Choosing a Primary Care Provider

Everyone should have a primary care provider. A primary care provider cares for the majority of your nonemergency care, learns your health history, recommends tests and screenings needed to maintain health and detect illness, and notices changes in your health. A primary care provider also coordinates overall care, even if you receive specialty care elsewhere.

Important considerations

Choose a primary care provider who:

• Makes you feel comfortable discussing health topics
• Answers your questions
• Communicates well, speaking in terms you can understand
• Suggests ways to improve your health
• Recommends screenings and exams appropriate for your age and sex
• Treats common illnesses and injuries
• Involves you as a partner in your care — asks what you think, listens to your concerns and expects you to follow through with action when required
• Explains the options when you need treatment
• Offers referrals to highly qualified specialists when necessary
• Is board-certified, indicating the provider has had additional training after medical school and has passed an exam in a medical specialty

Primary care providers include:

• Family medicine physicians
• Internal medicine physicians (for adolescents through adults of all ages, often with multiple health conditions)
• Obstetricians/Gynecologists (for adult females)
• Pediatricians (for children)
• Physician assistants
• Family nurse practitioners