Primary health care, also known as PHC, comprises of all the basic services that are offered to individuals and families for their wellbeing. So whether you need a general check-up or you have suffered from a twisted ankle, your first point of contact would be with one of these professional care-givers. They will help you with your lifestyle habits, manage chronic diseases and provide preventive measures to keep your body and mind healthy.
PHC forms an integral part of society. Whether they are looking for a physician, pharmacist, dentist or nurse, many families prefer to go to a medical profession that they can visit on a regular basis rather than go to something who they do not know for their basic wellness. Since it the first point of contact between a patient and the healthcare system, it is necessary for these services to be available in every community, allowing the individual to be more aware of their basic medical needs.
The Role of PHC
The role of a primary physician will vary depending on various environmental and economic factors along with their specific area of practice. However, some of the common roles of a physician include:
• Providing constant and comprehensive care to the patient
• Guiding the patient through the various social welfare schemes that are present
• Referring them to specialists and other hospitals or clinics whenever required
• Coordinating different kinds of services for the patient so as to provide them with the best combination at a given time
• Considering the different economic situations that are prevailing and the situation of a particular patient and giving them the best medical and wellness treatment plans based on this
New-Age PHC
With the development of this form of care, the role of your regular physician has not expanded in a large way in order to allow you a number of services conveniently. Teams of professionals offer different services so that you have the best medical opinions for any condition that needs to be treated. Sharing of information is also made easy so that your different providers have access to all your important information, allowing them to diagnose and treat you better. Patients are now also encouraged to play a bigger role in their own fitness so that they have control over their wellbeing. And all this is available right at a community level so that it still stays personal and comfortable for every member of the family.
