Your friendly neighborhood doctor and why it is a good idea in North Texas and nationwide.
Health Services of North Texas has 5 reasons WHY you need a primary care provider
You have a cold, a sprain or those ever-present Texas allergies – where do you go? There are walk-in clinics on almost every corner, including those at the grocery or drug store. However, this may not be your best choice for treatment.
You need a primary care provider (PCP).
1. All your history is stored in one place
Your PCP’s office has your full medical records. They know when you last battled a bout of bronchitis, if you are up to date on your vaccines and even if your weight or blood pressure has changed over time. Pre-existing conditions and your medical history helps the provider deliver a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. When you are sick, the last think you want to do is to try to remember the date of your last tetanus shot.
2. Allergy Alerts
Whether its latex or penicillin, allergies are important and sometimes life threatening. It's vital that the person treating you be aware if you have any. When visiting your PCP, you don’t have to inform or remind anyone of your allergies. At urgent care it's the same as with your medical records: you're starting from square one.
3. Your time is valued
Urgent care and walk-in clinics function on a first-come, first-served basis. Yes, some now have apps where you can put your name on the wait list before you arrive, but you're still at the mercy of the other patients and the complexity of their conditions. If you're an established patient with your PCP, however, you'll get an actual appointment time and — depending on the severity of your illness — will most likely be seen at the earliest possible time.
4. Stretch your dollars
It's hard to argue with basic math. Even with insurance, a visit to urgent care is likely to set you back a minimum of $150. If you need further tests or lab work, it's all billed separately on top of the visit.This means you could be in for “sticker shock” when it comes time to check out. There's likely a reasonable co-pay to see your PCP and labs are typically done in-house. Your PCP can also determine if you need a specialist, rather than only treating a base symptom and sending you on your way.
5. Stay ahead of sickness
How can you avoid all this? Get a physical every year. An important part of tracking your health is identifying potential issues before they become big problems, and seeing your PCP at least once a year for a physical is the best possible start. Ladies, your well-woman exam is not the same as a physical, and gentlemen, it's crucial that you get checked out too. No one is invincible (not even you, so develop a relationship with your doctor to avoid health setbacks.
Tips:
· Before you call, map out the proximity of their office to your work or home, and decide which is more likely to be your starting point.
· When you get someone on the phone, double-check to make sure the doctor accepts your insurance (websites can be out of date) and that they are accepting new patients. If you want one practice to treat your whole family, ask at what age the doctor starts seeing children.
North Texas is growing like gangbusters. Health Services of North Texas is prepared to deliver primary care for the young to the young at heart.