Benefits of a Primary Care Physician
Post Date: Jul 29, 2020
Medical
There are plenty of benefits to regularly visiting a primary care physician (PCP). From building relationships to catching problems early and addressing preventative care, you have a lot to gain for your health and well being.
Interested in learning more about the importance of primary care? Check out this podcast episode.
Building Relationships
Seeing a PCP regularly allows you to build strong personal and professional bonds with them, establishing trust, and building rapport to help you get the most out of each visit. You’re not a number on a chart; you’re a vibrant, unique being with your own needs and concerns, not to mention questions specific to your situation. Working with a PCP that you trust ensures you’ll be treated that way.
More Knowledgeable Care
Because you’ve built that strong relationship, your primary care physician knows your medical history well, as they’ve gotten to know you over the years. That makes for more perceptive care and recommendations, as well as insight into how and why your body or health may be changing over time. They have an in-depth understanding of your situation, and that leads to more knowledgeable care.
Long-term Growth
As you continue to go through new life stages, having a dependable PCP at your side can help you achieve your long-term health goals over time. You want to live life to the fullest without worries about small health problems, aches and pains, lumps and bumps compiling over time, and growing into a bigger issue down the line.
Addressing high cholesterol or dietary imbalances now can stave off other health concerns in the future. Working with a PCP can help you stay on track to stay healthier longer.
Meeting the Four C’s
You want a doctor visit that meets the four Cs of primary care: first-contact care that is comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated. That’s what physicians working with CHP aim to provide.
Comprehensive care means that your appointments should attend to all your needs, not just the physical and medical side. It’s all-inclusive rather than being specialized. The continuous side refers to the relationship you’ve built with your PCP through the years. And coordinated care comes from your PCP working as a team with all of your healthcare providers, from specialists down, to have a comprehensive sense of your needs across the board.
The Science Supports It
These benefits aren’t all in your head—science backs it up too. This study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that people who have a PCP are better off in a number of ways. This nationally representative study looked at more than 40,000 adults in the US with primary care, and nearly 30,000 without. Participants with primary care had significantly more high-value care, with higher access to early cancer screenings and other preventative care measures that help catch problems early.
So if the benefits are clear, what comes next? Finding a primary care provider doesn’t need to be overwhelming. CHP is there to help you along in your life journey, with access to a PCP to work with you for the long haul. CHP is all about: enhancing the health and well-being of people, affording 100% access to the community, without disparity. Connect with us today and find out why people are saying CHP is for Me!
