What is a primary care clinic?
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Your home base for better health
We talk a lot about primary care. It’s even part of our name – NewPrimaryCare.com.
But you may wonder: What is a primary care clinic, and is it right for me?
Primary care explained
A primary care clinic is your home base for better health. It’s where you can manage chronic illnesses, keep up with vaccinations, get a brace for a sprained ankle and have a routine checkup. It’s where the doctors and staff know you and make you the focus of your health care.
And when a serious health issue arises, a primary care clinic is your trusted guide to specialized care.
What happens at a primary care clinic?
Primary care clinics build partnerships with their patients. The doctors and other health professionals take time to understand your needs and health history, along with health trends in your community. They work hard to be good listeners and communicators with patients and caregivers.
The services you can find at a primary care clinic include:
- Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses
- Disease prevention and screening
- Health maintenance
- Counseling
- Patient education
Primary care clinics are all about making it easy for you to see a doctor, improve your health and lower your medical costs.
Who can go to a primary care clinic?
Anyone can go to a primary care clinic, but our partner providers specialize in giving quality care to seniors on Medicare. Some patients are managing diabetes or hypertension. Others need cancer screenings. Some just returned home from a hospital stay. Others strained themselves on the golf course or tennis court.
No matter where patients are in their health journeys, a primary care clinic can help them live their healthiest lives.
NewPrimaryCare.com only lists providers dedicated to giving Medicare patients the best value-based care.
What’s the difference between primary and secondary care?
A primary care provider is the first person who treats a patient for an illness or injury. When the patient needs more advanced care than a primary care clinic can give, the doctor will refer the patient to a specialist physician or clinic.
For example, a primary care doctor might brace an injured knee, then refer the patient to an orthopedic clinic for secondary care.
A primary care clinic is your doorway to the rest of the health care system. Even when making a specialist referral, a primary care doctor will continue to monitor and coordinate your ongoing care.
What types of doctors work in primary care clinics?
Primary care physicians generally are specialists in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, OB/GYN or pediatrics. NewPrimaryCare.com only lists providers who are passionate about and experienced in treating seniors.
When you go to a primary care clinic, in addition to doctors, you’ll find a team of Certified Nurse Practitioners, Physicians Assistants and other health professionals dedicated to giving you the best care available.
Where can I find a primary care doctor who accepts Medicare patients?
NewPrimaryCare.com can help you find a Medicare primary care doctor near you. All of our partner providers practice value-based care, meaning Medicare rewards them for giving quality care and helping patients get better. You can be sure that our physicians will take time to know you and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Also, with a value-based care provider, you can expect quicker appointment scheduling and shorter waits at the doctor’s office.
Use our Find Your Doctor tool to search for and compare value-based care providers near you.
