Your primary care doctor’s role in your health
Your relationship with your primary care physician (PCP) goes beyond an understanding of your medical history. Your Virtua primary care doctor builds a relationship with you and strives to understand the demands of your life. With this information, your doctor can help you achieve your health goals—whether it’s to eat healthier, exercise more, manage a chronic disease or reduce stress. Your PCP also will be there to care for you and guide you when an illness or injury comes on fast.
Here’s what you can expect when you choose a Virtua primary care doctor for your care.
Annual well-care checkups
A well-care checkup often starts as a conversation with your doctor. You’ll discuss your medical history, family history and risk factors. You’ll also discuss your life—everything from your work schedule to your workouts, your daily diet and what stresses you. These elements ALL factor into your overall health, and they’re the building blocks for helping you create a plan to achieve your health goals.
Your well-care visit may include:
• A head-to-toe physical examination
• Discussion about current or new medications
• Review of lab work
• Routine immunizations
• Discussion about preventative health screenings and immunizations
• Recommendations for improving your health through exercise, nutrition and stress management
Sick visits
When you get sick and at-home treatment doesn’t help, Virtua primary care doctors offer same-day sick care visits. And even when the office is closed, Virtua Urgent Care is available for unexpected minor illnesses and injuries.
Managing chronic conditions
Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are chronic conditions that require life-long management and support. Our practitioners collaborate with you to help you manage the condition as best you can so you can live your life without being sidelined by disease. This may include:
• Referrals and coordination of your care with Virtua specialists including cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and more
• Referral to Virtua’s medically integrated fitness centers offering group classes, pools, personal training and medically supervised fitness programs
• Comprehensive weight management options to help you make the positive lifestyle changes necessary to live your healthiest life
Follow up after an ER, urgent care or hospital visit
If you went to the emergency room for urgent medical care, you should have received discharge instructions to follow up with your primary care provider. This is a very important aspect of your care, as it allows your PCP to coordinate and prioritize your follow-up specialist visits (if needed) and manage your ongoing care.
