3 Reasons You Should Have a Family Doctor
Family doctors can be the right answer for most healthcare situations. While yes, medical emergencies are an exception, many people use the ER or urgent care as their primary source of care. An emergency is a valid reason to visit the emergency room, but it’s not a good point of primary care. It’s one reason why we as Americans spend more money as a country on healthcare than anyone else, and we still rank far from the top in healthcare outcomes.
Using a primary care physician or better known as a family doctor is helpful to many Americans out there. If you’re unsure whether you need a family doctor, we’ve put together a list of why a family doctor is so important to everyday life.
Family Doctors Follow Your Life Cycle
Many family doctors treat everybody from toddlers to people in their 90s. Often these doctors see patients for years or even decades of their lives. It’s typical for a family doctor to treat of variety of conditions. Because family doctors treat such a range of conditions, they can be your primary care physician at any point in your life.
Long term, this means that you can build a lasting relationship with your family doctor and you won’t have to worry about them knowing you. Having such a long-term doctor can easily make getting healthcare faster and more efficient for you and your family. This also means that they’re going to be able to treat chronic conditions that can follow you for the rest of your life and acute conditions like the flu.
They Know Your Medical History
Going to the same doctor for years means they get to know your medical history inside and out. By knowing your history, they’re able to watch for red flags regarding medications, monitor your health throughout the years, and can make accurate diagnoses for you and your health.
By having your family see the same doctor, you will have an accurate and in-depth family history, which can show red flags. For example, if the doctor knows you had cancer at a young age and so did your mother that’s a red flag, which could mean you need to have genetic counseling and a screening plan not only for you but for other family members at risk. This also applies to mental health as well. Knowing what’s going on at the home it can make it easier to diagnose somebody with high stress or anxiety.
Family Doctors Treat Many Things
Well yes, family doctors do yearly checkups, they also do a lot more. They can help you manage chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and even arthritis. They can also treat acute situations like a sinus infection and minor injuries. Family doctors can also be very helpful for people who are going through pregnancy. These doctors can often do minor surgical procedures, such as freezing a wart or draining an abscess. Of course, there is a much longer list of what a family doctor can do, but those are just some of them.