Human beings are complex individuals with unique needs. Therefore, when it comes to your health and wellness, you need a healthcare provider who can care for all your health needs. Having a provider who knows and understands your health history, wellness goals, and concerns is the best way to stay safe and healthy today and in the future. Beyond just treating your aches and pains, adult primary care Lansdowne focuses on disease prevention and screening, counseling, coordination of care, and patient education.
What is primary care?
Primary care is the first or initial point of contact between a patient and the healthcare system that supports accessible, continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated person-focused care. The main aim of primary care is to improve the public’s health and reduce disparities among the population by ensuring everyone has easy access to medical care.
Primary care incorporates various healthcare services, including wellness and prevention and acute healthcare. The first part of primary care, wellness, and prevention keep you healthy and free of disease. To ensure you are healthy, your primary care provider will likely:
- Evaluate your medical history to determine the risk factors that you may have
- Perform screenings to detect health issues early
- Offer vaccinations so that you don’t catch a disease
- Recommend lifestyle adjustments that you can make to prevent illness in the future
The other part of primary care, acute healthcare, focuses on issues or injuries that may come on suddenly and typically don’t have a long-term impact on your health. For example, if you sprain your ankle while playing basketball or you have a cough, the first place you would go for treatment is your primary care physician’s office.
Primary care can also help you manage long-term or chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, and arthritis. Your primary care provider can monitor your condition regularly and recommend ways to slow or stop disease progression. Because your primary care provider has worked with you for a long time, they can track any health changes and decide if you need to see a specialist.
Also, your primary care provider knows the factors in your community that may affect your health. For instance, healthcare providers are kept to date on illnesses sweeping through the local school system and know if there is an uptick in the number of flu cases in your region.
Why is primary care important?
No one wants to feel like a number in a vast, impersonal system, especially regarding something as important as taking care of your health. Primary care allows you to have an ongoing relationship or partnership with your healthcare provider and is also meant to be your number one and main source of healthcare. Having one provider who you always go to for your various health needs comes with multiple benefits, including:
- Better access to healthcare
- Reduced medical costs
- Better health outcomes
- Early detection
Primary care is a better alternative than the emergency room; it is a less expensive way to treat acute illnesses or injuries. Many people with access to a primary care provider spend less money on their healthcare and are healthier.
If you have further questions about primary care, consult your provider at CN Internal Medicine.
