As you may know, I practice family medicine. In case you didn’t know, family care is considered primary care, or more commonly your family doctor. Some of you reading this may think it’s weird. My primary is an internist. Please let me explain. Primary care is basically the primary provider you go to for care. This includes family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. If you are still unsure if he has a primary care provider (PCP), ask yourself two questions:
• Have you had a physical or health examination in the past year?
• Was the physical examination or test pre-scheduled (emergency room or not emergency room)?
If you answered yes to both, well done. If not, please tell me why it should be changed. Here are some. Now, do you send your kids to high school before they start elementary school? No? So why do we go to the hospital when we catch a cold?
Like the school system, the health care system is designed to be used in certain ways. Designed to have a doctor who knows all about you. Designed to go anywhere for inspections or non-emergency cases. Designed to have a PCP.
But what if you weren’t sick in the first place? What if you could prevent it? That’s primary care. I enjoy all my patients, but I love doing physical exams on teenagers and young adults. It can help them develop habits that won’t require diabetes or high blood pressure medicine in the future. Feeling more youthful will make you feel better. But it’s not just me. People with good primary care are known to be healthier than those without PCP.
If you need a PCP, call your local GP or internal medicine practice and ask if they are accepting new patients. If you have one and haven’t seen it this year yet, make a reservation.Either way, follow us on Facebook
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Dr. Lance Braye, MD, MPH is a family physician practicing in Prosperity, South Carolina. He grew up in Walterboro, South Carolina and attended Colton County High School, where he played in bands, football and track. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from South Carolina’s Military College Citadel before attending the Medical College of South Carolina (MUSC). While at MUSC, he took a year off from medical school to complete a master’s degree in public health in Health Behavior and Health Promotion.After graduating from MUSC, he joined the Lawrence Family in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where he completed a family medicine residency at the Medicine Residency. and focused on his leadership in Health Systems. Professionally, Dr. Brye is interested in finding ways to improve health systems, addiction treatments, and nutrition for all. He personally loves sports, gardening, cooking, and spending time with his wife Paris and cat Obi.
