Well…I don’t mean this directly for UCbalumnus but there wasn’t a “reply” or quote option with this new update!
Anyway…we update our PCP on any immunizations or visits that are not in her hospital network.
Do you prefer to see or ask your primary care physician first, or immediately seek out a specialist?
When I had a great internist I went to her first. She was a great diagnostician and great at getting me into specialists. She closed her individual practice and now works for the local university in student health. I’m now on the 2nd replacement and while she is very nice I’m not sure how helpful she will be. She works for a large health network in a larger area that is making inroads in my community.
I have a dermatologist, orthopedist, gynecologist and urologist and physical therapist that I call to make direct appointments with. For things that come up as @abasket mentioned I go to the urgent care run by the hospital. @ucbalumnus question I do not update my internist. The place I do labwork sends results to both the specialist and the internist.
I have to see my PCP twice a year, once for well exam (pretty useless “exam” these days) & basic labs and once for a mid-year med check (thyroid meds). I’m increasingly seeing a PA or NP in her practice instead, which I am okay with … but would not be if I ever have a “something is wrong but I don’t know what” issue. I really value my PCP’s approach to things , so I would want her to be the one I take the hard stuff to.
I saw my PCP before going to the urologist, because I had no idea my issue was kidney stones. If I ever have what I suspect is a kidney stone again, I will go directly to the urologist.
I have always gone straight to my dermatologist for anything skin related. My PCP has never done skin checks while I have seen her. She just asked if I get annual skin checks, which I do.
My knee is bothering me, and I may email my PCP for an orthopedic recommendation, but probably not. I know a number of people who can give me good ortho recommendations.
My H goes to his PCP first for everything. However, when she wanted to put him on bp meds, he scheduled a cardiologist appointment on his own - but all his information was shared with his PCP.
Frankly, I am not interested in paying the appointment charge to see my PCP when I know that she will refer me to a specialist, who will charge even more. Having a (very) high deductible plan makes you think twice.
Because my insurance has a preferred provider system (more coverage for using the health system I’m employed by) I have found that I get initial specialist appts quicker when my PCP puts through the referral than when I call on my own out of the blue to schedule .
A good benefit of PCP
It’s the time and $ spent to see PCP then specialist.
Agree with seeing cardio if being put on BP meds.
They won’t change the treatment but may have insight and of course, do further testing.
Actually, the cardiologist did a complete work up & determined that H did not need Bp meds.
Interesting.
I don’t have a PCP right now. I did, he was meh, and I was seldom ill, so I have not seen him in eight years. I have half heartedly looked for a new one. I do see my gyn and derm and I found them both by myself. I like them. I have a guy for sports injuries, too.
If I needed a new specialist, I would find one by myself by talking to friends or if it was really serious, reaching out to online forums for some names. I needed an ortho a while ago and found him that way. I wanted to keep playing sports and wanted a surgeon who could make that possible.