Do I need a primary care physician? Who is the best primary care physician near me, and how to decide that? If you consider these questions, we are here to help you o choose the most influential physician of your life. A primary care physician is more than just a doctor; he is your advisor, medical caregiver, and educator. A primary care physician is someone you trust and can talk about your health honestly and freely.
Therefore, it’s essential to choose your primary care physician thoughtfully. And for this, you need to consider small but vital details about the physician and the facility. After all, your primary care doctor is your medical “Home.”
What Is A Primary Care Physician?
A primary care physician is a medical doctor who treats the illness and injuries of general patients. In short, they are your first step to maintaining your healthcare needs. A primary care physician is a doctor you trust and are comfortable enough to discuss your health condition freely. Over time, you create a partnership so strong with your primary care doctor that they learn every tiny detail about your lifestyle, medical history, your health goals, your treatment comfortability, any reaction to medications, etc.
Usually, a primary care doctor administers comprehensive care for your overall well-being- diagnosis, treatment, and medication. He can handle chronic, long-term conditions like diabetes and pressing problems like flu, fever, allergic reactions, etc.
Moreover, a primary care physician provides prevention services ensuring better health conditions. In the hand of primary care, you encounter less hospitalization and emergency room visitation. Dr. David Nazarian is an expert primary care physician near you. He values the trust you bestow on him and is passionate about providing his patients the highest level of care.
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Treatment Provided By A Primary Care Physician
A primary care physician is a medical doctor who has the proper training to prevent, diagnose, and treat a broad array of illnesses and injuries in the general population. Therefore, you can anticipate getting an extensive range of health services when you see a primary care physician. A primary care physician usually treats several acute and chronic diseases and takes care of your wellness and prevention.
Some primary care physicians may have transitioned from being physician assistants through a PA to MD bridge program, which provides an accelerated pathway for experienced PAs to become fully licensed medical doctors.
Acute Disease and Severe Injury Care
- Performing lab tests to diagnose your health condition
- Prescribing suitable medications
- Treating acute diseases like asthma, migraine, and urinary tract infections
- Conducting EKG to check your heart health
- Treating your injury and wound
- Mending broken bones and limbs
- Managing common diseases- flu, fever, cold, diarrhea, skin infections, rashes, bites, muscle strains, etc
- Evaluating lungs function with spirometry tests
- Refer to a specialist when needed
Chronic Conditions Care
Your primary care physician also manages the chronic conditions or health issues you have been suffering from for a long time. They usually do the following-
- Perform regular lab tests necessary for you to monitor your health and progress
- Prescribe medications or change them to manage your conditions
- Monitor drug interaction to adjust your medicine for better absorption
- Suggest a healthy lifestyle- a diet, exercise, and self-care plan for your holistic well-being
- Coordinate the treatment with a specialist, if you see any
Prevention Care
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer
- Multiple risk factors of heart diseases
- Monitoring and administering immunization
- Depression
- Development disorder
- Sexually transmitted diseases
Primary Care Physician VS. Specialist
Primary care physicians are board-certified medical doctors – internal medicine, family medicine, or pediatrics, who diagnose and treat general patients’ wide range of health issues. In addition, they track your overall well-being and health, provide preventive care, and offer coordinated care when you see any specialists.
On the contrary, a specialist is a doctor who has advanced training and degrees in a specific branch of medicine- heart health, mental health, cancer. They only diagnose and treat that particular conditions affecting a particular system within your body. Depending on the field, many specialists can perform surgery. Typically, primary care doctors refer to a specialist depending on your health conditions.
How To Choose A Primary Care Physician
Primary care physicians play a crucial role in your life; in fact, they are your medical home. Therefore, it’s essential to find a primary doctor you trust, depend on, and are comfortable with sharing your health issues. Here are seven practical concerns to consider while choosing a primary care physician.
Determining The Doctors In Your Network
If you are severely sick, you won’t like to travel far to see your doctor. Therefore, it’s essential to find a doctor located in-network.
In addition, if you have a health insurance plan, check if the doctor is in your plan area. Choosing an “in-network” doctor keeps your cost down. Many insurance plans allow you to see an “out of network” doctor; however, it may cost higher.
If you don’t have an insurance plan, it’s better to talk to the prospective physician beforehand about the office visit cost. You will be saved from many difficulties in the future. Therefore, before making an appointment with a doctor, check if the location is in-network of your insurance plan, convenient for you to visit, and the in-office cost.
Family And Friend’s Recommendation
A great way a find a good primary care physician is to ask people you trust- your friends, family, co-workers, for physician referrals. Generally, people are comfortable visiting a doctor their friends and family recommend or see.
You can also ask a healthcare person you know or are familiar with for a recommendation. If you are moving, ask your current physician for a physician recommendation in your new area. Though it’s an excellent way to find a doctor from the people you trust, always remember that a physician good for your friend, family, or neighbor, may not be suitable for you. Always trust your instinct while choosing a doctor for you.
Quality Check
Do a little research. Before you select your primary care physician, it’s wise to check the quality of their work. You can ask your insurance company to see if they have any quality rating of that specific physician.
Moreover, check if the prospective doctor is board-certified as board-certified primary care doctors meet the licensing requirements of their states and pass comprehensive exams in internal medicine. In addition, the board-certified doctors have to continue learning the latest development in their field to maintain. So, you know they are giving you up-to-date advice about your health condition.
Meeting Your Needs
Now that you have checked the location and asked your family and friends for referrals, it’s time to select a doctor meeting your needs.
Remember, every individual is unique, so is your lifestyle, health, and interaction with your healthcare provider. Therefore, while choosing the primary care doctor for you, consider is the physician can accommodate your special health requirements.
There are several different kinds of primary care physicians in the health world. The most typical are-
- Family practice physician – treat patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly.
- Internal medicine – treat adults and specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and managing disease and chronic conditions.
- Pediatrician – treat children.
- OBGYN – specializes in pregnancy and female reproductive health
- General Practice – treat all common medical conditions of patients of any gender or age.
Depending on your particular need, you can choose any primary care physician among the different categories. In addition, consider how much comfortable you are with your physician, how freely you can communicate with him, and at the end, do you feel you have been heard and replied satisfactorily by your doctor.
Look Into Logistics
Location is essential; however, with the area, consider office hours. Check what days and times the doctor see the patients. Check if he is available on the weekend. In addition, find out which hospital does the doctor admits his patients to.
Another point to consider is language. Make sure you understand the physician’s suggestions and your physician understands your issue. Next is an appointment. Check if the provider offers same-day appointments and if you can communicate via email or schedule an appointment online. Do they offer virtual visits or home visits – check.
In addition, learn how they manage prescription refills, test results, immunization records, and medical history. Lastly check, how long you have to sit in the waiting room or how much available your doctor is. Remember, time is crucial for both- you and your doctor.
Cooperation and Service Of The Staff
While choosing a physician care doctor, consider the office staff too, as you will interact with them regularly for appointments, rescheduling, billing issues, refills, etc.
Therefore, notice if you are comfortable with them too. Consider the behavior, are the staffs courteous, patient and friendly. Maintaining patient privacy and coordination with the doctor is another of their primary task. Are they performing them properly? If not, you can switch the doctor; however, inform your doctor about the issue too.
Visit The Doctor and Look Around
Research and investigation are good ways to find a good primary care doctor. However, an actual visit to the doctor is mandatory to determine if he is the right one for you- one you can trust and be comfortable with.
In addition, while visiting the doctor, look around the office. Check if the waiting room is clean and well-kept, if the equipment seems modern and well-maintained, and if the treatment or procedure room maintains privacy. However, remember, a shabby office doesn’t mean the doctor is not good. After all, if the teacher is good, she can teach anyone perfectly just with a blackboard and chalks instead of a high-tech smartboard.
Best Primary Care Physician Near You
Who is the best primary care physician near me? Are you considering this question? After all, a primary care physician is a crucial part of your life. So, he needs to be perfectly agreeable with you.
Dr. David Nazarian at MyConciergeMD, is a renowned and dedicated primary care physician practicing internal medicine in the Greater Los Angeles area. He highly values the patients’ trust in him and is passionate about providing the highest care with a long-lasting bond and friendship. He is highly appreciated for his patient dedication, who can be the best primary care physician for you.
