5 Reasons to Rely on Your Primary Care Provider

If your primary care provider (PCP) feels like a trusted friend, it’s with good reason. When you see your doctor regularly, that doctor gets to know you like family.

Here are five reasons to rely on your PCP:

1. They see what’s coming. PCPs treat illnesses, and they provide screenings and immunizations to prevent illness. “I help patients reduce their risk for conditions like heart disease, hypertension and diabetes,” says Michael Barmach, MD, a family medicine physician at Family Medicine at Souderton, a Grand View Medical Practice.
2. They connect you with other providers. Need a specialist? A PCP can give you a referral. He or she also will manage your care if you see several different specialists. “With Grand View Health’s electronic medical record, I can see when you visited specialists, the results of any bloodwork or imaging studies, and coordinate your care,” Barmach says.
3. They keep you safe. PCPs also can help you manage multiple medications and avoid potential side effects or drug interactions.
4. They save you money. Primary care co-pays are often less than those of an emergency room (ER). So, seeing a PCP for a cold, stomach pain, back pain or other common illness is a cost saver.
5. They help you in surprising ways. Many PCPs see patients for all kinds of conditions, including some you may associate only with specialists or an ER. PCPs also see patients for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. And they help patients new to the area or the country get proper health care. Dr. Barmach’s office uses a language line to care for people of many languages and nationalities.

Need a PCP? Find one who meets your needs. Visit GVH.org/find-a-provider or call 215-453-4300.