Primary care

(PRY-mayr-ee kayr) Health services that meet most basic health care needs over time.

Who is a primary care provider?

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A primary care provider physician (M.D. – Medical Doctor or D.O. – Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant, as allowed under state law, who provides, coordinates or helps a patient access a range of health care services.

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What type of physicians provide primary care?

1. Family practitioners
2. Pediatricians
3. Geriatricians
4. Internists
5. Obstetricians/gynecologists
6. Nurse practitioners (NP) and physician assistants (PA)

What types of services are provided by primary care physicians?

1. Primary care includes physical exams, treatment of common medical conditions, and preventive care such as immunizations and screenings.
2. Primary care doctors are usually the first health professionals patients see for basic medical care.
3. They may refer a patient to a specialist if needed.

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What are the benefits of having a primary care provider?

• Primary care providers offer a usual source of care,
• early detection and treatment of disease,
• chronic disease management, and preventive care.

Do patients with a primary care provider get better care?

Yes. Patients with a usual source of care are more likely to receive recommended preventive services such as flu shots, blood pressure screenings, and cancer screenings

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Are there disparities in primary healthcare?

Yes. Disparities in access to primary health care exist, and many people face barriers that decrease access to services and increase the risk of poor health outcomes. Some of these obstacles include:

1. lack of health insurance,
2. language-related barriers,
3. disabilities,
4. inability to take time off work to attend appointments,
5. geographic and transportation-related barriers, and
6. a shortage of primary care providers.
7. These barriers may intersect to further reduce access to primary care.

Is lack of health insurance a factor?

1. Lack of health insurance decreases the use of preventive and primary care services and is associated with poor health outcomes.
2. Individuals without health insurance may delay seeking care when they are ill or injured, and they are more likely to be hospitalized for chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.
3. In addition, children without health insurance are less likely to get vaccinations, a routine primary care service.
4. Overall, having health insurance increases the use of health services and improves health outcomes.

How about language barriers in primary care?

Speaking a language other than English at home can negatively impact access to primary care and screening programs.

What factors contribute to reduced use of primary care?

1. People may experience reduced access to primary care due to limited provider office hours and availability.
2. Many primary care providers do not offer services during typical off-work hours, posing barriers to workers without sick leave benefits.
3. Factors such as travel distance and the supply of primary care providers can also limit people’s ability to get primary care.
4. Primary care is critical for improving population health and reducing health disparities.

How to find and compare primary care doctors?

Use the following website from Medicare called Care Compare that allows you to compare and find primary care or specialist providers

How do I impress a doctor?

• Be punctual for your appointment.
• Be transparent about your medical history and symptoms.
• Show a keen interest in your own health.
• Adhere to the doctor's advice and treatment recommendations.
• Pose well-informed questions.

What is included in primary care?

• Preventive services.
• Management of diseases.
• Promotion of health.
• Patient education.
• Diagnosis and treatment of both acute and chronic conditions.

WikiMD's primary-care doctor finder (USA)

Need help finding a primary care doctor in the United States?

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poly 643 371 666 452 621 458 621 473 606 468 604 374 Primary care doctors in Alabama poly 152 457 153 540 177 548 205 576 205 589 183 588 158 553 117 547 100 567 12 578 66 547 41 517 52 469 72 449 107 437 Primary care doctors in Alaska poly 132 396 190 434 229 441 245 325 161 309 157 326 148 326 140 347 151 364 Primary care doctors in Arizona poly 490 346 489 404 499 419 551 419 566 373 574 353 560 347 Primary care doctors in Arkansas poly 27 164 91 181 73 243 140 339 138 346 149 363 134 394 91 389 41 334 13 194 Primary care doctors in California poly 257 235 369 248 364 331 247 320 Primary care doctors in Colorado poly 818 185 819 206 845 195 842 180 Primary care doctors in Connecticut

poly 794 239 799 270 813 270 808 255 Primary care doctors in Delaware

poly 731 453 776 545 757 583 739 584 714 520 688 472 663 485 624 471 624 460 666 454 666 460 Primary care doctors in Florida poly 644 368 686 364 736 417 730 455 668 457 Primary care doctors in Georgia poly 219 507 216 552 259 588 339 590 343 557 292 508 Primary care doctors in Hawaii poly 169 48 154 107 161 116 145 140 137 190 226 206 236 157 206 154 200 127 189 131 192 105 175 72 182 50 Primary care doctors in Idaho poly 555 221 539 263 563 291 560 304 582 330 595 328 605 291 601 227 591 209 552 215 Primary care doctors in Illinois poly 603 229 602 312 631 305 650 284 644 222 Primary care doctors in Indiana poly 461 197 454 215 469 258 535 258 544 244 553 225 540 198 Primary care doctors in Iowa poly 368 268 361 333 488 336 488 291 481 285 484 277 471 269 Primary care doctors in Kansas poly 581 343 677 330 697 310 682 289 652 281 633 309 602 313 Primary care doctors in Kentucky poly 504 488 510 458 498 440 501 421 553 421 555 435 546 461 574 461 585 475 593 499 547 504 Primary care doctors in Louisiana poly 836 111 850 149 854 157 897 106 887 89 872 60 849 56 Primary care doctors in Maine poly 732 253 732 263 756 254 778 266 776 275 788 278 798 296 811 268 797 268 793 242 Primary care doctors in Maryland poly 816 170 817 186 849 180 857 187 878 189 878 171 854 160 Primary care doctors in Massachusetts

poly 544 114 555 131 596 149 613 224 664 219 674 191 647 128 581 85 Primary care doctors in Michigan poly 448 79 456 143 453 147 461 156 461 196 541 196 541 186 513 168 510 150 520 126 556 96 483 86 478 71 Primary care doctors in Minnesota poly 568 376 603 373 606 472 585 473 573 459 546 459 556 427 555 415 Primary care doctors in Mississippi poly 470 259 471 269 486 288 488 345 566 344 561 353 571 353 582 334 559 305 562 294 536 261 Primary care doctors in Missouri poly 184 49 179 70 194 104 190 127 200 123 209 152 235 154 237 147 342 158 351 75 Primary care doctors in Montana poly 340 203 337 244 368 247 368 265 475 269 460 217 426 208 Primary care doctors in Nebraska poly 92 182 180 200 156 324 146 323 141 342 73 244 Primary care doctors in Nevada poly 829 114 825 168 852 160 835 109 Primary care doctors in New_Hampshire poly 801 207 799 225 806 231 797 240 809 254 823 224 815 218 815 211 Primary care doctors in New_Jersey

poly 245 320 347 330 337 436 245 431 242 443 226 439 Primary care doctors in New_Mexico poly 727 177 716 205 789 190 799 204 815 209 815 216 823 221 847 202 821 205 817 185 817 167 803 124 777 128 754 166 Primary care doctors in New_York poly 706 328 666 366 716 357 748 359 768 375 817 333 803 309 Primary care doctors in North_Carolina poly 351 76 345 138 455 144 447 80 Primary care doctors in North Dakota poly 653 281 679 285 686 292 714 243 710 213 675 224 663 220 645 223 649 275 Primary care doctors in Ohio poly 347 331 488 337 494 407 430 397 397 388 397 347 345 345 Primary care doctors in Oklahoma poly 60 79 26 145 26 162 136 188 142 137 157 118 150 104 99 104 73 97 72 83 Primary care doctors in Oregon poly 708 210 716 255 791 240 804 230 797 223 799 205 788 191 Primary care doctors in Pennsylvania poly 849 179 855 187 847 195 841 183 Primary care doctors in Rhode_Island

poly 686 363 738 418 765 376 749 361 716 356 Primary care doctors in South Carolina poly 346 138 456 144 452 149 459 157 459 195 456 214 425 207 375 202 341 201 343 182 343 160 Primary care doctors in South_Dakota poly 569 374 667 366 705 327 575 344 Primary care doctors in Tennessee poly 346 342 337 439 274 432 306 485 331 501 347 484 368 488 407 560 440 572 440 532 507 489 511 457 498 412 483 404 397 389 396 345 Primary care doctors in Texas poly 182 201 228 209 224 232 256 234 244 321 162 307 Primary care doctors in Utah poly 803 123 816 168 825 168 828 120 Primary care doctors in Vermont poly 698 310 677 331 803 308 789 280 775 276 778 267 765 258 753 258 731 277 726 304 Primary care doctors in Virginia poly 57 76 73 85 73 95 111 102 158 109 168 49 88 25 60 34 Primary care doctors in Washington poly 763 260 753 259 743 278 732 276 728 297 717 308 700 312 689 297 694 275 709 262 712 241 715 257 734 254 734 262 753 253 761 254 Primary care doctors in West_Virginia

poly 522 129 520 140 513 146 513 169 538 184 539 210 549 216 592 210 600 156 593 153 585 143 548 126 538 120 Primary care doctors in Wisconsin poly 239 148 223 232 337 244 343 157 Primary care doctors in Wyoming

rect 883 272 953 290 Primary care doctors in Delaware rect 882 291 951 315 Primary care doctors in Maryland rect 675 33 785 60 Primary care doctors in New_Hampshire rect 867 244 950 269 Primary care doctors in New_Jersey rect 680 88 774 113 Primary care doctors in Massachusetts rect 871 222 955 243 Primary care doctors in Connecticut rect 848 316 955 339 Primary care doctors in Washington_DC rect 858 340 953 361 Primary care doctors in West_Virginia rect 727 63 780 86 Primary care doctors in Vermont rect 863 195 954 220 Primary care doctors in Rhode_Island

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Why is primary care so important?

• It serves as the first point of contact for healthcare.
• It emphasizes preventive healthcare.
• It offers effective management of chronic ailments.
• It reduces the dependency on specialist care.

Is a GP a primary care physician?

• Yes, a General Practitioner (GP) functions as a primary care physician.

What are the 4 types of diseases?

• Infectious diseases.
• Deficiency diseases.
• Genetic diseases.
• Lifestyle diseases.

What should I ask my primary doctor?

• Which screenings or tests are crucial for me?
• How can I adopt a healthier lifestyle?
• Are there alternative treatments available?
• What are the expected side effects of this treatment?

What are the top chronic diseases?

• Heart disease.
• Diabetes.
• Arthritis.
• Chronic respiratory diseases.

What are the most common diseases?

• The common cold.
• Influenza.
• Diabetes.
• Hypertension.

What are some questions doctors ask to patients?

• What is the primary concern today?
• How long have these symptoms persisted?
• Are you currently undergoing any medication?
• Any known allergies?

What are the challenges of primary health care?

• Resource constraints.
• Rising incidence of chronic conditions.
• Accessibility in rural areas.
• Patient adherence to treatment plans.

What are the four pillars in primary health care?

• Universal access and coverage.
• Reforms in service delivery.
• Leadership and governance.
• Public policy integration.

What is a primary care physician responsibilities?

• Diagnosing common health conditions.
• Delivering preventive care and health knowledge.
• Referring patients to specialized specialists when required.
• Synchronizing care among diverse healthcare providers.

What are the most common conditions in primary care?

• Hypertension.
• Diabetes.
• Asthma.
• Depression.

What are the daily activities of a primary care physician?

• Engaging in patient consultations.
• Diagnosing various health conditions.
• Recommending treatments or prescribing medications.
• Collaborating with fellow healthcare specialists.
• Staying abreast with the latest in medical research.

Need helping finding a doctor or specialist in the United States? WikiMD can help with over 1 million healthcare providers in all the states and territories encompassing both the primary care and specialist providers. Choose a state or territory.

Primary care doctors (USA)

Choose a primary care type:

• Family doctors - adults and children
• General practice doctors - adults
• Internists - adults
• Pediatricians - children
• Obstetrics/gynecology doctors - women

General doctors (world)

List of general doctors in the world.