The Importance of Primary Care
Baptist Health Richmond: The Importance of Primary Care
Internist Ashish Patel, MD, explains the role a primary care physician plays in your overall health and the importance of establishing a relationship with your doctor.
The Importance of Primary Care HealthTalks Transcript
Ashish Patel, MD, Internal Medicine
Overall, the human body is a fantastic machine. However, sometimes things can go wrong. There are conditions like accidents, injuries, illnesses and infections, which may need the attention of a primary care provider.
Paula Handsford, Richmond, Kentucky
The main thing I’m looking for in my primary care physician is someone that will work with me. He’ll suggest lifestyle changes instead of medications, and I also like that Dr. Patel has physician’s assistants so that if I need to be seen quickly, and he’s not available, his physician’s assistant can see me.
Dr. Patel
A primary care provider knows all of you. You usually develop a relationship with this person over many years. A lot of our patients, we know generations within their family. Knowing a patient well is important because you know their home situation, their background, potential barriers culturally and financially, and when you put all these things together, you are able to tailor a treatment in an appropriate way, in a way that suits the patient’s needs.
