Primary Care

A primary care provider (or PCP) is a healthcare professional who guides you to manage your health. He or she is the first person you talk to when you have any medical issue that is not an emergency. PCPs are commonly doctors, on occasions sometimes they are known as primary care physicians. However, some physician assistants and nurses also impart primary care.

Primary care providers organize daily health necessities. A long-term correlation with a PCP keeps you lower medical costs and healthier. A PCP can teach you ways to stay healthy, treat you when you’re sick and help you get more state-of-the-art care when you need it. Finding the right PCP for you takes time but improves your well-being in the long run.

A primary care provider will have a durable interrelation with you, helping you get better when you’re sick and stay healthy. Your PCP will be your ally, sharing the responsibility for your wellbeing, physical and mental health.

Primary care providers are also called general practitioners, because they protect all types of everyday health trouble. Your PCP can answer questions about medicines, infections or chronic conditions. With disciplined visits, such as annual health checkups, your PCP will get to know much about you:

Primary care physicians catch possible health issues without delay, before they become critical. People who have a PCP spend less time in the hospital and less money on medical costs eventually.

A PCP gives you real care over your lifetime. He or she will also know when you require more elaborate care, like a specialist or a hospital procedure.

When you are selecting a PCP, you may be able to organize an interview to get to know the professional. Ask questions that can help you decide if the person is a good fit for your needs, lifestyle and personality:

• What are your abilities?
• Are you accredited in primary care?
• Do you focus on illness treatment or prevention?
• Do you have a more traditionalist, or more invasive, approach to treatment?
• How do you decide when a patient requires a specialist?
• How do you like to be in touch (in person, on the phone, by email)?
• Who should you talk to when you're on vacation?

You also may want to think about the PCP’s general office setting and the staff at the PCP’s office:

• What are the office hours?
• How long does it normally take to get a consultation?
• Does the office do lab tests nearby or onsite ?
• Are the staff members hospitable?
• Do staff members respond to calls fast?

Most types of healthcare professionals provide primary care. Different specialists are trained to see clear types of patients:

Family practitioners (also known as family doctors) see patients of all ages, occasionally everyone in a family.

Pediatricians care for adolescents and children.

Internal medicine doctors or Internists, they serve only adults.

Geriatricians care for seniors.

Gynecologists and Obstetricians center on women’s health and pregnancy.

Physician auxiliary and nurse professionals also provide primary care. But they must serve as part of a team that includes a primary care physician, and the physician has general management for the patient.

Tampa Bay Family Clinic has primary care doctors accessible for any of your medical needs in Tampa. You can request your appointment by calling (813) 933-2880 or by completing our online appointment form.