What is a Primary Care Physician (PCP) and why are they so important?
Your PCP is an individual physician, physician group practice, advanced practice nurse or advanced practice nurse group practice trained in family medicine (general practice), internal medicine, or pediatrics. In certain cases, a specialist can be assigned as your PCP.
You will pick your PCP through your Medicare health plan. Your PCP will work with you to direct your health care. Your PCP will do your checkups and shots and treat you for most of your routine health care needs. If needed, your PCP will send you to other doctors (specialists) or admit you to the hospital.
- A PCP takes care of your health care needs and gets to know you well.
- You may think that you should not see your PCP until you are sick. That is not true.
- Get to know your PCP even when you are well.
- Seeing your PCP for checkups allows problems to be found early. If you need special care, your PCP will help.
- Go for yearly checkups to stay healthy. Go to your PCP for checkups, tests and test results, shots and - of course - when you are ill.
How do I choose a PCP?
When you choose a PCP, think about these questions:
- Is the PCP’s office in an area that is easy for me to get to?
- Does the PCP have office hours that fit my schedule?
- Does the gender of my PCP matter to me?
- Does the PCP speak my language?
- Does the PCP have experience in treating people who share my identity or health concerns?