Health is a very personal topic. As a patient and active participant in managing your health, you need to choose a primary care provider that you can trust to give you the advice and knowledge you need to manage your health. A primary care provider isn’t only important when you’re sick, they’re vital to maintaining great health throughout your lifetime. Primary care providers are focused on proactive preventative care, which is how you stay on top of your health and prevent yourself from developing chronic diseases that have no cure and stay with you for life.
Atlanta’s population consists of a wide array of age groups, with a nearly 50/50 divide between male and female citizens. For patients in Norcross, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, and the Atlanta metropolitan area, it’s important to find a local primary care provider that has the experience to treat patients of all age groups, economic statuses, and health conditions.
What is a Primary Care Provider?
A primary care provider (PCP) is your principal provider for preventative medicine. They cover the broadest range of your commonly needed services: vaccines, lab testing, pain assessments, treatment of minor injuries, physical examinations, and more. A primary care provider is also whom you turn to treat chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and other age-related conditions. By working with them on your care plan, they can help save you money from costly specialist and hospital visits.
There are many types of primary care providers, including but not limited to:
- Family Practitioners: Treating children and adults of all ages. In some cases, this includes minor surgical procedures.
- Pediatricians: This type of primary care provider treats newborns and ages up to adolescents.
- Geriatricians: This covers treatment for older adults with complex medical needs as a result of aging. The patient age is typically 45+. With Georgia having the 9th fastest-growing population of individuals aged 60+, the need for geriatric care is increasing over time.
- Internists: Internists specialize in adult care of all ages, treating a variety of different medical issues.
- Obstetricians/Gynecologists: This area of care specializes in women’s health.
- Nurse Practitioners: Nurse practitioners undergo different certification and training processes than doctors to provide primary care services.
When a primary care doctor is chosen, they become your regular source for treatment. This makes them more likely to detect the signs of changes in your health because they are familiar with your health on a personal level.
Common Conditions and Symptoms Treated by a Primary Care Provider
Although primary care providers treat a wide array of illnesses, pains, treatments, and injuries, there are many common reasons that patients visit primary care providers.
Common conditions and symptoms treated regularly by primary care providers can include:
- Allergy symptoms
- Back pain
- Cold or flu
- Red eye
- Obtaining birth control
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Medication refills
- Skin rash
- Physicals for work, employers, schools, immigration, or other
- Men’s & Women’s health
- And More
Why Should I Have a Primary Care Provider?
A primary care provider handles so many of your day-to-day health needs. For this reason, an ongoing long-term relationship with a primary care provider can keep you healthier, as they are familiar with your health history, any existing conditions, or developing signs of a health condition. Plus, familiarity between a doctor and a patient allows for comfort when being treated.
Having a dedicated PCP can help to lower medical costs and even decrease the frequency of visits. PCPs educate you on staying healthy, are quick to reach when care is needed, and provide a more advanced level of care than a doctor who is unfamiliar with you.
Primary Care Provider Facts
- Seeing a primary care provider can cost 33% less than only visiting a specialist. Medical care costs are higher in the Atlanta area, so it is important to consider how a long-term relationship with a primary care provider can fit into your healthcare budget.
- 89% of Americans say that it is important to have a relationship with a primary care provider that knows their health history.
- In America, patients with a primary care provider received a more valuable, higher level of care and have better long-term health outcomes.
- With Georgia’s rise in respiratory viruses among children, many hospitals in Atlanta are strained to capacity. A long-term relationship with a pediatrician can help keep children healthy before hospitalization is needed.
What to Consider When Choosing a Primary Care Provider
- How much experience does the doctor have? When searching for the primary care provider that will be meeting your health needs over time, it’s important to choose a doctor that is experienced, including years in the profession, certifications, and areas of service/specialty. Seek out a board-certified family medicine doctor or internist to ensure that your healthcare provider has all of the information and experience that you need.
- Does the doctor provide a clear, concise, and detailed list of services? Many patients have come to find that, although many primary care doctors can be found online, many of them are lacking in the information they provide. It’s important to choose the practice or physician that is transparent in the services they offer and perform regularly. You should prioritize doctors and practices that clearly state what they do and the kind of care they offer.
- What do the reviews say? Before you put your trust in a provider for their individual healthcare needs, reading reviews is a must. Patients often share their experiences with a doctor or healthcare practice online. Look for positive reviews, along with the amount of reviews. It’s important to know that you are choosing a trustworthy, caring provider. In a study by Software Advice, it was found that 44% of patients would even consider visiting an out-of-network doctor if the reviews were better than in-network doctors. Many patients are eager to discuss their experience online, which can in turn help you find the provider that aligns with your expectations for your family’s healthcare needs.
- What types of insurance or payments do they accept? Before you can be treated by a provider, make sure they accept your insurance or preferred method of payment. Paying for healthcare can be complicated so getting ahead of payment requirements can save you frustration later on. The Georgia Composite Medical Board recommends that you check with your insurer to make sure that a primary care provider is the best fit for your healthcare needs.
- Is there an online resource for information about the primary care provider? When researching local primary care providers, you need as much information as possible. Choose the primary care provider that has a website, social media presence, and is listed in popular directories like Google Maps and CareDash. The more a healthcare provider is able to share online, the more credible they tend to be.
- How easy is it to book an appointment? If a primary healthcare provider makes it as easy as possible for a patient to book an appointment, then this indicates that they are focused on a great patient experience. Difficulty in booking an appointment can be a red flag for lack of practice organization and patient-focused processes. Find a primary care provider that makes the booking experience as easy as possible to ensure that you are choosing a provider that focuses on a positive patient experience.
Quality Primary Care with Excelsior Healthcare
At Excelsior Healthcare, we provide patients with a variety of primary care services for all ages. We truly understand how important it is to have a relationship with your healthcare provider. We get to know you as a person, your health history, and what treatments work for your individual healthcare needs. When you choose Excelsior Healthcare as your primary care provider, you are choosing a practice that brings experience, the best healthcare services for your needs, and a fantastic patient experience from the very first moment you speak with us.
Schedule an appointment with us today for primary care, urgent care, mental healthcare, and much more in Norcross, GA, Alpharetta, GA, Duluth, GA, and surrounding areas. We look forward to speaking with you!
