When To See Your Primary Care Physician

These days it’s easy to make an appointment with a specialist. While you may have to wait a few weeks (or months) to be seen, you don’t necessarily have to get a referral from your doctor. However, there are a lot of good reasons why you should first consider receiving primary care in Winter Haven, or wherever you live.

To Cover All the Bases

A primary care physician may not be able to operate on your tonsils or your appendix, but they can help diagnose your medical problems correctly. If you see a specialist first, such as an ear-nose-throat doctor or ENT, then other symptoms may be overlooked. After all, a specialist really only finds problems related to their area.

Unless it’s an emergency, you should always see your primary doctor first. This way, all of your symptoms will be taken into consideration when your diagnosis is given. And who knows, you may even need the assistance of more than one specialist when all is said and done.

To Perform a Basic Exam

If you need a medical checkup or exam, it’s best to see a primary care physician. Not only can your primary doctor give you a basic checkup, but they also can treat you when necessary. Ideally, you should visit your doctor at least once a year for a regular checkup. You owe it to yourself. After all, you take your car to a mechanic every few months for an oil change.

To Order Medical Tests

Your doctor can also order a battery of tests to make a proper diagnosis or just to complete your annual physical. At the very least, you should get some blood work done on a regular basis to find out more about your health. Blood tests can provide you and your doctor with early warning signs that can make a big difference to your future health.

In order to make the most of your test results, you should ask for a copy of everything for your personal records. This way, you have the information you need if you happen to see a specialist about the same issues later.

To Save Money

While cost may not be the primary concern when seeking appropriate healthcare, it certainly factors into the decision to some extent. Most insurance policies require larger co-pays for visiting with a specialist. Some specialist visits may not even be covered at all. And if you pay out of pocket because you don’t have insurance, you can still expect to pay more at your specialist’s office.

Going to a primary physician first can help you save money. You can get a diagnosis, preliminary testing, and even prescriptions from your regular physician. Your physician can even work together with the specialist to get you the best possible care. At the very least, you should ask both doctors to communicate with each other to avoid duplicate testing and duplicate charges.

To Improve Your Overall Health

Most people expect a lot from their doctors. And doctors don’t want to disappoint their patients. Therefore, it’s no wonder that patients meet with their doctors in order to improve their overall health. Whether you have a common disease, allergies, gastrointestinal ailments, or other concerns, now is a good time to talk to your doctor about them.

When you seek primary care in Winter Haven or wherever you live, you can expect to receive comprehensive care. The fact is that your overall health is defined by a lot more than just one aspect of your body, but only a primary care physician will take all of your symptoms into consideration before offering a diagnosis or making suggestions for appropriate treatment.