Urgent care centers and quick clinics offer a convenient way to receive health care, but having a primary care physician is beneficial to your health and overall care.
Why do you need a primary care physician? Clinics and urgent care facilities make it easy for you to get basic healthcare services without always needing to set up an appointment, but seeing the same doctor for regular care offers many benefits that can help you stay in good health.
A sense of trust
Going to the same doctor over the course of several years allows you to establish a sense of trust and develop a relationship. While this might not seem essential for basic health care, it can make a big difference when you get sick or injured. Having a doctor that you trust can help you feel more comfortable discussing the benefits and risks associated with different treatments, whether you need a surgical procedure or medication.
Seeing the same doctor also makes you more likely to bring up health concerns during routine appointments because you are more comfortable sharing personal concerns. When you visit an urgent care clinic, you might feel uncomfortable bringing up these same issues with a doctor who is a total stranger to you.
Improved health care
Having a primary care physician helps ensure that you receive healthcare services that take all of your information into account. This includes a detailed family history of illnesses, your own medical history, and details about your habits and lifestyle that might impact your health. At quick clinics, healthcare providers only have access to limited information on your medical history and family history. They also have to go through this information in a short amount of time and rely on you to provide them with any additional details.
Having a primary care physician means that your doctor has the necessary information to evaluate you thoroughly, as they are already familiar with your personal and family medical history. Knowing this information allows them to offer you personalized, improved healthcare services.
Early detection and treatment
When you have routine physicals and sick visits with the same doctor, you have a better chance of detecting health problems early. This means that you can start being treated or managing these problems earlier, which can help lower your risk of serious complications. Your doctor can provide you with preventive care, such as screenings for diabetes or other health issues that you might be at risk for. When you rely on occasional visits to an urgent care clinic, early detection of health issues is not always the top priority of your visit.
Management of medical conditions
If you have heart disease, high cholesterol, or other conditions that need to be closely monitored or managed on a regular basis, seeing the same doctor helps to ensure that you get reliable care. This can slow the progression of certain conditions and reduce the risk of complications. When diabetes or other conditions are not monitored or managed on a regular basis, they can lead to serious problems that have a significant impact on your health. Your primary care physician can monitor and help you manage such conditions.
To get the benefits of seeing a primary care physician in Arkansas that you can trust, contact ARcare, request an appointment, or find a location near you. Our physicians offer a wide range of healthcare services, including annual physicals and preventive screenings.