Primary Care Physician in Abilene

A primary care provider (PCP) is a health care clinician who serves as a center point for your health needs. They are your go-to clinician for a range of health concerns, including preventative care, common illnesses, and chronic conditions. They also coordinate specialist care for patients, providing referrals for conditions that require specialty care.

A variety of different specialists can serve as a PCP. Usually, your PCP will be one of the following, depending on your needs:

• Family medicine doctor
• Internal medicine doctor
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant
• Pediatrician (for children)
• Geriatrician (for older patients)

Choosing a PCP will depend on a few factors, ranging from location to personality. When choosing your PCP, some factors to consider include:

• Specialty & Experience: A physician assistant should prove sufficient for routine preventative care. But for managing chronic, complex illness, you may want a doctor with a related field of expertise.
• Location: A PCP should be within easy access of your home. Otherwise, patients may put off health care visits due to inconvenience.
• Communication & Personality: Your PCP should be invested in you and your health. If a PCP does not provide attentive, quality care, then you may need to switch.
• Patient Reviews: Everyone’s experience can differ. But patient reviews are a good place to start when choosing your PCP.

Your primary care provider will mostly focus on prevention and routine health care. Complex conditions will require a specialist referral. Your PCP can still take care of a range of health care elements, including:

• Physical exams
• Immunizations
• Certain chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes)
• Minor injuries or illnesses (e.g., sprains, minor infections)
• Basic screenings and lab tests
• Preventative counseling and measures

Unless you have any active health conditions, you likely only need to see your PCP once per year. During this visit, your primary care provider can examine your vital signs and go over any health-related concerns you might have.

If you have chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes), then you may need more frequent visits. Your PCP will arrange your regimen with you, providing any details needed. Never hesitate to reach out at any point with medical concerns for a new appointment.

Your first primary care physician appointment will focus on setting the framework for your care moving forward. As a new patient, we will need to add you to our system, which will require a few things. First, patients will need to bring their insurance card and a photo ID. We also recommend bringing a list of your medications, supplements, and medical history so that nothing is left out. Lastly, we recommend preparing a list of questions about your health. That way, you don’t risk forgetting to bring anything up during your visit.