Benefits offered by a Primary Care Doctor

Ideally, a primary care doctor can offer you the following benefits:

* A good starting point in the healthcare system. Whatever your concern or problem may be, your primary care doctor will either be able to either treat it or determine precisely when and where to send you for specialized help. In either case, you have the distinct advantage of a physician's expertise, and any trips through the medical 'maze' will be less confusing for you...and less of a hassle.
* Preventive healthcare. Your primary care doctor can help you with disease prevention, as well as prompt intervention during any illness.
* Continuity of care. You and your doctor can develop and sustain an on going health partnership. He will get to know your concerns, and you won't have to repeat your history each time you fall ill or need treatment. Your primary care doctor will know you as well as any chronic problems or potential troubles you may be facing. He will also be familiar with your family history.
* One stops shopping. You can consult the same doctor for a variety of conditions, and often, he can treat both you and your family. Your family doctor can take you and your family through pregnancy, childbirth and childcare; instilling the concept of good health at an early age.
* Lower cost and convenience. Primary care doctors generally serve large populations of patients, so they encounter and become familiar with managing the most common medical maladies. They have been trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions cost- effectively. And, in most cases, it's easier to gain asses to a primary care doctor than a specialist, since general practices are usually geared up for maximum efficiency.