What is primary care?
Primary care is the care a patient receives at his or her first contact with the healthcare system, as well as the continuing, comprehensive, and preventive care a patient and/or family receives over time. This type of care is not limited to age, gender, or specific medical issue. Primary care may also include:
- Health promotion
- Health maintenance
- Patient education
- Diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses
- Referrals to other healthcare specialists
A primary care physician should be a patient’s first source for diagnoses, prescriptions, and lifelong medical guidance. Establishing a relationship with a primary care physician can help each family member maintain his or her health and peace of mind for a lifetime.
Why is primary care important?
Saint Francis Medical Center’s primary care physicians play an important role in you and your family’s overall health and well-being. Our physicians are available to treat any immediate health problems that may arise, such as influenza, and also help you manage any long-term health issues you may have, like hypertension (high blood pressure) or high cholesterol. They keep a running record of your blood pressure, weight, screenings and immunizations to support your preventative care.
What do primary care doctors cover?
Saint Francis Medical Center’s primary care physicians specialize in the following areas of medicine:
- Family medicine: newborns to older adults
- Internal medicine: adults
- Pediatrics: newborns, infants, children and adolescents
- Rheumatology: arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones