Primary Care

What is primary care?

Primary care is an area of medical specialty that focuses on delivering the preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services you need to thrive. It can be thought of as the foundation on which all aspects of your health are built.

Don’t make the mistake of postponing visits with your primary care physician until something goes wrong. You’ll miss out on many of the benefits of working in partnership with a skilled medical professional.

What services does a primary care physician provide?

Your primary care physician handles your annual physical exams. This allows your doctor to assess your current health and wellness and add relevant data to your medical record. The importance of this record cannot be overstated.

If you notice symptoms or changes over time, your primary care physician can review your medical record and look for trends that could suggest the cause. 

If you’ve had treatment for a chronic health condition, your medical record shows which treatments worked and which did not.

How can my primary care physician improve my quality of life?

Preventive health is an undervalued aspect of primary care. Your doctor views their role as your partner in health and wellness.

The more information you share with your primary care physician, the better equipped they are to shape your care. 

For example, a woman who is training for a half-marathon and is also planning to start a family in the coming year could benefit from a discussion about the best training and diet options to support both of those goals.

A man in middle age who is experiencing decreased sex drive and has put on a significant amount of weight has a completely different set of health needs. A discussion about hormone replacement therapy and lifestyle changes can make a world of difference.

If you don’t have a primary care physician to guide you through your health and wellness needs, consider coming in to meet the Sellwood Medical Clinic team. You can set up a visit online or over the phone today.