Going to the doctor does not always happen during the best of circumstances. Some reasons you need a primary care physician are going in for a diagnosis over a recent illness or a regular check-up. However, experts recommend visiting the doctor once a year. In reality, many adults don’t make the mark.
In fact, only 82.1 percent of adults have seen their primary care physician within the last year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Why do adults keep up with their children’s doctor visits, but forget to take care of themselves the same way?
Why Do Some Adults Wait To See Their Doctor?
Some of the reasons might include that American adults wait until there is an emergency to visit a doctor. Others don’t want to spend time and money on primary care doctor visits. If you are one of the adults meeting with a doctor only when you feel sick, there might be gaps in your personal medical history.
Not only could you miss important information that makes earlier long-term illness detection possible, but you are also risking your chances of recovering. Even if you feel healthy, you should keep up with all your regular primary care physician visits. You should also have a primary care physician you visit, rather than switching doctors every time you go in for a check-up.
Let’s look at the top five reasons why having a primary care physician is an important part of any health routine.
Reasons You Need A Primary Care Physician
1. Primary Care Physicians Handle Your Entire Medical History
Relying on emergency room or instant care visits for health check-ups is a recipe for medical disaster. Instead, you should have a primary care physician that you visit every year. These medical professionals understand your entire medical history and treat you accordingly. Not only can a primary care physician diagnosis colds and flu, but they also provide solutions when you feel anxious or depressed.
Primary care doctors provide total holistic healthcare to their patients. When you have a primary care physician, you can discuss a variety of health issues, whether they are physical, emotional, or mental. Primary doctors receive training that includes experience and knowledge in general areas of the medical field. Not only is this great for your yearly check-ups, but it can also help you detect diseases earlier than you could without a primary care doctor.
2. Annual Visits with a Primary Care Doctor Increase Chances of Recovery
Routine visits with a primary care physician include a variety of screening and tests that detail a general scope of your health. There is a reason why whenever you visit a doctor, you receive a blood pressure test. There is great importance in these numbers that you might not notice but could show something over the scope of your doctor visits. Undergoing testing regularly could help your primary care physician catch symptoms before they get worse or lead to debilitating health issues.
These annual visits can also help detect symptoms of more significant problems. Your primary care doctor has a full scope of your health history in their hands and their minds, so they can ask the right questions and get to the root of any medical problem.
In many cases, this one-on-one attention has helped primary physicians detect health issues in their early stages. Early detection increases the chances of treating diseases successfully. In some cases, it can even be the thing that saves people’s lives, which is why experts recommend visiting a primary care doctor every year.
3. Visiting with a Primary Care Physician Enables Better Communication
Another reason why you should have a primary care physician is that regular visits make it more comfortable to talk about sensitive issues. The more times you visit a doctor, the more likely you are to trust them with detailed information regarding your health. Not only will you trust them, but you are also more likely to confide in them during your annual visits. Likewise, your primary care physician will feel comfortable being honest with you about their concerns regarding your health.
4. Primary Care Physicians Can Refer You to Specialists
Primary care doctors also have access to some of the top healthcare specialists in your area. Whether you need a cardiologist, ENT, or a specialist of any kind, your primary care doctor can get you an appointment with them before you could, calling them on your own. They can also talk with these specialists, giving them critical information that can help restore you to full health.
5. Regular Primary Care Physician Visits Lower Overall Health Costs
One reason someone might skip his or her annual doctor’s visit is cost. However, most insurances cover annual physicals because attending primary care physician visits can cut overall health costs over time. Regular screenings, routine testing, and open communication with your primary care doctor will help keep you healthy for the long-term.
It also decreases your trips to the ER and instant care, which can be more expensive than a regular doctor visit. Waiting too long to see a doctor or ignoring symptoms, could be damaging to your health and your wallet, leading to hospitalizations or ER visits. These two outcomes are the worst options available, as they are more expensive and more overwhelming than a yearly appointment with a primary care doctor.
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN VISITS AT TANNER CLINIC
Are you looking for a primary care physician for yourself or a loved one? Look no further than Tanner Clinic. Come and experience the difference our primary care physicians provide to patients by at our seven locations across Davis and Weber Counties in Utah. Schedule an appointment online or contact us to learn more about our primary care services.
