Primary Health Care Information

Primary care is a health services that play a central role in the community. It strives to successfully treat medical conditions before they become serious enough to require hospitalization or emergency treatment. It is also a source of followup care, and continuity of care. Primary care includes the physician, other professionals that provide primary care services and the patient. Primary health care shifts the emphasis of health care to the patients themselves.

Goal of Primary Care

The goal of primary health care is better health for all. According to Nursing Crib website, health care needs to be more accessible, more prevention and education needs to take place and it needs to be affordable for all. People need to be able to access health care in their communities close to home. They need to be seen by one primary care provider that gains knowledge of the individual and his family, and the care needs to be affordable.

History of Primary Health Care

The primary health care concept came into existence following an international conference in Alma Ata in 1978 and was organized by the World Health Organization and the UNICEF. According to WHO's website, "primary health care is the latest expression of a belief that can be traced to the 19th-century pathologist Rudolf Virchow: the solution to major human disease problems resides not only in the best science available but also in brave political proposals for social justice and the improvement of the life of the poor." As people all over the world become more frustrated at the inability of today's health systems and services to meet their needs, demand for a renewal of primary health care and health for all is increasing.

Primary Care Provider

A primary care provider is a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that generalizes in the complete care of the patient. According to American Association of Family Physicians, service is provided to the patient at the first point of contact and offers continuity of care throughout the illness. Primary care providers are advocates for their patients and coordinate health care services for all aspects of the patient's life.

Prevention

Primary health care strives to find and successfully treat medical conditions before they become serious enough to require hospitalization or emergency treatment. According to the World Health Organization, "given that many conditions are preventable, every health care interaction should include prevention support. When patients are systematically provided with information and skills to reduce health risks, they are more likely to reduce substance use, to stop using tobacco products, to practice safe sex, to eat healthy foods, and to engage in physical activity." Prevention in the long run is less expensive to treat than an illness that has already established itself.

Cost

Primary health care is more cost effective than emergent services. It offers patients coste effective services close to home, limiting visits to specialists and the emergency department. The primary care setting, where the primary care doctor is becoming more widespread. The new term used is called the patient-centered medical home. According to "Bloomberg Businessweek," it is estimated that if every patient saw a primary care provider, it would reduce U.S. health care costs by 5.6 percent, a savings of $67 billion a year.