Make Primary Care a Priority in 2024

Dr. Reinier Ramirez Medical Director of Adult Medicine for Healthcare Network

People with health insurance are generally expected by their insurance carriers to have a primary care physician. But having a primary care physician is something everyone should have, not just because health insurance requires them. Studies show they lower the cost of care, improve health outcomes and the overall health of the community, and lower the rates of death.

A primary care physician (PCP) is the first medical care provider you see when you have a medical issue that is not an emergency. They develop the baseline for your well-being, getting to know you. This long-term relationship results in early detection and treatment of disease, chronic disease management, and preventative care.

Provider Kenneth Midoneck, APRN, listening to a pediatric patient’s heart with a stethoscope to check for any irregular heartbeats.

A PCP can be a family practitioner, generalist, internist, pediatrician, geriatrician, obstetrician and gynecologist, as well as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant working with primary care physicians.

Study after study has shown that people who have a PCP can live longer by decreasing the risk of dying from heart disease, cancer or stroke. PCPs can treat minor illnesses and problems before they become serious. Healthcare costs tend to be lower for people with a PCP, who watch over their wellness and coordinate their care.

A PCP becomes your partner, sharing the responsibility for your physical and mental health and well-being.

Having a PCP means that patients are more likely to:

Fill prescriptions and have routine preventative care like flu shots and blood pressure screenings.

Receive cancer screenings, including colorectal cancer screening and mammography.

Spend less time in the hospital and less money on medical cost soverall.

Still, about one-third of Americans do not have a PCP. If primary care is so good for us, why don’t we all have a PCP?

by Dr. Reinier Ramirez Medical Director of Adult Medicine for Healthcare Network

Two of the barriers include lack of availability of doctors and lack of health insurance.

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration designates nearly all of Southwest Florida as a “Medically Underserved Area,” meaning that there are too few primary care providers for the growing population.

Lack of health insurance has been shown to decrease the use of preventive and primary care. People without health insurance may delay care when they are ill or injured, and they are more likely to be hospitalized for chronic conditions. Also, children without health insurance are less likely to get vaccinations, which can put the entire community at risk for preventable diseases.

Healthcare Network, founded in Immokalee in 1977, began caring for migrant farmworkers and underserved populations who had difficulties accessing primary health care. Since then, it has grown to provide primary healthcare to men, women and children of all ages, helping the disenfranchised, underinsured, and uninsured of our communities, as well as those with insurance and resources who recognize the quality and comprehensiveness of care available.

Community Health Centers like Healthcare Network improve access to high quality primary care, while decreasing hospitalization rates and use of emergency departments in the states and counties that they serve.

If you are currently healthy and don’t have extensive medical needs, now is a great time to establish a relationship with a PCP who can get to know you and help you meet your health care goals. They will also be there when you need them. The relationship you build with your primary care doctor could be one of the most important you will ever have.

About the Author

Dr. Reinier Ramirez is a board-certified physician and the medical director of adult medicine for Healthcare Network. For information about primary care and other services or to make an appointment, call 239-658-300 or visit HealthcareSWFL.org.