What is Primary Care?

A Primary Care Physician (PCP) practices in the community and is the first contact for patients. They care for patients over their lifespans (longitudinal care). A Primary Care physician evaluates, diagnoses, and treats patients presenting with symptoms, provides preventive care (mammograms, pap smears, vaccines), manages chronic disease management (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, etc.), and manages acute illnesses. Community advocacy is part of the core values of PCPs, who support their patients on a wide variety of issues that affect their overall health and access to healthcare.

The difference between Primary Care and sub-specialty care can best be thought of using the framework of the “4 Cardinal Cs of Primary Care” coined by Dr. Barbara Starfield, Primary Care Pediatrician. Those include Comprehensiveness, Continuity, Coordination and first Contact. An optional 5th could be Community. Contrast that to sub-specialty care which focuses on a specific health issue or a specific system/part of the body (Eg: Endocrinology, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, psychiatry, etc.).