Resolve to Establish a Primary Care Physician in the New Year

January 5, 2010 – Lose weight. Exercise regularly. Stop smoking. With many of the most common New Year’s resolutions pertaining to achieving better health, it’s unfortunate that one of medicine’s basics is often overlooked: establishing a relationship with a primary care physician.

Primary care physicians, also known as family doctors or PCPs, are healthcare providers who see patients for routine medical care. Like specialist physicians who have board certifications such as Cardiology or Orthopaedics, primary care physicians are typically board certified in Family Practice or Internal Medicine.

“There are several reasons people claim they don’t have a PCP,” said Dr. Alison Kucich, Family Practice. “‘I’m not sick’ or ‘I can’t find the time’ are two typical reasons. It’s not considered a priority.”

PCPs are at the head of a patient’s healthcare team, overseeing a person’s total health. One of the main functions of a PCP is to provide preventative care. Because a connection with a primary care physician is most beneficial when it is a long-term relationship, a PCP will be able to provide recommendations based on knowledge of the patient’s personal history, family history and facts regarding a patient’s own needs and thoughts. 

“A PCP can be compared to a coach,” Dr. Kucich continued. “We can provide guidelines to improving and protecting your health. Once we know you personally and learn about your history, we can easily identify and treat minor issues before they become major ones.”

Family doctors can also serve as a central point of contact. Because a PCP works as the captain of the healthcare team, he or she can coordinate information between all healthcare providers, including specialists and hospitals. Likewise, a PCP can help avoid duplication of testing and ensure that no stone is left unturned when evaluating healthcare options.

Yet another perk of having a PCP is fewer visits to the emergency room.

“Most trips to the ER are unnecessary,” Dr. Kucich explained. “When you have a family physician, we can offer options to prevent an ER visit, like answering questions about your concerns, calling in a prescription or suggesting other courses of action. Going to the emergency room should be an exception rather than the rule of healthcare.”

Dr. Duane Harrison, physician in the Emergency Room at Hendersonville Medical Center, agreed with Dr. Kucich’s thoughts on being treated in the ER.

“The emergency room can’t replace a good relationship with a PCP,” he said. “For emergencies, we are always here for the critically ill or injured. Sometimes people come to the ER for routine treatment, and that ties up our resources for treating those truly urgent situations. I encourage everyone who comes into the Hendersonville Medical Center ER to follow up with their primary care physician and, if they don’t have one, to get one as soon as they can.”

Dr. Alison Kucich is on staff at Hendersonville Medical Center and sees patients at Fairvue Primary Care, located at 1483 Nashville Pike in Gallatin.

Make it your resolution to create and nurture this relationship in 2010! Primary care physicians in Hendersonville, Gallatin and the surrounding areas can be identified by calling TriStar MedLine at 615-342-1919. Choices may be made to correspond with personal preferences, such as gender, location, office hours and insurances accepted.

Hendersonville Medical Center, part of the TriStar Health System, is a 110-bed community-based medical center with comprehensive medical and surgical programs including Obstetrics, Cardiology, Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery services.  Fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Hendersonville Medical Center remains the only Accredited Chest Pain Center in Sumner County.  For more information about the services offered and health plans accepted by Hendersonville Medical Center or TriStar Health System, call MedLine at 342-1919, toll-free outside of Nashville at 1-800-242-5662, or visit the website at TriStarHealth.com