No matter your health issue – from high blood pressure to the stress-induced symptoms associated with ADHD – a primary healthcare practitioner can be the ideal person to consult. They have medical training that allows them to treat various health concerns effectively while developing long-term relationships with their patients and refer them when necessary to specialists.
All people have an inherent right to achieve optimal health, and Primary Health Care (PHC) supports this by enabling health systems to provide comprehensive care ranging from promotion and prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative services directly within communities.
PHC services should address four main pillars that are universally applicable: education, prevention, curative and rehabilitative interventions in order to meet basic community needs such as health education, management of common illnesses and injuries, control of local diseases endemic in that community, immunizations, family planning as well as maternal/child care services.
Understanding what to expect during a routine appointment with your physician will allow you to be fully prepared. This may involve keeping track of all medications taken, listing healthcare providers you regularly see and writing down any queries or concerns that need addressing during your visit.
On your visit, a doctor will take time to listen and respond to all your queries while diagnosing and treating various conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic diseases such as hypertension. They can also identify risk factors associated with these ailments to help develop an active lifestyle plan designed to lower your chances of them in future visits.
Primary healthcare providers can be invaluable resources when it comes to mental health issues, providing you with referrals and advice from specialists as needed. They will also be able to assist in diagnosing and treating common mental disorders like anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder while helping navigate through your healthcare system more easily.
Primary health care has an essential role to play in relieving the burden on hospitals and tertiary healthcare facilities by managing chronic health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure and improving early diagnosis. This leads to better outcomes for patients, lower costs for the health system and a more sustainable health care model for future. Primary healthcare delivery can best be accomplished when coordinated among an interdisciplinary network of professionals – nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians and others who all work as one team – ensures patients receive high-quality treatment. This may include nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians or any other health professionals. Ideal is having these individuals operate within close proximity to their communities and work alongside primary health care centers and community-based organizations in close cooperation. This creates partnerships between healthcare professionals and the wider community while acting as a conduit between public health system and wider society.