{"id":11890,"date":"2021-01-05T09:33:14","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T15:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=11890"},"modified":"2021-01-06T08:17:52","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06T14:17:52","slug":"choosing-between-a-family-practice-or-internal-medicine-provider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/choosing-between-a-family-practice-or-internal-medicine-provider\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing between a family practice or internal medicine provider"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Finding a <a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/search?primary_care=Primary%20Care%20Providers&amp;sort=networks%2C%20relevance\">primary care provider<\/a> (PCP) you trust and can communicate with is essential. Often, especially if you don\u2019t keep up with health care lingo, knowing which type of clinician you should choose can be confusing.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a PCP?<\/h2>\n<p>A PCP is the person you trust to help with your day-to-day health needs and those times when you have an unexpected illness or injury.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PCPs help you with:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"columns\">\n<div class=\"col2\">\n<ul>\n<li>Diagnosing and managing chronic conditions like <a href=\"http:\/\/healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org\/Search\/1,2378\">high blood pressure<\/a> (hypertension) and <a href=\"http:\/\/healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org\/Search\/1,1986\">diabetes<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Evaluation and management of acute illness<\/li>\n<li>Immunizations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col2\">\n<ul>\n<li>Prescribing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/pharmacy\/\">medications<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Health and wellness physical exams<\/li>\n<li>Screenings for common health problems<\/li>\n<li>Treating minor illnesses and injuries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>PCPs are trained to evaluate and treat a broad range of health conditions. Many also specialize in a specific area, like diabetes or geriatrics. Should you need specialized care, your PCP can guide you through the process, referring you to the right specialist if and when needed.<\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, PCPs fall into two main categories \u2013 family medicine physicians and internal medicine physicians. While both types of clinicians are PCPs, they can serve you or your family in different ways. Both collaborate and work with advanced practice providers (APPs), such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Other disciplines that serve as PCPs include pediatricians for children and gynecologists for women.<\/p>\n<h2>Family medicine providers (physicians and APPs)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"alignright cta\">\n<p>Find a primary care provider that&#8217;s right for you<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/search?primary_care=Primary%20Care%20Providers&amp;sort=networks%2C%20relevance\">Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/search?alias_term=Family%20Medicine&amp;specialty_synonym=Family%20Medicine.*&amp;sort=networks%2C%20relevance\">Family medicine providers<\/a> care for people of all ages \u2013 from infants to seniors. So don\u2019t be confused by the word \u201cfamily\u201d in their title. You do not need children to see a family medicine provider.<\/p>\n<p>Family medicine providers train to diagnose and treat a wide variety of common diseases and acute or chronic conditions for all ages and genders. However, many family medicine providers also go through fellowship training in additional areas like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/unexpected-triplets-a-life-changing-blessing\/\">obstetrics,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/sports-medicine-services-are-important\/\">sports medicine<\/a> and palliative care.<\/p>\n<p>The unique benefits of family medicine providers are that they can care for your entire family. From babies through grandparents, no matter who gets sick, they will have a better understanding of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/knowing-your-familys-health-history-is-important-for-your-future-care\/\">family\u2019s history.<\/a> They also offer convenience for busy parents who want to schedule multiple family appointments for the same day.<\/p>\n<h2>Internal medicine providers (physicians and APPs)<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/search?alias_term=Internal%20Medicine&amp;specialty_synonym=Internal%20Medicine.*&amp;sort=networks%2C%20relevance\">Internal medicine providers,<\/a> or internists, provide care for people 18 years and older. Some internists have also trained in pediatrics so they can treat children.<\/p>\n<p>Since internists can narrow their training focus, many specialize in a subspecialty, like arthritis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/dont-wait-to-get-screened-for-lung-cancer\/\">cancer,<\/a> cardiovascular, hormone imbalances, geriatrics, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/having-asthma-issues-dont-panic\/\">lung diseases,<\/a> gastrointestinal issues, palliative and hospice medicine, and various other disciplines. While these subspecialists tend to focus on narrow specialty issues, general internists tend to treat the whole person in a multi-system approach, sometimes in consultation with their subspecialty colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>Their extra training makes them an ideal choice for adults with unique health concerns or conditions requiring specialized care.<\/p>\n<h2>Why choosing a PCP and maintaining a relationship is essential<\/h2>\n<p>No matter which type you choose, you should choose a PCP you like and trust. Your PCP will be a long-term partner in your health management, so it\u2019s crucial to select a <a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/\">provider<\/a> who is right for you and your family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how a primary care provider can become a long-term health management partner for you and your family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":11908,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[129,735],"tags":[756,602,818],"coauthors":[687],"class_list":["post-11890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous","category-preventive-health","tag-osf-medical-group","tag-primary-care","tag-risk-management"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - 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