While looking for a primary care physician you’ll encounter a few different types of medical practices to choose from, family medicine, Internal medicine, OB-GYN, or pediatric medicine.
Primary care includes preventative medical services like cancer or diabetes screenings, diagnosis and treatment of injuries or illnesses, and management of chronic long-term conditions, like high blood pressure. When you’re looking for the primary care doctor’s office that’s right for you it’s important to understand the different types of healthcare practices.
Types of Primary Care Practices
Family medicine is a primary care practice that provides comprehensive and continuous healthcare to patients of all ages, from infants, kids, and teens, to adults and the elderly.
Internal medicine physicians, or internists, typically treat adult patients and specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases and chronic conditions.
OB-GYN, or Obstetrics and Gynecology doctors care for women’s health issues as well as pregnancy and childbirth.
Pediatric medical practices specialize in the treatment of children, they provide preventative and acute care for patients from infancy to adolescence.
What Does a Family Medicine Doctor Do?
Not only can going to an emergency room or urgent care facility for a minor illness or condition be expensive, but it can also be unnecessary. An appointment with your family medicine doctor will likely be significantly cheaper than a visit to emergency or urgent care. A family practice provider can treat a variety of conditions, even some you might see a specialist for, like sports injuries or women’s health issues. In addition to routine check-ups, family practice doctors provide a wide range of medical services such as:
- Treatment for Illnesses – conditions like strep throat, sinus infections, or bronchitis.
- Common Injury treatment – like sprains, strains, cuts, or abrasions.
- Immunizations – like an annual flu shot or shots needed for travel.
- Allergy Injections – to keep those pesky hives at bay.
- Health Risk Assessments and Screenings – for things like diabetes and cancer.
- Birth Control Assistance– such as Norplant placement and removal.
- Pregnancy Care – Obstetrics, prenatal care, delivery & postpartum care.
- Skin Cancer Checks – Including biopsy and excision of skin lesions or moles.
- Abscess Care – incision and drainage of an abscess when necessary.
- Women’s Wellness Exams – such as breast exams and pelvic exams
- Palliative Care – for people living with serious health conditions.
- Joint injections – to reduce inflammation and pain due to injury or degeneration.
- And so much more…
Why Choose Family Medicine?
Wondering if a family practice is right for you, here are some things to consider.
- A family medicine physician can remain your primary care provider long-term. Family medical doctors treat patients of all ages and stages of life from infants to seniors, so you won’t need to change primary care providers as you age.
- Your family doctor knows you and your family’s medical history. This is beneficial because understanding your medical history can help a doctor to make a more efficient and accurate diagnosis.
- A family medical practice can care for your whole family. Whether you need women’s health services, routine healthcare, pediatric care for your children, or medical care for an elderly parent, your family practice has you covered.
- Family medical providers can also help you to manage any chronic health conditions you have such as high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease.
- Your family physician can connect you with the right help. If you develop a condition such as heart disease or cancer and need to see a specialist, they can help you find a trusted, experienced specialist to fit your specific needs.
How Do I Find a Family Medical Practice?
Asking friends and family for recommendations is a great way to find out where to look for a doctor. If you’re new to the area, you can try to look for recommendations from unbiased online resources. If you have health insurance, check the insurance company’s list of preferred doctors. This guarantees your family doctor will accept your insurance.
What is family medicine? Simply put family medicine is medical care for the whole family! Family doctors provide primary healthcare for patients of all ages and genders. At River Bend Medical our goal as your family medicine provider is to deliver the care that’s right for you. Our progressive, sensitive, and culturally diverse healthcare team is committed to delivering compassionate healthcare and promoting the well-being of our patients. For more information on our family medical practice, or to make an appointment contact River Bend Medical Associates, or call 916-392-4000.
