A primary care practice serves as the patient's first point of entry
into the health care system and as the continuing focal point for all
needed health care services.
Primary care includes health promotion, disease prevention, health
maintenance, counseling, patient education, diagnosis, and treatment
of acute and chronic illnesses. It is performed and managed by a
physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and/or physician, often in
collaboration with other health professionals and specialists, and
utilizing consultations or referrals as appropriate.
Primary care provides patient advocacy in the health care system to
accomplish cost-effective care by coordination of health care
services, promotes effective communication between patients and
providers, and encourages the role of the patient as a manager in
his/her own health care.
There are many reasons why you or a family member may need to see a
primary care provider. Some of the more common reasons include (but
are not limited to):
As noted above, your primary care provider serves as the first point of entry / assessment / treatment for the aforementioned conditions and many others. Depending upon your particular health concern(s) / where appropriate, you may be referred to a specialist for more intensive / focused provision of care.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America, urgent care
services often serve as a direct link between the public and emergency
or hospital services in the community. For example, patients may
generally seek out urgent care services for immediate / unscheduled
needs such as headaches, back pain, earaches, severe sprains, cuts /
lacerations, stitches, or animal bites - situations where care is
promptly or urgently necessary, but there is no apparent critical,
life-threatening, emergent danger involved.
Urgent care centers are, of course, a significant step below an
emergency room as far as services and capabilities go. "Non-emergency
care" is the best way to define what urgent care facilities, including
your Health Center, can do.
Patients should first consider whether an illness or injury is
emergent before deciding whether to proceed to the Health Center for
care.
Examples of emergent situations include difficulty breathing,
suspected heart attack, uncontrolled bleeding, unconsciousness, or
severe burns. In these and other emergent situations where the patient
is suffering from a critical condition endangering life or limb, or
involving clearly apparent severe wounds or amputations,
you should always call 9-1-1 and proceed to the nearest emergency
medical facility as directed / appropriate.
There are many reasons why you or a family member may need to visit
an emergency department for care. Some of the more common reasons
include (but are not limited to):