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Who are primary care doctors, and what do they do?

Primary care doctors or physicians (PCPs) are certified doctors specializing in preventing, diagnosing, and treating various illnesses and conditions affecting people of all ages. They are the first healthcare professionals one sees for any health issues. PCPs practice in multiple settings, such as hospitals with inpatient and outpatient departments, private clinics, group practices, and long-term care facilities. 

Primary care doctors deliver immunizations and vaccinations and conduct routine wellness health checkups. They even help detect severe conditions like cancer timely and promptly refer the patient to specialists for further treatment. They coordinate with the entire healthcare system to ensure the patient gets the best treatment and care. Primary care doctors can provide life-saving first aid to patients in case of trauma or injury.

They can effectively treat acute conditions like flu, cold, allergy, and bronchitis. They also help manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and chronic kidney disorders. Primary care doctors primarily focus on providing patients with comprehensive, continuous, and undifferentiated medical care. 

What are the educational qualifications and training requirements of a primary care doctor?

To become a primary care physician, one must undergo at least 11 years of education. Additionally, some primary care physicians may opt for further specialization through an extra one to three years of fellowship training.

The following provides detailed information about the educational qualifications and training requirements of a primary care doctor:

• The journey to becoming a physician begins with a four-year undergraduate degree. During these studies, students complete prerequisites like chemistry and biology as part of their pre-medical coursework.
• The next step is to enroll in an accredited medical or osteopathic school. Here, they take board exams, undergo core clerkships, complete core science courses, and meet clerkship requirements, finally earning a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree.
• Following medical school, they must undergo a three-year-long residency. Some schools offer four- or five-year combined programs. While receiving this training, residents gain diverse clinical experiences, meet the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Board certification eligibility requirements, complete rotations, and take the certification exam. They also apply for state licensure.
• After completing residency, primary care providers can pursue additional training through fellowships in various specialized areas. These may include addiction medicine, faculty development, geriatrics, obstetrics, preventive medicine, research, and sports medicine.
• Primary care physicians can also obtain a subspecialization certificate in specific fields through additional training and exams. 

How can one choose a primary care doctor?

Choosing a primary care doctor that fits your lifestyle, needs, and personality is essential for gaining efficient long-term care. Thus, it is advisable to consider these points when selecting a primary care physician:

• What are their qualifications, and how experienced are they?
• Are they certified to provide primary care?
• Do they focus on delivering treatment or undertaking disease prevention?
• What is their approach to treatment?
• Can they address both acute and chronic problems?
• Do they communicate with the patient (by email, in person, or the phone)
• How do they decide on the patient's need for a specialist?
• Who to reach out to when the PCP is on vacation? 

What are chronic illnesses?

Chronic conditions are medical issues that persist for over a year and require continuous medical care. Some chronic conditions may even disrupt your daily routine. A few people may also suffer from more than one chronic condition, significantly affecting their overall health and quality of life. Typically, chronic health conditions include asthma, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer (excluding skin cancer), diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, or heart disease). 

According to America's Health Rankings, patients with three or more chronic conditions are termed to have multiple chronic conditions. Such patients belong to the category that needs the highest care, as each chronic illness requires additional monitoring, medication, and continuous attention. Moreover, multiple chronic conditions also increase the risk of depression, mortality, adverse drug usage, unnecessary hospitalizations, and social, physical, and cognitive limitations.

These conditions also have a substantial economic burden on the individual. According to America's Health Rankings, adults with five or more chronic conditions spend about 14 times more on health care than adults without chronic illnesses. As per the latest estimates, for every dollar spent on healthcare, about 71 cents is spent on treating multiple chronic conditions.  

How to lower the risk of chronic conditions?

Reducing the risk of chronic illnesses is essential for long-term good health and well-being. Lifestyle modifications, quitting smoking, a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol, and regular physical activity can help you stay healthy and away from common chronic illnesses. These habits will also allow you to manage your existing chronic conditions effectively. 

Regular health checkups at the primary care doctor help to understand your condition and receive proactive treatment. They can help prevent the disease from becoming a major health complication. 

Finding the best primary care doctor near you in Melrose Park, Illinois

Finding the most suitable primary care doctor can mean having someone to have honest conversations with, trust with health issues, symptoms, and complications, and depend on for continuous care. 

With Zocdoc, you can easily find the best and most experienced board-certified primary care doctors in Melrose Park, Illinois. Our website has a detailed list of qualified primary care doctors. Start by creating a free account on Zocdoc. Next, choose your specialty or condition, location, date, and insurance plan. A comprehensive list of doctors based on your search criteria will appear. Zocdoc has partnered with qualified, experienced primary care doctors who provide comprehensive advice and treatment to patients. 

You can even use the Zocdoc insurance detector if you need any clarification on your plan. Each board-certified primary care doctor on Zocdoc has a profile with a brief introduction, qualifications, practice location, patient reviews, common visit reasons, and spoken languages. Therefore, you get to know everything you need about a particular primary care doctor near you on a single platform. 

After completing an appointment, Zocdoc asks patients to leave a review. These updated and verified patient reviews and user ratings can help you find the most trusted primary care doctor near you. Search can also be filtered by gender if you seek female or male primary care doctors in Melrose Park, Illinois.

You can also book video appointments on Zocdoc before an in-person visit to better understand your primary care doctor. Look for a purple video icon on the primary care doctors' profiles, or filter the video appointment selection. Now, you can book appointments with primary care doctors near you who accept your insurance plan in real time. All Zocdoc bookings are simple, secure, and free! 

Statistics on primary care providers and chronic diseases in Illinois, USA

According to the September 2022 data published by America's Health Rankings, Illinois had about 270 active primary care providers per 100,000 people, lower than the US average of 265 per 100,000 population. Primary care providers include pediatrics, family practice, general practice, internal medicine, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. 

As per the 2021 data published by America's Health Rankings:

• Approximately 8.8% of adults in Illinois reported having three or more chronic health conditions, lower than the US average of about 9.6%. Multiple chronic conditions incidence rate was highest among adults in the 65+ age group (20.4%) and lowest among adults in the 18-44 age group (2.2%). Non-metro areas of Illinois reported the highest incidence of multiple chronic conditions (17.1%) compared to metro areas (7.8%).
• About 30% of adults in Illinois reported having high blood pressure, lower than the US average of 32.4%. Its incidence rate was highest among adults in the 65+ age group (59.7%) and lowest among adults in the 18-44 age group (12.6%).
• Almost 27.2% of adults in Illinois reported undertaking no exercise or physical activity other than regular work in 30 days, higher than the US average of 23.7%.
• Nearly 32.3% of Illinois adults reported high cholesterol levels, lower than the US average of 35.7%. The high cholesterol incidence rate was highest among adults in the 65+ age group (52.6%) and lowest among adults in the 18-44 age group (15.2%).
• Roughly 10.8% of adults in Illinois reported having diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes and prediabetes), similar to the US average of approximately 10.9%. The diabetes incidence rate was highest among adults in the 65+ age group (20.3%) and lowest among adults in the 18-44 age group (2.9%). 
• Approximately 5.5% of adults in Illinois reported having chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases (COPD), chronic bronchitis, or emphysema, lower than the US average of about 6.2%. COPD incidence rate was highest among adults in the 65+ age group (13.3%) and lowest among adults in the 18-44 age group (1.8%).
• About 8.7% of adults in Illinois reported having asthma, lower than the US average of about 9.8%. Women in Illinois were more susceptible to asthma (10.8%) than men (6.4%). 

Sources

American Academy of Family Physicians[1]

American Academy of Family Physicians[2]

WebMD

Healthline[1]

Healthline[2]

Cleveland Clinic[1]

Cleveland Clinic[2]

America's Health Rankings[1]

America's Health Rankings[2]

America's Health Rankings[3]

America's Health Rankings[4]

America's Health Rankings[5]

America's Health Rankings[6]

America's Health Rankings[7]

America's Health Rankings[8]

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.