There Are 3 Levels Of Medical Care You Can Use

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Choosing Better Medical Care

Do you remember the last time you realized that you were having serious health problems? I have never been someone who was completely in-tune with their own health, which is probably why I began focusing more on getting enough exercise and dieting properly. I started working with my doctor to get things on track, and I was really impressed with how many different options there were to help me to improve my health. This blog is all about choosing better medical care and knowing when to take hold of your health. Check out this blog to learn how to manage your own health.

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There Are 3 Levels Of Medical Care You Can Use

20 March 2018
 Categories: Health & Medical , Blog


When it comes to health care, there are various levels of medical care that you can use. There are certain times that you should use the various levels of medical care. So, when should someone go to the various levels of medical care?

1. Primary Care Physician

The first level of medical care is your primary care physician. They should be your first line of medical defense. Your PCP should be the person you see if you have a question about your health, routine physicals, chronic medical conditions, and illnesses like sore throats, flu, and so on.

Your doctor's office will have some space in their schedule to fit in people who need to come in that day for some kind of illness, as well as being able to get you in relatively soon for other things. If you are concerned about something, you can call your doctor's office to see what they suggest you do. For example, they may suggest that you go to see an urgent or express care. 

2. Urgent/Express Care

This level of medical care is a step up from seeing your PCP. You don't need to have an appointment to see a doctor at the urgent or express care clinic. The clinic may be at your doctor's office, depending on how big their office is and if they are associated with a larger medical facility. You can go to one of those clinics if you have a medical issue that you want to have seen immediately, that you are very worried about, but isn't bad enough to go to the ER for.

This can include an illness with a spiking fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. It could also be the place you could start at if you have fallen and you think that you have a concussion or other injury. The doctor you see there may decide to send you to the ER if they think that you need more care. 

3. Emergency Care

Emergency care is where you need to go if you have broken a bone, had a seizure, think you are having a heart attack, or are going to need to get stitches. The ER is the best place to go if you think that something is very serious and the person may be at risk of death. If it is very serious, you may want to call 911 and get the ambulance to take the person to the hospital so that the EMTs can make sure that the person is stabilized. 

Knowing which level of medical care you should go to and when will help you get the appropriate care as soon as possible. Contact a medical office like Peninsula Community Health Services- Medical (Cottonwood) for more information and assistance.