Experienced Health Professionals

If you have a medical need, like sudden flu symptoms, nagging back pain, a rash that is unexpected, or even COVID-19 symptoms, who do you contact? You need a healthcare professional who can guide you through your treatment options and you can easily follow up with them. If you have a chronic condition that needs to be carefully managed, who do you turn to?

That is where a primary care physician or better known as a family care doctor, comes into play.

In an extensive study in 2019, researchers found that people in the United States who have a family care doctor had an overall better experience with their healthcare. This is because primary care is your first step in addressing your healthcare needs.

What is a Family Doctor?

A family doctor is one who takes care of the whole family. Just like many other jobs, there are specialties, and family medicine is one of them. Family doctors are trained in all areas of medicine, and that is because they often care for you through all stages of your life, regardless of your age or sex. This is going to include your physical, mental, and emotional health. Family doctors get to know their patients, as they are often caring for the whole family.

This means they know your family history if you are with them long enough. This often helps them better understand how to help you when it comes to unexpected health problems. A family doctor is going to be responsible for diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses. They provide routine health screenings and counseling on lifestyle changes. If you require a specialist, then your family doctor can easily send you to a trusted one.

Improved Well Being

Having a family doctor is important to your health because they are trained in preventive medicine. Preventing or avoiding a health problem is better than having to treat or manage one. A family doctor is there to help keep you and your family healthy even if you don’t have a current health problem.

Here are the areas that family doctors are trained in:

Infant to elderly care

Chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease

Ear, nose, and throat care

Mental and behavioral care

Bone and joint care

Eye care

Family planning

Basic testing

Emergency medical care

Your family doctor is often a jack of all trades, and that can help you narrow down what kind of treatment you need. Not only that, but they know your history and that means they know what treatments work and what treatments don’t.

It is never too late to start looking for a family doctor. Finding one you can trust may take time, but in the end, it will be worth it. Having someone you are comfortable with is key to getting the most out of your medical care.