Your PCP Leads Your Healthcare Team
People need help to meet life’s most difficult challenges. Work teams, sports teams, Navy Seals teams, etc…….. The harder the challenge, the more important the team.
For many people, taking ownership of their health is a huge challenge. This is why choosing a health care team is so important. The main member of this team is your primary care provider (PCP).
A good primary care provider doesn’t just treat you when things go wrong. He or she keeps an eye on the big picture. He or she asks these and many other questions:
- Are you eating right?
- Exercising?
- Getting enough sleep?
- Have you had your vaccinations?
- Have you had the screenings you need?
- Are you smoking?
- Drinking?
- Engaging in risky behaviors?
- Depressed?
Year after year, you and your primary care provider build a relationship. Together you watch for any impact from your family history. Together you look at what is working and what it not.
When things are going well, you have someone to appreciate your efforts. When things aren’t going well, you have someone to give you an early warning so you can make changes. If risk factors arise, you have someone to help you steer around them. If complex diseases begin to develop, you have someone to direct you to the right specialist.
Whatever your current level of fitness, your primary care provider can support you through the lifestyle changes needed to regain or maintain your health.