be identified earlier when it’s easier to treat, which leads to better health outcomes. Those who see a primary care doctor regularly stay up to date on critical preventive care such as:

  • Immunizations including childhood vaccinations, boosters, and yearly flu shots.
  • Annual checkups for adults and well-child visits for kids from birth to age 18.
  • Well visits and cancer screenings for women.
  • Well visits and screenings for men.
  • Management of chronic conditions.

When you work with a primary care provider to manage a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, the situation is better managed. Regular appointments help monitor changes in your condition and identify new issues sooner. This can mean you’re less likely to have complications that lead to hospitalization or surgery.

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You can save money. 

Because preventive care is firmly attached to better health and lower costs, many preventive care services are completely covered by insurance. By visiting your primary care doctor for routine physicals, screenings, and immunizations, you’re more likely to avoid costly prescriptions and care later.

Regular source of care and referrals.

While primary care doctors manage many acute and chronic conditions, many of us will need specialized health care at some point. Whether your child needs an allergist, or you need a dermatologist, your primary care doctor can help connect you to the best specialist.

They’ll coordinate with your specialists to ensure that the correct information is shared, nothing is missed, and tests aren’t duplicated. Navigating the health care system on your own can feel overwhelming. With a primary care doctor, you don’t have to do it alone.

You’ll have a trusted health advocate and advisor.

Your primary care doctor is not only a health expert but a health advocate. The relationship that you develop with your primary care doctor can be extremely valuable. For one, the better your doctor knows you and understands your health history, the better they can care for you and help guide your long-term health.

Getting to know your doctor can also help you feel more comfortable sharing personal information and asking questions. When you have a primary care physician, you’re not starting from square one every time you see a doctor. Your doctor already knows you and your health history, so you won’t have to explain the same things repeatedly at every appointment.

The Simple Clinic is dedicated to improving the well-being of our community, one patient at a time. Primary care is the day-to-day health care provided by a primary care provider. Primary care is the critical first point of access for all care provided within today’s complex healthcare system. This makes it very important to become an established patient at a local primary care center.

The Simple Clinic’s Primary Care Clinic delivers a range of acute and chronic medical care, including diagnoses and treatment of illness and injury and providing preventive care services. Complete our online contact form for more details!

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