Primary Care Services Procedures Offered at a Medical Clinic

At a medical clinic, you can get access to primary care services without booking an appointment. From general checkup to physicals and consultations, services are available without long waiting times or restricted schedules. Continue reading to learn more about the services and procedures available at a medical clinic.

Overview of primary health care

For most patients, their first point of contact with a healthcare professional is in primary care. General practitioners mostly give primary health care, although community pharmacists, optometrists, and dentists are also considered primary healthcare professionals.

No matter what a patient's situation is, the goal of general practice is to make getting treatment as simple as possible for them. People, not illnesses, are the focus of primary health care. Therefore, doctors in general practice are not specialists in a single disease area, but rather are generalists who deal with a wide variety of physical, psychological, and social issues.

Assisting patients with numerous health issues by advocating for them and coordinating their treatment is a major responsibility. The patient-doctor interaction is especially critical in primary care because they usually attend to patients routinely for long periods. Treatment of common ailments, management of long-term diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease), and prevention of potential health conditions are all part of primary health care.

Doctors who provide primary care can treat the whole family and are aware of everyone's medical history. Since they see the patient regularly, it is much simpler to establish an accurate diagnosis based on the details of past visits. Also, since they know the whole family's history, they know to search for the signs of sickness that someone who does not have that information might miss.

Primary care services

Primary care services include most non-life-threatening procedures and comprehensive healthcare for people of all age groups and genders. The following are a few of the services and procedures available.

Physical exams

Patients can get a comprehensive physical examination, including an overall body assessment and measurement of vital signs. The healthcare provider will discuss the result of the exam with the patient and recommend the appropriate treatment for any problem that they discover.

Family planning services

Services include tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, prevention and education regarding family planning, education and prevention regarding STDs (such as HIV/AIDS), pap tests and pelvic exams, contraceptives/birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings, pregnancy tests, counseling, and referrals. Adolescents do not need parental consent to get family planning services under the Title X Family Planning Program.

Diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury

At a medical clinic, patients can get diagnoses and treatments for illnesses and injuries that often start abruptly or that are brief and sometimes severe. Examples of such problems include sprains, sports injuries, deteriorating asthma, minor skin cuts or lacerations that require stitches, bee stings, poison ivy, dehydration, common cold, animal bites, ear infections, flu symptoms, and pneumonia. Other minor issues, such as moles and skin tags, ingrown toenails, and minor skin disorders, can also be treated.

Diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions

Patients with chronic conditions can be diagnosed and treated at the medical clinic. These conditions require medical supervision and usually develop over an extended period. Examples include asthma, anemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, kidney and nervous system conditions, high cholesterol, thyroid problems, arthritis, emphysema, and other lung issues. Patients can also get help with smoking cessation.

Additional services offered

Diagnostic studies: Healthcare providers at a medical clinic can use different forms of diagnostic studies, including referrals for X-rays, ultrasounds, treadmill testing, CT and MRI scans, echocardiograms, and lung function testing that can help with accurate diagnosis and treatment of health conditions.

Laboratory services: Laboratory services include blood tests for cholesterol, prostate-specific antigen, blood sugar, kidney function, HIV, hepatitis, and other conditions that can be uncovered with blood work.

Nutrition counseling: This service is provided to help people develop a good eating plan to help them manage a condition, lose weight, and enjoy a healthy diet that helps them stay in good health.

Immunizations and flu shots: These shots are provided regularly to guard against diseases that compromise the health of the patient and their family members.

Specialty referrals

If the patient requires additional care for their health condition, they can be referred to specialists, such as lung doctors, heart doctors, neurology doctors, arthritis specialists, or other health professionals with special training. The primary care doctors will still oversee the patient's health, but the specialists will be available when needed.

Request an appointment here: https://tx-urgentcare.com or call Texas Urgent Care & Imaging Center at (832) 941-1894 for an appointment in our New Caney office.

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