What is the role of primary care physician

What is the role of primary care physician?

Just as you take care of your personal belonging such as cars, electronics, etc. you also need someone to take preventive care of your health. Just because, you do not feel the need for routine checkup, it does not mean everything's going fine with your body. Your primary care physician will recommend you some blood test and health screening to ensure best indicators of your overall health. A Primary Care Provider (PCP) is your point person for a health tune-up.

general health physicians or nurse practitioners help us take care of the basic health, centering our wellness and prevention when required. They are our primary healthcare partner in case of any emergency. They focus on our overall health, ensuring necessary screenings and risk assessments and also helps find the way you through medical specialists.

Types of primary care physician

There are different types of general practitioner that will be described as a primary care physician - typically Family Practice, Internal Medicine or General Practice. There are also doctors who focus on children, called Pediatricians, who will serve as the primary care physician for your child.

1. Family Practice – These doctors are able to treat patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. They are generalists who have completed a family practice residency and are board-certified and eligible to practice. They treat a wide variety of conditions, and often treat ailments you’d usually see a specialist for, such as sports injuries or some women’s health requirements.

2. Internists - They provide care for adults of all ages and for a number of different problems.

3. Pediatricians - Their specialty includes the care includes care of newborns, infants, children, and adolescents.

4. Nurse practitioners (NPs) - Nurse practitioners or physician assistants (PAs) go through a different training and certification process than doctors. They may be your key contact in some practices as consult with physicians.

5. Geriatricians –They often provide care for older adults with complex health condition related to aging. They are well-informed in family medicine or internal medication.

6. Obstetricians / Gynecologists – They serve as primary care providers for women, particularly those of childbearing age.

What does a primary care physician do?

A primary care physician provides a wide range of care. He/she would try developing healthy personal relationship with the patients and their family, facilitating their health and wellness.

It is advisable to visit a primary care physician for regular checkup and preventive screenings and tests that can help the onset of chronic diseases.

Your primary care physician will: 

Ensure you get suggested medical screenings and health risk tests



Offer preventive care and teach healthy lifestyle choices



Estimates the urgency of your health problems and directs you to the best place for care.



Help you get referrals to medical specialists when necessary

Note- This article is originally appeared on http://healthfirstmagazine.blogspot.com/2017/04/what-is-role-of-primary-care-physician.html