The Right Doctor for the Right Reason

March 13, 2023

Would you go to the baker for advice on cooking a roast? Would you ask your pharmacist to tell you how to change a tire? Likely not. You would likely ask the butcher how to prepare the best cut of meat for your Sunday dinner and consult a mechanic about how to properly change your flat. Seeking medical attention should be equally thought out.

The field of medicine is vast and incredibly concise. There are doctors who specialize in every aspect of the human body and its functions. Seeking the right doctor for the right reason is the key to optimizing your health care.

So, how do you do that?

Most people have what is called a primary care physician or General Practitioner. This means there is a point person who oversees your medical care on the day-in and day-out basis. This physician is likely the one you see when you have a cold or flu, sprained ankle, or a concern that you need help with. This physician generally conducts your annual well-care exams and maintains most of your baseline information and medical history.

When your primary care physician senses that an issue may require specialized opinions, diagnosis, or care, he or she will likely refer you to a specialist. They often have colleagues that they work closely with, or a network of providers whom they can connect their patients with, to take a more in-depth look.

If you have medical insurance, your carrier may have a protocol for finding, engaging, and paying for services from a specialist. Consult your agent or manual for details on how to access specialized care.

So, when should you seek a specialist?

A specialist is in order when your issue is very specific. Generalized issues are usually managed by primary care physicians or urgent care clinics. Here are some examples of when a specialist might be in order:

You have an acute injury or illness such as a broken bone or heart attack

You need follow-up care from an injury or illness

You have been diagnosed with a specific disease

You have a chronic issue that hasn’t responded to treatment

You have a recommendation from your primary care physician

These are only a few examples of reasons you should seek a specialist. Consult with your primary care physician if you are not sure what your next steps should be.

Just as you seek out the perfect provider in other areas of life, you should seek out the best physician for the intricate areas of your medical care. There is a right doctor for the right reason who can swiftly diagnose your case, provide quality care, and shorten the length of your healing.

See the other articles in the series:

Kimberly No Comments

3 Reasons You Should See the Doctor Every Year

February 27, 2023

Body Image Healing Self-Care

Healing Self-care

Do you see your physician annually for a well-care checkup? You should! Our health and risk factors consistently change over time. Each year our bodies change, and regular checkups can prevent some diseases entirely.

If you haven’t established a relationship with a primary care physician, it is highly recommended. While urgent care facilities are great for injuries and issues like the cold and flu, having a primary care doctor and building a relationship can be a lifesaving decision.

Even if you only see your primary care doctor once per year, seeing the same person and establishing a relationship with them and their staff can benefit you in ways you may not have thought of. Here are three reasons you should see a doctor every year:

To gather baseline information- Each year, your body changes. Seeing your physician each year provides vital information that can be compared over time. Your baseline is how your body presents in its normal and high-functioning state. Each time you come back and have new tests, those results can be compared to prior tests and changes can be identified easier.

Seeing the same provider over time allows them to have a better perspective when reviewing your annual information and can make a big difference in catching potential problems earlier and provide higher quality care.

To receive an education- Seeing a physician annually can give you an education on what is important at that moment to maximize your health – from explaining typical concerns for your health and wellbeing to making suggestions for you to change and increase your quality of life or decrease something that may be affecting you negatively.

Education is a vital aspect of health care. You can’t change or introduce something into your life if you are unaware that you should. Your physician is trained to know what to look for and what to do based on the information he gathers from your annual exam or specialty screening.

To learn prevention- Similar to education, prevention is key to avoid future illness and suffering. From preventive tests to actions that stop the advancement of other issues, seeing your physician annually can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding health issues down the line.

Should You Go to the Doctor if You are Healthy?

The Risks You Take When You Don’t See the Doctor

Kimberly No Comments

Should You Go to the Doctor if You are Healthy?

February 20, 2023

Body Image Healing Mentor Self-Care

Healing Self-care

Have you been blessed with relatively good health? Do you find that you don’t use the services of a doctor very often and likely wouldn’t seek their help unless you were seriously ill? That’s a very common mindset. Why would you go to the doctor when you aren’t sick?

In reality, well-care is an important way to stay ahead of diseases and their devastating effects. While the common cold and flu won’t necessarily cause you too much harm, other illnesses will. Many things that can hurt us or seriously affect our health do not present with dramatic symptoms until things have gotten out of hand. Well-care can prevent the escalation of disease that can morph and lead to life-threatening issues.

You may recall taking your child to the doctor for well-baby checkups when they were developing through their first two years of life. These visits were designed to help your baby stay on track with its development and intervene if something wasn’t quite right. The frequency of visits made health care easy and prevention a sure thing. After your child reached two, these visits dropped off to as-needed.

While you likely don’t need to visit the physician as often as a new baby, there is value in regular annual visits as well as milestone visits as we age. An annual exam can alert your physician to changes in your body and its systems that you may not notice on the day-to-day. Having a ‘baseline’ of your blood work, and laying eyes on your physical being, can help prevent illness and/or enable early intervention if something comes up.

Some common annual tests include:

Full blood panel
Pap smear and other gynecological exams
Breast checks
Prostate checks
Mole and skin checks
Hearing and sight exams

Not so common – but equally important – checks as we age include:

Colonoscopy
Memory and cognitive functioning
Cancer screenings
STD and HIV screenings
Diabetes screenings

If you haven’t given much thought to your health because it has been awesome, consider keeping it that way by getting a routine physical or specialty screening to preserve your health and head off any diseases that might come up.

Routine health care and wellness checkups are a smart and responsible way to manage your health and save money. Contact your health provider today and see what they suggest for your age and risk factors.

3 Reasons You Should See the Doctor Every Year

The Risks You Take When You Don’t See the Doctor

Kimberly No Comments