Topic talk:Primary Care

Primary care is that area within medicine which is regarded as the point of first contact. It is distinct from secondary and tertiary care. Primary care is community based medicine and is closer geographically to the residence of patients. Secondary care centres (frequently hospitals) sit like the hub of a wheel with many primary care centres providing the spokes and feeding in those patients who need secondary care attention. In the UK, primary care is responsible for some 20million consultations a year with average ten minute appointments. Primary care receives less than 20% of the healthcare budget.

Primary care physicians are generalists and have a unique position in that they often deal with whole families and indeed whole communities in some cases. This places them ideally for healthcare promotion and primary preventative medicine. Nearly half of all doctors in the UK are primary care physicians. There also known as general practitioners or GP's. In the US, they are termed family physicians.

Drbloggs 08:34, 7 April 2009 (UTC)