{"id":11394,"date":"2020-11-15T10:00:43","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T16:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=11394"},"modified":"2022-02-24T09:47:35","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T15:47:35","slug":"talking-to-your-primary-care-provider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/talking-to-your-primary-care-provider\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking to your primary care provider"},"content":{"rendered":"

The key to a good relationship is communication. That\u2019s how the town doctors of days past knew how to treat their patients. Even without modern medicine, they could help patients because they lived in tight-knit communities and knew them like family.<\/p>\n

While our worlds have expanded, you still need to maintain a close, trusted relationship with your primary care provider (PCP), most often a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Talking and asking questions will keep you healthier and make their job easier \u2013 a win, win.<\/p>\n

In addition to chronic disease management, the focus of your PCP is to keep you healthy so you can pursue your passions. That is why it is essential to have a PCP you trust \u2013 someone you feel comfortable discussing your health issues with and not a check-the-box provider.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people treat their PCP like they treat their car insurance. They look for the cheapest and easiest provider and then ignore them until they have a problem,\u201d said Dr. Mark Meeker<\/a>, an internal medicine physician with OSF Medical Group<\/a>. \u201cBut that is not how you should approach something as serious as your health. You need to find a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with whom you can have easy, free-flowing communication.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenge of diagnosing<\/h2>\n

It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that providers know everything about the human body and the exact cause of every problem, but it\u2019s not that easy. Our bodies are complicated, and everybody reacts uniquely to injuries, diseases and infections. While the framework of care can be standardized based on best medical evidence, specific evaluation and treatment decisions still need to be personalized.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrying to figure out someone\u2019s problem based on a few symptoms can take a bit of detective work. A lot of the time, you may not have symptoms but a gut feeling. You just know something is wrong. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to communicate,\u201d Dr. Meeker said. \u201cI want to know how my patients experience life to help them avoid or find the roots of their problems. Lifestyle choices, genetics and environments have a big influence over our health. Unfortunately, we don\u2019t have a superpower that tells us what\u2019s going on inside your body.\u201d<\/p>\n

A short list of some of the questions your PCP would be interested in:<\/p>\n