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Who are primary care doctors?

Primary care doctors, also commonly referred to as primary care physicians (PCPs), play a critical role in helping patients stay healthy. These doctors practice general medicine and train in preventing, diagnosing, and treating common diseases, which include acute conditions such as allergic reactions, bronchitis, flu, and the common cold, and chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. 

Patients typically make first contact with the healthcare system in the U.S. through primary care doctors. PCPs help patients manage overall health by offering annual checkups, routine screenings, and treatment for seasonal disorders. They keep track of your immunizations and vaccination schedule. When the conditions worsen beyond the scope of their knowledge, they make timely referrals to relevant specialists. 

Primary care doctors provide comprehensive health care and practice in various settings, including private clinics, hospitals with in-patient and out-patient facilities, long-term care facilities, and nursing homes. 

What do primary care doctors do?

With patients having chronic conditions, primary care doctors play a significant role in coordinating with appropriate specialists to monitor the progress of the disease and treatment. In case of sudden trauma and injuries, patients generally check in with their primary care doctors, who provide emergency first-aid and then refer them for further treatment. 

Since primary care doctors treat patients of all age groups, they typically foster a lifelong relationship with all the family members and have a deep understanding of each patient's needs. They keep track of the patient's personal and family medical history and treatment preferences. 

Depending on their area of specialization, primary care doctors are of different types:

• Family medicine physicians
• Internal medicine specialists 
• Pediatricians
• Geriatricians
• Obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs)
• Nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Even though nurse practitioners and physician assistants are not doctors by qualification, they work under the supervision of primary care doctors and play a critical role in the physician's team by providing optimal patient care.

What is the key distinction between primary care and secondary care?

You've probably come across the terms primary and secondary care from a healthcare provider or your insurance. But what exactly do they mean, and what is the difference between them? 

Primary care is the initial stage of healthcare, emphasizing overall well-being, disease prevention, and chronic disease management. It addresses immediate concerns like urinary tract infections, colds, injuries, headaches, and sexually transmitted diseases. Generally, primary care is the go-to for health advice or treatment.

On the other hand, secondary care is the medical attention a patient gets after their primary care doctor has examined them. For instance, if you visit your family care doctor due to a severe headache, they might request a scan and then direct you to a neurologist for further evaluation. The neurologist is part of secondary care. While your primary care doctor evaluates your initial condition and may suggest some treatments, they refer you to a secondary care doctor with enhanced expertise in addressing your specific medical issue to ensure optimal medical care.

Specialists in secondary care specialize in a particular illness or condition or a specific part of the body or bodily system. Cardiologists, rheumatologists, immunologists, dermatologists, and other specialists fall under secondary care. Certain therapists, like physical and occupational therapists, are also categorized as secondary care providers. While patients can sometimes schedule appointments directly with these experts, a referral from a primary care practitioner is often required.

Health insurance typically requires one to select a primary care provider beforehand. You can choose family practice physicians, internists, OB-GYNs, geriatricians, or pediatricians as their PCP. Also, it's important to note that many insurance providers require you to get a referral from your chosen PCP before seeking the expertise of a specialist to claim your insurance.

What are routine screening examinations?

Routine screenings are tests conducted by primary care doctors to prevent and detect diseases based on the initial symptoms. Doctors perform these examinations on all patients - healthy and otherwise. 

Routine screenings help with the timely diagnosis of fatal medical conditions, leading to better treatment outcomes. In patients at risk of developing severe disorders, standard diagnostic tests help decrease the chances of infection and improve patients' overall well-being through timely lifestyle changes.

Standard tests within routine screenings include regular physical examinations, skin checks, recording body mass index (BMI), measuring blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and routine eye checkups. The doctors also screen for sexually transmitted infections during these screenings. 

The types of screening tests performed during these examinations depend on the patient's age, personal and family medical history, and the presence of risk factors for developing certain disorders in the future. For instance, colonoscopy is mainly recommended for older adult patients with a previous family history of polyps and colon cancer. Depending on the gender of the patients, the tests included in routine screenings are mammograms and pap smears for women and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for men.

Locating the best primary care doctor near you in La Grange, Illinois

One of the best online portals to find primary care doctors in the U.S. is Zocdoc. Zocdoc allows you to book in-person and online appointments. By entering relevant details into the search boxes, the platform enables you to locate the primary care doctors best suited for your needs. Some details you may have to enter are visit reasons (symptoms or conditions), current location (home or office), zip code, preferred date & time for the appointment, and details about your medical insurance.

Once you enter this information, Zocdoc will filter through all the primary care doctors in its database and present you with a list of the most qualified and experienced physicians to help you. To help you understand the doctors better, Zocdoc also includes a profile for every healthcare professional listed on the website. The profile contains information on the doctor's educational background, years spent in training, areas of specialization, work experience, certifications and licenses, affiliations and accreditation, and any awards received in the past. The profile also includes details about the physicians' practice locations, the days and times they provide consultations, the age group of patients and conditions they have the most experience treating, the languages they are fluent in, and their gender.

Zocdoc also helps you sort through all of your insurance doubts. Select your current medical insurance policy and plan from the drop-down menu listed on the Zocdoc website to locate the best primary care doctor near you. 

All bookings on Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure!

General health statistics in La Grange, Illinois

La Grange, located in Cook County, lies within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin region, which includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. As per a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2021, there were approximately 2,010 family care physicians, 640 internists, 310 OB-GYNs, 1,730 physician assistants, and 4,960 nurse practitioners.

According to America's Health Rankings, in 2022, there were roughly 270 primary care doctors for every 100,000 people in Illinois. The report also stated that nearly 69.3% of adults between 50 and 75 underwent screening for colorectal cancer, 70.6% of children under the age of two received all necessary childhood immunizations, 50.1% of adults were vaccinated for flu, and 62.2% of teenagers between 13 and 17 years received HPV vaccines. As per the report, while nearly 6.0% of adults showed high-risk HIV behaviors, 542.3 of every 100,000 adults were diagnosed with chlamydia. 

The percentage of adults diagnosed with obesity (34.1%), high cholesterol (32.3%), high blood pressure (30.0%), arthritis (22.0%), and diabetes (10.8%) was higher compared to the percentage of adults diagnosed with asthma (8.7%), cardiovascular diseases (8.2%), cancer (7.9%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5.5%), and chronic kidney disease (2.4%). While almost 8.8% of adults in Illinois were facing multiple chronic conditions in terms of mental health, nearly 12.9% of adults complained of frequent mental distress, and 16.9% were clinically depressed. The rate of suicide in Illinois in 2022 was roughly 11 adults per every 100,000 population.

Sources

WebMD

Healthline

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Cleveland Clinic

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

America’s Health Rankings

Verywell Health

Bayless Integrated Healthcare

healthtalk.org

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.