A primary care physician (PCP) is the first doctor people go to when they feel sick or need a check-up. This doctor helps with many different health problems, gives advice to keep patients healthy, and treats common illnesses. A PCP also keeps track of a person’s overall health and can refer them to a specialist if more specific care is needed.    

The main difference between a PCP and a specialist is the kind of health conditions they treat. PCPs care for people of all ages and treat a wide range of health issues, from the common cold to sports injuries. They also focus on preventive care, such as vaccines to prevent illnesses or screenings to catch diseases before they become serious. 

Specialists, on the other hand, have advanced training in a specific area of medicine like cardiology (heart health) or neurology (brain health). There are many kinds of specialists on MediFind, each with their own focus. When needed, PCPs will help patients understand when they need to see a specialist. PCPs will also collaborate with specialists on a treatment plan specific to their patients’ needs. 

There are a few different types of primary care doctors. In addition to primary care providers, a primary care physician may also be called a general practitioner, family doctor, or internist. There are also PCPs with special training to work with specific patient populations. Pediatricians, for example, are PCPs who work with children, while geriatricians are PCPs who work with older adults.  

People have a primary care physician to help keep them healthy and to have a doctor they can go to for most of their health needs. A PCP helps with regular check-ups, treats illnesses, and can help manage long-term health problems. That’s why it’s helpful for patients to maintain long-term relationships with their PCPs if possible.    

Health insurance requires patients to see a primary care physician because a PCP helps keep people healthy with preventive care, which lowers costs for the insurer. A PCP can also decide if a patient needs to see a specialist, which helps avoid unnecessary tests and treatments, keeping healthcare costs down. 

The first thing a primary care doctor does when seeing a patient is to ask questions about their health and health goals. This includes asking about symptoms, past health problems, family health history, and lifestyle. This helps the doctor understand what’s going on if the patient is experiencing a problem, or what might help the patient get healthier or stay healthy. 

You can visit a Nurse Practitioner (NP) for routine check-ups, minor illnesses, and help with long-term health issues. Nurse Practitioners are trained to handle many common health problems. You should see a Doctor (MD) for more serious or complicated health issues, or if you need specialized care that an NP cannot provide. Sometimes, NPs and MDs work together to take care of their patients.  

A Primary Care Doctor is a type of primary care provider, and is responsible for your ongoing healthcare monitoring and maintenance, and is your first line of treatment. You should see your Primary Care Doctor near you at least once a year. If new symptoms arise, they will also help you get properly diagnosed, although for many situations you will need to see a specialist near you to get diagnosed and treated.

You can find a Primary Care Doctor in any of the 10 largest U.S. cities by clicking below:
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• A pediatrician is an expert in childhood growth and development and they are frequently the primary care provider for children under 18.
• Adults generally see an Internist, a General Practitioner, or a Family Practitioner (often informally called a Family Doctor) for their primary care.
• Older adults may see a Geriatrician, which is a provider that specializes in the care of older people.
• Some women choose to receive their primary care from their OB/GYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), though if you have multiple medical issues, it may be in your best interest to find a primary care physician.

Typically, your Primary Care Doctor will refer you to a specialist if they believe it to be necessary. You can also explore your symptoms or research your diagnosis to see what kinds of providers commonly treat your health condition near you.

When you’re making important health decisions, it’s always recommended to get medical opinions from more than one provider, whether that be another Primary Care Doctor or a specialist near you. If you just received a diagnosis from you Primary Care Doctor, but something in your gut tells you to seek more guidance, it’s OK to consult with another doctor near you to get additional insight into your condition and care. Second opinions are highly valuable because they can either confirm or disprove your original diagnosis or provide different perspectives from different Primary Care Doctor. Most doctors, including Primary Care Doctors, will not get offended and welcome second opinions, especially if you were diagnosed with a serious or rare condition. You can even use MediFind to search for another Primary Care Doctor or specialist near you who can provide a second opinion.

There are over 7,000 conditions that providers, including Primary Care Doctors and specialists need to treat. With so many conditions, it is nearly impossible for any provider to be an expert in every unique condition, even in just one geographic area. However, plenty of research has shown that experience is the best predictor of expertise, and it is important to find a doctor who has a lot of experience with your particular condition. MediFind can help you find a doctor or a second opinion for your condition. 
When talking with your Primary Care Doctor, be honest and don’t hold anything back, since your doctor can only help you with the information you give them. Understanding the full picture will give your Primary Care Doctor more to work with and help them provide you with the best care.

Primary Care Doctors know there is new scientific research happening all the time, and in fact, it’s estimated that the total body of medical knowledge now doubles every 73 days. That’s a lot of information to keep up with, even for an excellent Primary Care Doctor. MediFind can help you explore the latest medical advances, research, and breakthroughs for your health condition, giving you access to the same cutting-edge information as your Primary Care Doctor.

How can I research clinical trials my Primary Care Doctor might tell me about, especially ones that are located near you?
Depending on your specific health condition, your Primary Care Doctor may bring up clinical trials near you during one of your appointments. The purpose of clinical trials is to find improvements or discoveries for diseases and treatments, and your Primary Care Doctor may be working to stay on top of these developments, or refer you to a specialist who focuses on your condition. MediFind can help you easily search and filter clinical trials for your health condition, including those near you, that your Primary Care Doctor might bring up. You can also learn more about what to consider when exploring clinical trials that you may wish to discuss with your Primary Care Doctor.

Bring your list of concerns (or reasons for your visit) with you on a piece of paper or your phone, so you can easily recall them when speaking to your Primary Care Doctor. You may want to consider bringing a friend or loved one for support, and to help you recall the information after your Primary Care Doctor visit. Bring a notebook so you can take notes, copies of your medical records (dating back at least one year), a list of current medications, supplements and allergies to medications, your family history of disease, and a list of symptoms (and details about how long they last and how often they occur) to discuss with your Primary Care Doctor.

When talking with your Primary Care Doctor, be honest and don’t hold anything back, since your doctor can only help you with the information you give them. Understanding the full picture will give your Primary Care Doctor more to work with and help them provide you with the best care.

Being a “good patient” isn’t just about listening to your Primary Care Doctor. It’s about engaging in your health together to ensure you receive a high quality of care, which is called practicing patient autonomy. It’s important to be honest with your Primary Care Doctor, and hide nothing, even if it’s embarrassing. You should also speak up and voice your concerns, and listen and ask questions of your Primary Care Doctor. You may also consider doing your own research on your condition and talking to other patients before or after speaking with your Primary Care Doctor.

A few topics you may wish to ask your Primary Care Doctor about include: diagnosis details, symptom management, medical care, second opinions from other Primary Care Doctors, whether you should see a specialist near you other than your Primary Care Doctor, treatment plans, side effects, and expectations for follow-up appointments with your Primary Care Doctor.

Depending on your symptoms,  a Primary Care Doctor near you may be able to provide a different point of view on your health. You can also explore your symptoms and bring the results with you to your Primary Care Doctor visit for discussion.

Acne
Arthritis
Asthma
Atopic Dermatitis
Chronic Cough
COVID-19
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gout
Headache
Hives
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Obesity
Osteoarthritis
Shingles
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

You should always contact your Primary Care Doctor’s office to make sure they take your health insurance. Every Primary Care Doctor has different arrangements with insurance providers. The most commonly accepted insurance may not be the same as everywhere, but some of the largest insurance providers are: Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield, Centene, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, HCSC (Health Care Service Corporation), CVS Health/Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, and Cigna.

Despite our increasingly connected world, there are times when you need to see your Primary Care Doctor in person. For Primary Care Doctors, this study concluded that people typically only travel about 18 minutes. So, a good rule of thumb is to select a primary care physician that is located near you, somewhere between 15-30 minutes away. For more specialized care, you may need to travel considerably further, but look for specialists within 45 minutes of your home if possible.

In recent years, many Primary Care Doctors  have also adopted telehealth, also commonly called telemedicine, which is the use of digital technology to provide or supplement patient care. Telehealth can help reduce the burden of physical travel to your Primary Care Doctor. You might wish to consider contacting your Primary Care Doctor’s office to learn about the telehealth options they offer, as well as your insurance provider.