Choosing a Primary Care Doctor

Choosing a Primary Care Doctor: What Most Patients Get Wrong

Choosing a primary care doctor requires more scrutiny, research, and planning, while also considering important selection factors to ensure you are selecting a primary care provider who can provide you and your family with the best possible healthcare and also direct you to the exact medical specialty you need if necessary.

What Is a Primary Care Doctor?

The Primary Care Doctor is a general practitioner who is not specialized in a specific medical branch. He can help patients with common health issues and also direct them to the appropriate facility based on their health needs. He also refers patients to the appropriate surgeon if necessary. 

Since the primary care doctor does not provide purely medical services, their role can be performed by a certified healthcare provider or a qualified nurse.

Tips for Choosing a Primary Care Doctor

It is important that all points of quality and excellence, as well as special medical needs, are taken into consideration when choosing a primary care doctor, such as:

  • Licensing and accreditation

First and foremost, when choosing a primary care doctor, you must ensure that he or she is accredited and licensed by the Dubai Health Authority to rest assured that you are receiving health advice and guidance based on safe medical and scientific basics.

  • Professionalism and Excellence

Although a primary care physician does not provide purely medical services, they must possess the experience and professionalism to be able to assist and guide you properly.

  • ِMeans of Contacting

Your primary care doctor is your first port of call when experiencing any emergency medical condition. Therefore, you must ensure that he provides all means of communication, such as phone, email, and WhatsApp, and ensure that he is close enough to provide emergency medical care when needed.

  • Home care services

If you prefer to receive primary care physician services at home for one reason or another, you must ensure that he offers this service and the availability of related home nursing in Dubai via his clinic or office before your final choice.

  • Doctor Reviews and Ratings

You can view patient reviews of primary care physicians to understand their opinions on the provided services, so you can make an informed decision based on these reviews and their compatibility with your needs. You can also request recommendations for primary care physicians from your relatives or friends.

  • Speak to the doctor

If you still have some concerns and have failed in choosing a primary care doctor yet, try to talk to the doctor or visit him if possible, so that you can ask him all the questions that are on your mind and get final answers that will help you make the right decision.

What Kind of Primary Care Doctor Do You Need?

The kind of primary care doctor you need depends mainly on your health goals and needs, and whether you need a family doctor for all family members, need internists for adults, need a primary care doctor for newborns, children, and adolescents, or need gynecologists, and so on.

Types of Primary Care Providers

When choosing a primary care doctor, you can choose from more than one type of provider, such as:

1. Family medicine physicians

These are doctors qualified in this specialty, which includes children and adults of all ages, and may also include some basic obstetrics and surgery.

2. Internal Medicine Physicians

They are physicians who specialize in providing primary care to adults of all ages with a variety of internal medical problems.

3. Geriatricians

They are physicians who are qualified to provide primary care to older adults, particularly those with complex medical needs and complications related to aging.

4. Pediatricians

They are physicians qualified in this specialty, and their scope of practice includes providing primary care to preterm infants, neonates, infants, children, and adolescents.

5. Obstetricians and Gynecologists:

Serving as primary care physicians (PCPs) for women, particularly those of childbearing age, and also providing essential care during pregnancy and childbirth.

In some clinics, the assistance of a physician or nurse practitioner is relied upon, as they receive special training and qualifications that differ from those of doctors to provide primary care services.

Primary Care Physician vs. Family Doctor

A family doctor is one of the primary care physicians and is the most sought after by many patients, because his services are more comprehensive, and he is qualified to provide these services to all family members of all ages.

Why Choose Primary Care at Home in Dubai

Choosing a primary care doctor in Dubai, especially when it is from an accredited and licensed medical center, ensures that you receive comprehensive, safe, and reliable services, besides saving you the trouble of searching for the right doctor. Moreover, primary care doctors in Dubai provide their services to patients while they are in the comfort of their homes for speed, safety, and comfort.

Trusted Primary Care, Right at Home – Schedule with Lana Today

If you’re looking for a skilled, experienced, and competent primary care physician through the Doctor at Home service, we at Lana Life Care offer you a staff of qualified and licensed primary care physicians in all specialties, ready to serve you at any time, around the clock.

As we specialize in providing all Home Healthcare in Dubai with expertise and efficiency, we will understand your needs well, then recommend the appropriate primary care physician who combines experience, efficiency, and constant communication with you, at completely fair prices.

FAQ

How often do you need to see your primary care doctor?

You should visit your primary care doctor at least once a year.

What are red flags for doctors?

Red flags are symptoms that confirm to the primary care doctor the presence of a serious or complex medical condition that requires a specialist, such as sudden weight loss without a clear reason or persistent fever.

Why is it so hard to find a good primary care doctor?

The large proportion of elderly people in society and their constant need for primary care physicians made the finding of a skilled primary care physician more difficult than before.

Sources:

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Choosing a primary care provider

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