Your primary care physician (PCP) may be the first medical expert who comes to mind when you think of common medical issues like the common cold, well visits, and screenings.
All of these tasks are routine for houston tx primary care doctors. However, if you suffer from a chronic illness, your primary care physician can serve as a chronic disease specialist and assist you in taking charge of your health.
Chronic diseases are those that endure for a year or more and either impair everyday activities or necessitate constant medical care. Some examples of this are as follows:
- Coronary illness
- Cancer
- Difficulties breathing regularly
- Stroke
- The onset of Alzheimer’s
- Diabetes
- End-stage renal illness
- Depression (Feelings of sadness or dread)
The Function of Your Primary Care Physician
Having your primary care doctor assist you in managing your chronic condition can greatly enhance your standard of living. On the other hand, if you can stop or lessen the severity of a chronic illness, you can save money on medical care.
You and your doctor can provide better, more coordinated treatment if you maintain a regular schedule of checkups. Between appointments, your primary care doctor can monitor your health and assist in finding any gaps in care.
Help for Living with a Long-Term Illness
Screenings, examinations, monitoring and coordinating treatment, and patient education are all possible components of primary care visits for patients with chronic conditions. Here is a closer inspection of:
Diseases and their severity can be mitigated through early detection and prevention measures, which are both aided by screenings that identify risk factors. One of the most effective measures taken to avert cardiovascular disease and stroke is the monitoring and control of blood pressure.
Checkups, Whether in-person at a clinic or virtually, these appointments with your primary care doctor will help you learn how to manage your chronic illness better. In the case of a heart problem that requires long-term management, a patient can schedule periodic appointments with their primary care physician.
Having a single, well-versed physician operate as your care coordinator can help you avoid duplicate diagnostics, unneeded trips to the ER or hospital, and drug mistakes. If you have numerous chronic diseases, your primary care doctor should also be involved in your medication management.
Better health can be achieved through patient education, in which a primary care physician explains health metrics like blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight and then works with the patient to achieve those values.
