The Role of Primary Care in Preventative Health

Having a connection with a primary care provider is paramount for your health. These medical professionals ensure you remain healthy year-round by providing services to prevent many illnesses and conditions. These services do not always mean medications. In fact, the goal of any medical care provider is to keep your body healthy enough to sustain itself without the overuse of medications or procedures.

The role of a primary care provider

A primary care provider, or general practitioner, is a medical professional with whom everyone should maintain a relationship. While they can treat a host of issues, should they occur, regular appointments with these providers also prevent issues. Additionally, they can help patients with chronic conditions, such as type one diabetes, manage them to prevent issues from worsening. Regardless of the patient's current health, these providers partner with each patient to care for their physical and mental well-being.

Primary care providers can answer any questions a patient has regarding infections, pains, viruses, and chronic diseases or conditions. Regular visits allow patients to be open and honest about their concerns, lifestyles, habits, and body or health goals, which can help the provider make suitable recommendations and provide routine services.

Common preventative services from a primary care provider

While primary care providers can offer services that treat illnesses, the best medicine is prevention. Therefore, annual visits, at minimum, can help keep patients healthy year-round. These services can include, but are not limited to, the following:

Immunizations

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, everyone from infants to the elderly needs immunizations (or vaccines). Though they vary for each age group and reasoning, primary care providers can provide multiple types. Whether it be to enter school, prevent common illnesses such as the flu, or to enter or leave a country, consulting a primary care provider can help. They also document or record the date of each vaccination one receives and help patients remember when they need another or a booster shot.

Routine physical examinations

Routine physical examinations, or physicals, help the primary care provider determine the general status of a patient's health year after year. They ensure organs and bodily systems are working properly while addressing any pertinent concerns that may have developed since the last visit. These examinations also allow them to recommend lifestyle alterations, such as the path to a better diet or tobacco cessation.

Management of underlying medical conditions

Patients with chronic conditions or illnesses typically require more frequent appointments than those without them. Therefore, if a patient has diabetes, a sexually transmitted infection, or high blood pressure, a primary care provider can recommend lifestyle tips, prescribe and monitor medications, and correlate care with other medical professionals on a patient's care team.

Ensure you are healthy for years to come

Primary care providers play an integral role in your overall well-being. Do not delay partnering with one if you have not already done so. Schedule a consultation with Eldridge Family Clinic to see where your overall health stands today.

Request an appointment here: https://eldridgeclinic.com or call Eldridge Family Clinic at (281) 946-1351 for an appointment in our Houston office.

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