What Is Included in Primary Health Care?

One of the most important health care decisions you can make is selecting a primary care physician. Dr. Alancia Wynn at Wynn Family Medicine in Fairfax VA can share what a patient should expect to be included in primary health care and why having a primary care provider is so vital.

Primary care providers are able to do several important things for a patient's health and wellness. Primary care doctors will be the point person for the patient's overall health and wellness. They make sure that the patient is getting quality and routine preventative care, such as annual physicals, and they care for the patient during acute illnesses and injuries. 

Primary care should include the following items at a minimum:

• Annual physicals
• Blood work (for annual check ups and as often as needed)
• Testing for cholesterol levels, diabetes and blood pressure
• Vaccinations, including polio, mumps, measles, and flu shots
• Screenings for different types of cancers, including mammograms and colonoscopies
• Counseling on health related topics, including weight management, smoking cessation, managing routine mental health issues, such as mild depression or anxiety, exercise and nutrition and more
• Availability to see the patient on short notice in the event of an illness or an injury
• Prescription medication management for whatever medications the patient needs to take regularly or on a temporary basis

Patients should plan to see their primary care provider at least once a year for their annual physical, but patients should also feel comfortable reaching out and seeing their primary care doctor whenever a health care concern arises, even if it is something as minor as a cold.

Primary care providers are also a patients' main resource if they need to seek a higher level of medical care or a specialist. For example, if a patient should develop a more complex condition such as cancer or an autoimmune disorder, the primary care doctor will be able to refer the patient to a doctor that specializes in the type of condition that the patient needs addressed. The primary care doctor would then communicate with that specialist to track the patient's progress. If a patient has to see several different types of doctors, the primary care provider serves as the main care coordinator to make sure that all of the patients' healthcare needs are being met and that everything is being managed and monitored properly.

If you are in need of a primary care physician, contact Dr. Alancia Wynn at Wynn Family Medicine in Fairfax VA at (703) 560-0300 today to schedule an appointment.