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What is primary care?

Primary care providers are physicians specializing in internal medicine, family medicine, or general pediatrics. They provide patients with person-centered and integrated care. Primary care caters to patients regardless of age, gender, or diagnosis. However, general practitioners (such as an M.D. or D.O.) can also lead a primary care team.

In some cases, non-physician practitioners — such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants — can act as your primary care provider. However, primary care providers diagnose and treat all non-emergency conditions regardless of specialty. These include:

• Hypertension
• UTI (Urinary tract infection)
• Mental health concerns (depression, anxiety)
• Cough
• Back pain
• Diabetes
• Common skin conditions (dermatitis)

Primary care focuses on individuals, families, and communities. It also focuses on preventive care, i.e., early detection and prevention of disease by promoting healthy behavior and regular examinations and screening tests. 

Primary care physicians treat acute medical conditions (such as a fever or headache) and help manage chronic ones such as diabetes and hypertension. They can also attend to minor injuries such as sprains, cuts, or wounds. If needed, your PCP can make referrals to the specialists.

In this manner, primary care providers not only serve as the first point of contact — i.e., the first doctor you see when sick — but help patients navigate the wider U.S. healthcare system. In addition, they also provide patient counseling and education. For instance, they may encourage you to adopt a healthier lifestyle, like exercising, quitting smoking, and eating a balanced diet.

Your primary care team will work towards providing comprehensive and integrated care. The primary care physician will act as your 'personal physician.' They will regularly see you for check-ups and monitor the progression of any disease. Accordingly, they will order tests, prescribe medication, or consult with other specialists. In case you need to see specialists, they will coordinate your care.

The PCP will also flag if you are at increased risk of contracting a disease such as diabetes or cancer. For instance, you may have a family history of diabetes, or your past diagnosis may make you more vulnerable to becoming diabetic. Given such risks, your PCP may develop a preventive healthcare plan and recommend lifestyle changes (or prescribe medication) accordingly.

Research shows that investment in primary (as opposed to specialist) care services leads to more equitable health outcomes. For instance, areas with effective primary care resources report lower infant mortality rates, and people live longer, healthier lives. One reason may be the emphasis on affordable and accessible services in primary care. Another factor may be the patient advocacy many primary care physicians engage in.

According to one estimate, a robust primary care system can address more than 80% of people's healthcare needs. Because their practices are often located at the heart of communities, primary care providers help stop local outbreaks from becoming epidemics. They also undertake a variety of community-level initiatives, such as drives to promote contraception, get vaccinated, etc.

Most importantly, having a regular primary care provider means you have a qualified physician who is closely aware of your medical needs and history. The resulting trust-based relationship will give the freedom to discuss sensitive issues. Instead of being stressful, your visits to your PCP will be productive. You will freely raise concerns about periods, mental health, side effects of prescriptions, sexuality, drug use, etc., with your primary care provider. Your PCP can create personalized treatment plans based on your needs and values.

Education and training to become a primary care doctor

The process of becoming a primary care doctor in the United States is meticulous and time-intensive, designed to ensure healthcare professionals acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for comprehensive medical care. This journey undergoes the following stages:

1. Undergraduate education: Prospective primary care doctors begin by completing a rigorous four-year bachelor's degree, typically focusing on science-related fields. They take pre-medical courses in subjects like chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Keeping up a high academic performance during this stage is vital to improve their chances of getting into medical school.

2. Medical school: After obtaining their undergraduate degree, candidates need to secure entry into an accredited medical school to start the comprehensive four-year program. The medical school curriculum covers diverse subjects, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, and clinical skills. Students actively participate in clinical rotations across various medical specialties, gaining invaluable practical experience. Graduates from medical school obtain a degree in either medical doctor (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathy (D.O.).

3. Residency: Post-medical school, individuals interested in becoming primary care doctors typically enroll in a residency program. The duration varies based on the chosen primary care specialty. Throughout this period, doctors undergo intensive training in their selected field, acquiring hands-on experience in patient care.

4. Optional fellowship: Some primary care doctors choose additional specialization by undertaking a fellowship program ranging from one to three years. For example, a family medicine physician might pursue a fellowship in sports medicine or geriatrics to refine their expertise.

5. Board certification: To practice as a primary care doctor in the United States, individuals must achieve board certification in their chosen specialty. This rigorous process involves successfully passing a comprehensive examination. Primary care physicians can opt for either the American Board of Family Medicine exam or the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians exam, depending on their academic degree (M.D. or D.O.).

6. Licensing exams: In addition to board certification, primary care doctors must complete licensing exams to practice medicine legally. Medical doctors (M.D.s) take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), while doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.s) undergo the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA).

7. State licensure: Ultimately, doctors must obtain a license to practice medicine in the state or states where they intend to work. State-specific criteria for licensure may vary but generally include passing relevant licensing exams and meeting other state-specific requirements.

How do you choose the right primary care provider?

Selecting the best primary care doctor near you is often the first step towards better health for you and your family. Most relationships between primary care physicians and their patients span decades. Therefore, you must make a choice.

Here are the top tips to help you select the right primary care provider:

• Find a doctor who accepts your insurance plan: If you are insured, your health plan may generally include special, discounted rates for primary care visits. Some programs also cover additional costs related to screening tests, immunization, etc. Reach out to your insurance provider for further information— or enter your insurance carrier's name on Zocdoc and find top-rated in-network providers within seconds.
• Discover a doctor who caters to your health requirements: While primary care physicians welcome all kinds of patients, they may differ in training and experience. For instance, a pediatrician is better equipped to provide holistic care to a growing child, and an OB-GYN may be the best choice for a teenage or female adult. On the other hand, family medicine specialists can care for the entire family.
• Ask for referrals: Sometimes, asking your friends or family members for recommendations is the only option. Alternatively, you can also go through thousands of verified customer reviews on Zocdoc and choose a top-rated physician.
• Consider the logistics: Accessibility is the key criterion when choosing a primary care provider. It includes the ability to reach them in time of need. Thus, consider factors such as office hours, practice location, and the doctor's availability before making a choice.
• Check the doctor's profile: Ideally, the primary care physician would have the cultural competence and language skills to treat patients. Looking at their Zocdoc profile may be an effective way of learning more about their skills and background.
• Visit the doctor: Detailed research may be needed to learn about a provider's credentials. You can visit their office and talk with the doctor and their staff. Please pay close attention to the staff's demeanor, wait times, whether they are good listeners and efficient, etc.

How to prepare for your first visit to the doctor?

The primary care doctor you're planning to visit needs more information about your health. Therefore, it is crucial to provide them with the necessary information for proper health check-ups, diagnoses, and treatment. The particulars that you need to discuss with your doctor include the following:

• Your medical history: The doctor needs to know your medical history to understand your health and offer proper advice and treatment. Try to carry all your available past medical records on your first visit to the primary care doctor. To maintain a long-term relationship with the doctor, you need to provide them with your basic medical history, including chronic conditions, major illnesses, childbirth, surgeries, etc. 
• Family medical history: Suppose you have siblings or parents with cancer, or your grandparents or parents have had diabetes, stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. In that case, you need to openly discuss your family medical history and other inherited or genetic family syndromes with the doctor. It helps the doctor to assess your health correctly.
• Ongoing medications: Inform the doctor about your ongoing medicines. Notify the doctor about any vitamins, herbal supplements, and birth control methods (ring, patch, or IUD) that you are using. Also, inform the doctor if you have allergic reactions to specific medications. 
• New symptoms: Many of us see the doctor when we experience any new health symptom. Explain in detail the health issue or symptom you currently experience. Note any minor changes to your body. A mild body ache, for instance, prevents you from getting enough sleep at night. Discuss these symptoms with the doctor. 
• Your lifestyle: Hobbies, fitness routines, eating habits, alcohol consumption, drug use, smoking habits, diet, and sexual habits can affect your health. Discussing your lifestyle with the primary care doctor helps them provide correct advice and recommendations to boost your health further. The doctor can help you overcome unhealthy habits and lead a healthy life.

While a primary care doctor is your first stop for any health issue, how do you find a qualified and experienced doctor from the endless list of online profiles, directories, and websites? The answer is simple: Log in to Zocdoc. 

Find the best primary care doctor near you

Zocdoc helps you find the top-rated primary care providers in your neighborhood. Enter a specialty, medical condition, or your insurance carrier's name — and we will display the best matching physicians! Zocdoc also shows the location, gender, hospital affiliation, and availability of its providers.

Choose a provider that matches your schedule and is easily accessible. If you're worried about budget, look for in-network providers by sorting physicians based on their networks. You can also browse through the provider's qualifications and licensure. All Zocdoc providers have a detailed profile that lists their education, board certification, clinical interests, and much more. Here, you can also learn more about their cultural competence.

Zocdoc's interactive and user-friendly interface lets you find the best primary care doctor near you in Pittsburgh. All customer reviews have been verified for authenticity — only patients who attended their appointments can leave a review.

All bookings on Zocdoc are completely simple, secure, and completely free.

Primary care statistics in Pennsylvania

In 2014, Pennsylvania encountered a significant shortfall in addressing its primary care needs, managing only 64% of the demand. Primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSA) classified a total of 159 regions within the state. This trend is also visible in the doctor-to-patient ratio. For instance, in 2018, Pennsylvania only had 71 primary care physicians (PCPs) per 100,000 population. The corresponding figure was 82 in the Middle Atlantic and 76 across the nation.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians report by the Robert Graham Center, Pennsylvania had more than a thousand primary care physicians in 2018. Most physicians were specialists in family medicine, followed by general internal medicine and pediatrics. General practitioners (≈210) and geriatricians  (≈188) were the fewest in number.

About 36% of Pennsylvania's residents (aged 18-64) said they were facing problems paying medical bills in 2015 and 2016, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This figure was higher than the national average of 26%. The benchmark silver premiums (before subsidies) were $299 across the U.S. (but only $189 in Pittsburgh) in 2015 and 2016. These include the monthly premiums for an average forty-year-old non-smoker on the plans with the second-lowest-cost (i.e., a "benchmark" plan).

On the other hand, such residents (also known as 'non-elderly adults') benefited from increased insurance coverage: the uninsured rate among this population decreased from 16% to 11% between 2013 and 2015.

Sources

Primary Health Care Performance Initiative

Results for Development

American Academy of Family Physicians[1]

National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus

Kaiser Family Foundation

American Academy of Family Physicians[2]

Dignity Health

Intercoastal Medical Group

Healthline

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.