Who are primary care providers?
Primary care providers are professionals who provide comprehensive and personalized patient care. They can diagnose, treat, and manage various conditions, often collaborating with non-primary care specialists.'
Your primary care physician (PCP) can deliver holistic care over a long-term period. In other words, you will have a PCP to look after all your healthcare needs, from vaccinations to annual check-ups. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, primary care physicians tailor treatment plans to their patient's unique needs and wellness goals.
Research shows that states with a higher primary care physician-to-population ratio enjoy better health and lower mortality rates. Patients who regularly see a PCP also incur lower reported healthcare costs. The most common conditions that patients seek primary care providers for include diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, migraines, and stomach discomfort.
Other most frequent illnesses that PCPs treat or manage include:
- High fever
- Earaches
- Stomach pain
- Rashes on the skin
- Mild to moderate wheezing
A PCP leads a team of primary care providers. These include non-physician practitioners, such as nurse practitioners (NP), physician assistants (PA), registered nurses, and other medical care personnel. The team-based approach provides clients with well-rounded health care and helps optimize primary care resources.
Different kinds of primary care providers
Although a physician acts as your primary care provider, many other professionals and experts can also act as primary care providers. Such health professionals include:
- Nurse practitioners: Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide several direct care services to people at all stages of their lives. Their responsibilities include writing prescriptions, ordering and interpreting tests, and educating individuals and their families about healthy living. NPs combine medical knowledge with hands-on experience to help manage patients' overall care.
- Physician assistants: Physician assistants (PAs) are essential members of primary care teams at many hospitals, private offices, and other clinical settings. They usually work under the guidance and supervision of a licensed medical practitioner (such as an M.D.), who may also be a part of the patient's healthcare team. Physician assistants are well equipped to perform laboratory and diagnostic tests and physical examinations, offer therapeutic care, develop treatment programs, and collaborate with doctors in other disciplines. They can also prescribe medication and provide treatment plans best suited to help patients achieve their health goals.
- Internists: Internal medicine doctors (also referred to as internists or general internists) only see adult patients, but they have expertise in the entire spectrum of disorders that impact the internal organs. However, internists undergo different training than family physicians and other general practitioners. They usually see patients with complex medical needs, such as older adults with multiple diagnoses (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and chronic heart disease together).
- Geriatricians: Geriatricians are PCPs with advanced training in treating elderly patients. They work in various settings, including outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and hospitals. Geriatricians frequently collaborate with other primary care doctors. According to a research study, older persons who received a geriatrician's care in the hospital had better function when discharged than those who received regular care.
What kind of education and training do primary care providers receive?
Years of schooling and training are necessary to become a primary care physician. Before graduating, students must pass arithmetic, chemistry, and biology courses. Students must enroll in a medical college after receiving their bachelor's degree. Here, they must study and train for four years.
Students learn in classrooms and laboratories for the first two years. The following two years involve practical training. Here, individuals pick up skills for diagnosing and managing ailments in clinics, hospitals, or other healthcare facilities. They administer care to patients under the direction of skilled medical professionals. They also participate in clinical rotations to learn about various medical specializations. After completing medical school, students receive either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree.
Students must do a residency after medical school, lasting between three and seven years, depending on their selected specialty. They also participate in clinical rotations in different subspecialties during this period.
Some primary care physicians favor doing a fellowship to strengthen their specialization. Depending on the specialty, a fellowship entails further study and training for one to three years. After completing their residency, PCPs can apply for board certification. To do this, they must pass a test the relevant specialist board holds.
Why should one visit a primary care doctor near you?
Your primary care physician is central to maintaining your overall health and well-being. They play a crucial role in helping you achieve your best health potential. Whether you have questions about your health, are seeking steps to improve your well-being, require your annual check-up, need health screenings, or are due for immunizations, your primary care doctor is there to address these aspects of your health proactively.
If you feel unwell, your primary care physician can examine you, order necessary tests, diagnose, and prescribe medications. For individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), your primary care doctor becomes a valuable ally. They can assist in connecting you with specialists and remain a consistent and vital member of your health team throughout treatment.
Furthermore, in case of an accident or injury, your primary care doctor is often the initial point of contact, even if it involves seeking advice through a phone call. This comprehensive and proactive approach ensures that your primary care physician remains a trusted partner in your journey toward optimal health.
What should one expect during a visit to a primary care doctor?
Going to the doctor can be different now—you can go in person or talk to them on a computer or phone. This makes it easier to take care of your health. You can discuss many things, like managing ongoing health issues, getting advice from specialists, checking lab results, talking about lifestyle changes, and even getting prescriptions.
Some visits happen on a computer or phone. It's like a video call where you talk to the doctor. They can still order tests and renew prescriptions but can't do a physical check-up. This is okay if you don't have new health problems and want to follow up.
Other visits still happen in the doctor's office. Here, the doctor can do a full check-up, listen to your heart, check your blood pressure, and look for new health issues. This is important for finding things that might not have clear signs.
No matter how you visit, it's good to be ready. Bring your ID, insurance card, medical history, and a list of medicines. Also, write down any questions or concerns. The doctor is there to help you stay healthy, so choose the way that works best for you and your family.
Finding a top-rated primary care provider in Seattle
Your primary care provider will genuinely partner with you for years or decades. As a result, choosing the right primary care doctor near you is essential. Ideally, your PCP will value your input and consider your unique needs while formulating treatment plans.
However, it can be rather challenging to find a PCP who matches all these criteria! It would help if you found an in-network provider to cover the costs of frequent visits (and related tests) that primary care involves. With Zocdoc, you can easily search for top-rated primary care providers in Seattle who accept your insurance.
Enter your insurance carrier's name, and we will display the best in-network PCPs in your neighborhood. You can also sort providers based on a specialty, their location, and the dates you would like to schedule an appointment. You may also look up the PCP's provider profiles on Zocdoc and learn more about their medical education, residency training, fellowships, hospital affiliations, board certifications, and other relevant details. Our verified reviews and ratings by past patients will also assist you in making the best choice possible.
You can also check which languages the PCP speaks and whether they treat children. You can book appointments during office hours, before 10 am, or after 5 pm. Furthermore, you can also book appointments during the weekend, depending on the PCP's availability.
Booking appointments with a primary care doctor near you on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and free.
Statistics on primary care providers and chronic conditions
The 2018 Washington State Health Assessment shows the state's demography is aging. 1 in 5 Washington residents may be 65 or older by the end of the next decade. The report also notes that chronic conditions are among the leading causes of death in the state. Such conditions include:
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Alzheimer's disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Chronic lower respiratory disease
Relatedly, unintentional injury and suicide also feature among the top 10 causes of mortality in Washington. Regarding policy priorities, the report says child immunization, diabetes, and mental health rank high.
PCPs can help manage chronic conditions. In Washington, according to America's Health Rankings, close to 7.1% of the adult population was diagnosed with some form of cancer (other than skin cancer) in 2021. More women (around 8.5%) than men (about 5.6%) suffered from cancer, and the condition's incidence was higher in non-metros (approximately 8.2%) than in metros (nearly 6.9%). Further, cancer incidence increased with age, with roughly 18.7% of those 65 and above being diagnosed with the condition. The percentage was lower in those aged 45 to 64 (7.4%) and those aged 18 to 44 (1.5%).
Regarding cardiovascular diseases (CVD), about 6.9% of the adult population in Washington were diagnosed with some form of CVD, including angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Men (8.4%) were more likely to be diagnosed with CVD than women (5.5%). CVD was more common in non-metros, with close to 9.8% of adults diagnosed with the condition; the percentage was lower at 6.6% in metros. The condition's incidence also increased with age, with 18.1% of those 65 and above having CVD. The percentage was lower in those aged 45 to 64 (7.5%) and those aged 18 to 44 (1.4%).
Further, according to America's Health Rankings, there were approximately 268.4 primary care providers per 100,000 population in the state in September 2022. This included PCPs engaged in general practice, family practice, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, and internal medicine. This number also had physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2021, there were 2,490 physician assistants and 3,730 nurse practitioners in Washington. Further, the state had roughly 1,100 family medicine physicians, 690 general internal medicine physicians, 250 obstetricians and gynecologists, and 340 general pediatricians.
There may be a projected countrywide shortage of around 31,100 primary care physicians by 2025. In response, many medical training programs give impetus to primary care specialties. For instance, many medical schools were introducing policies to encourage students to specialize in primary care, according to the AMA 2014 Medical School Enrollment Survey.
Sources
Washington State Department of Health
MedlinePlus
The SGU Pulse
Mayo Clinic Health System
Washington Business Journal
America's Health Rankings[1]
America's Health Rankings[2]
America's Health Rankings[3]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
OSF Healthcare
WebMD
