Be Prepared For The Next PCP Visit

A trip to a primary care provider (PCP) is a pretty common occurrence for most people. There are a variety of reasons why a person would visit a healthcare professional, whether for routine or emergency purposes. However, to get the most out of each visit, coming prepared is the best way to get essential information or care. Here are four common reasons people visit their PCPs, and how to get ready for those trips.

1. Routine wellness checks

Whether for children or adults, people are encouraged to see a PCP regularly. Typically, children keep a more frequent schedule with infants seeing a doctor the most often. For example, in a child’s first 12 months, an infant may see a doctor as much as 7 times. This can include within the first week of life, and is then followed by regular checkups at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months of age. By contrast, after age 1, children will see a doctor 3 times, and then annually after age 2. Likewise adults are encouraged to have a wellness or annual exam once a year.

2. Vaccines

Vaccine schedules don’t always follow the annual exam timeline. Whether for unprecedented events like COVID-19 or other standard vaccines like influenza, people usually tend to schedule a visit to receive the shots. Immunization schedules can vary widely depending on age or the frequency with which boosters are required. Always check with the office to avoid lapses in immunity protection. This is especially true for children under age 2 who have more frequent immunization schedules.

3. Condition-specific checkups

Individuals with preexisting medical conditions, especially diagnoses that require medication may require seeing a PCP more frequently than the annual checkup. Conditions like diabetes, asthma, or even a thyroid condition may all require medication monitoring to ensure that dosages are correct and that a person’s condition is well managed. While some medical issues like arthritis or cancer may require a specialist, many people are able to work with a PCP to manage common chronic diseases.

4. To get a referral

For a lot of people, insurance requires a referral to see a specialist to ensure that subsequent visits are covered by the policy or significantly reduce the co-pay. This means that patients need to meet with a PCP who will then confirm that the condition is serious enough to require being handed off to an in-network specialist.

Planning for a visit

PCP visits are typically short with providers spending 10-15 minutes per appointment. Try to make the most of these trips by coming prepared. Understand the purpose of the visit. An annual checkup may have different concerns than a referral request. First-time appointments might require medical records, insurance details, and even family history. By contrast, a patient seeking a referral or prescription might have more questions regarding the condition in question, or even if the necessary medications have side effects or react to other prescriptions.

Be an informed patient

PCP visits tend to be fairly routine, but people need to come prepared and ready to be active participants in the care provided. Bringing insurance information, arriving on time, and asking questions are all forms of being proactive. Remember, physicians are here to help with the ultimate goal of their patients achieving the best healthcare possible.