Primary Care Doctor Questions and Answers

A primary care doctor, or primary care provider (PCP) is an umbrella term, and is meant to indicate a physician that meets a patients’ general medical needs. Some primary care doctors also specialize in one area of medicine, and serve a certain population. For example, a geriatrician, which is a physician that cares for older individuals, or a pediatrician, a physician who cares for children, may both be considered primary care providers, as they also monitor and meet general medical needs of these patients.

However, a family doctor or general practitioner, as they are also called, provides overall, continuous care for people of all ages and walks of life. They are often the first to address a non-life-threatening medical issue, and can help refer you to a specialist for more complex needs. Therefore, if you’re seeking a primary care provider to be part of your healthcare over a long period of time, a general practitioner or family doctor, may be best for primary care. At Dr. Pedro Ylisastigui MD, we like to say that we provide care “from cradle to college”, meaning our practitioners can care for your whole family throughout various stages of life.

Your primary care doctor is an integral part of maintaining and supporting your lifelong health. They will usually provide a yearly medical exam, checking your overall health and ensuring that there are no underlying issues going on, and that you are feeling your best. They can check for evidence of various illnesses and diseases, and refer you to a specialist for further treatment if necessary. If you’re living with a chronic condition, your primary care doctor will monitor and help you manage that condition, by administering medication and treatments as necessary. Often, diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, or other serious medical issues are first noticed and diagnosed by a primary care doctor.

Essentially, if you’re feeling unwell and are not sure what is going on, your primary care doctor will use the tools they have on hand to find out what’s wrong, and how best to help you.

This will depend on your health needs and concerns. At a basic level, you should see your primary care doctor at least once a year for an annual physical exam, which is an important part of monitoring your overall health, making sure you are feeling your best, and that there are no underlying issues going on.

However, your primary care doctor is also there for you to address non-life threatening health concerns whenever they may arise. Having a primary care doctor is important, and you should see them as early as possible if you have a health concern. This makes it more likely that diagnosis and treatment will get underway quickly, and you’ll have better health outcomes by ensuring issues don’t progress any further.

Primary care covers a wide array of services, from physical exams, to medication management and more. Some primary care providers don’t always have all diagnostic tools on hand, but at Dr. Pedro Ylisastigui MD in Lehigh Acres, Florida offers specialized services available so that your health care needs can be met all in one place. This includes Ultrasounds, blood work, and referrals to various specialists you may need. For example, if you come in with a sprained ankle, our primary care providers can offer an assessment of the injury area.

For more information, call us today or schedule an appointment online! We are conveniently located at 1150 Lee Blvd. #4 Lehigh Acres, FL 33936 and surrounding areas! We serve patients from Fort Myers FL, Lehigh Acres FL, Gateway FL, Alva FL, Buckingham FL, Tice FL, Villas FL, Cape Coral FL, Matlacha FL, and Suncoast Estates FL