Making Primary Care Your Primary 2023 Goal
We all know we should, but it’s so easy to ignore until we’re sick: establishing care with a primary care provider. But the time to find a provider and create a relationship with a doctor is before you need them. Even better, they can help you stay healthy and out of the hospital.
This new year, stop procrastinating your health by setting up an appointment with a primary care provider in advance. Here’s what they can do for you.
Five benefits to having a primary care provider
You can be seen faster. Once you’re an established patient, you can be seen by your doctor sooner if you have an illness or injury. This could save you a long wait for urgent care or an expensive trip to the ER.
They’ll help you prevent and manage common health conditions. Your primary care provider wants to help you stay healthy. One of the ways they do this is through regular screenings throughout your life. Review our family health guidelines for a comprehensive list of screenings and immunizations for every age and stage.
Good news:You don’t have to remember all of these by yourself. Your primary care provider will remind you about each screening and review the results with you.
Your primary care provider will also help you manage any ongoing health conditions or risks, from diabetes and mental health to asthma or high blood pressure. They are your personal health partner as you plan your care and monitor your treatment and medications.
They get to know you, not just your symptoms. Your primary care provider will ask you lots of questions to help you build your personal and family health history, which helps inform your care. For example, if you have a family history of certain types of cancer, your provider may recommend additional or earlier cancer screenings.
They know how to connect you to additional care. There are a lot of conditions your primary care provider can help you manage or treat a wide range of conditions, illnesses and injuries. But when you need care from a specialist, you can depend on your primary care doctor to help you find a specialist that fits your needs.
Adventist Health Portland offers a complete range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency and diagnostic services to communities on Portland's east side. Through our partnership with Oregon Health & Science University, you also have easy access to OHSU’s specialists, advanced care services and cutting-edge biomedical research.
They stand with you at the center of your care. With a primary care doctor, you’re no longer alone while you navigate health care. One of your primary care provider’s main goals is making sure all aspects of your care work together to keep you well. They’ll review your medications and care from specialists, help you interpret lab results, and answer your questions along the way.
Care convenient to your whole life
Our primary care clinics are designed to be convenient for you, offering additional services such as:
- Virtual visits by phone or video conferencing.
- SmartExam e-visits for established patients.
- Several locations with other on-site or nearby services like lab, medical imaging and physical therapy.
- Many clinics with integrated mental health and diabetes specialty care.
Find a provider who is right for you
You don’t have to go far to find a primary care provider who’s right for you or your family. With more than 30 providers at seven locations in and around Portland, we’ve got you covered. Learn more or schedule an appointment with our primary care team.
