Primary doctors are the backbone of your healthcare. They act as a fulcrum between you and other specialists you may need to see. This video explains what a primary care physician (PCP) does and why you should have one.
The PCP is the doctor who leads the charge on your healthcare and can be called no matter what the problem is. Pediatricians see children, family doctors will see the whole family, and internal medicine doctors see adults.
PCPs can directly improve your health by screening you for conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They provide consistent care because you see them at least once a year. This allows them to build your medical history and trust with you.
PCPs also help with chronic diseases. Since they see you the most, they will be able to work with you to figure out what treatments work best. If you have IBD or arthritis, you should definitely have a PCP.
PCPs can also help manage medication and coordinate healthcare between specialists. They will have a record of all of your prescriptions, so you can be sure to have someone looking out for negative reactions between two medicines prescribed by different specialists.
To learn more about what a PCP does, take a look at the video above.
