General practitioners, or family doctor, complete professional training to care for patients of varying ages. They are a great resource for various medical services and help patients build trusting relationships with their providers. These are just some of the many reasons to establish care with a family doctor. However, to reap the full benefits of having a family doctor, you will need to see them regularly.
With a family doctor, there is no need to start from square one at every appointment. Patients only need to fill out new patient paperwork once and then update it as time passes. This is both convenient for the patient and highly advantageous from a medical perspective. Access to a well of information on the patient's family history, personal history, and general medical history empowers the family doctor to provide more effective, personalized healthcare services. It also saves patients from the frustration of explaining their medical history and how it may relate to their current health concerns at every appointment.
Seeing a family doctor regularly gives patients a chance to reap the benefits of a long-term doctor-patient relationship. It can be hard to talk about sensitive topics, such as sexual health, with a doctor the patient is meeting for the first time. However, it can be much easier if the patient has known the doctor for years. In addition, a trusting doctor-patient relationship can give the patient more confidence in the medical advice or care provided.
Family doctors provide routine physical examinations. These checkups can occur once per year or every few years, depending on the patient's age and medical status. While preventative, physical exams also allow for the early detection of disease. These appointments comprise checking the patient's vital signs and heart, lung, mental, and sexual health. Physicals can take as little as 30 minutes. While emergency rooms provide vital care in response to medical emergencies, they do not provide these routine health checkups.
Patients do not have to wait until their annual physical to consult their family doctor. They can schedule an appointment if they are dealing with a medical condition, from a head injury or struggling with a cough that will not go away. Most insurance plans have low copays for these regular visits to a family doctor, particularly if the doctor is their primary care physician. Again, this saves the patient from the high cost of visiting the emergency room for every health problem.
Patients with chronic health conditions can also benefit from seeing their family doctor regularly. These doctors can develop a treatment plan to help patients manage their symptoms and condition. Examples include diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and Alzheimer's disease, among others.
Family doctors offer many benefits, most resulting from regular visits over the years. If you want reliable healthcare, consider establishing care with a family doctor. Call our Davie office to learn more or for help setting up an appointment.
Request an appointment here: https://davie.southfloridadoctorsgroup.com or call South Florida Doctors Group Davie at (954) 903-0484 for an appointment in our Davie office.
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