Do You Really Need a Therapist?
You can do without a therapist for a while if you are young, healthy, and a little dumb. But over time, you will have enough health problems and not using a PCP will make your life more difficult. Here’s how to find out when you’ve reached that point:
You have a health problem that requires further monitoring
I finally found myself a PCP this year after a bout of mono. I visited two different emergency departments with strange, vague symptoms, and neither of them knew anything about me other than what I told them at the beginning of the visit. And then all they could really do was order the tests or prescriptions that I needed at the moment and tell me that I really needed to consult “[my] regular doctor.”
This is because your PCP is much better at keeping track of what is happening to you from visit to visit. They are designed to solve your current problems and connect various health problems with each other.
You are not 100 percent sure what the problem is.
Many health plans allow you to skip seeing your PCP if you know what your problem is. Allergy? Directly to the allergist. Are your muscles sore? In many states, a physical therapist can work with you without a referral.
But it only works when you know what your problem really is. Doctor Google can go this far. Your PCP can help you figure out which specialist you need to see or can help you solve your problems without an additional visit.
You deal with a large number of specialists
If you end up consulting multiple professionals, chances are some of their advice will contradict each other. Your PCP can help you understand what you have been told and what is most important.
The more complex your disease is, the more important it is. The medical profession has a name for this concept: the nursing home . (This is a metaphor, not a real home.) Regardless of where you get your health care, all information should go “home” to one office or to someone who keeps track of everything.
Are you tired of everyone ordering the same test?
If you switch between emergency rooms or specialists, there is a greater chance that you will receive more procedures (and spend more money) than if you visited the same doctor all the time.
When you work with one doctor and other service providers send them information, it should be easy for them (or you!) To know if you’ve already taken the test they want to order.
You haven’t been tested forever
Healthy adults don’t need to get tested every year , but that doesn’t mean they never get tested . Many of your health needs are unrelated to a specific part of your body that hurts enough to send you urgently.
Preventive care is essential if you want to stay healthy. Depending on your age and other risk factors, you may need vaccines , cancer screening, or other standard tests and procedures. The good news is, even if you have a high deductible, insurance plans should offer the most preventative care for free .
You would like to receive quick answers to your questions
Sometimes you don’t want to drag yourself into emergency assistance just to find out the answer to a simple question. Video chats can help with simple things, but they still take time, and there is no simple broadcast if you end up having to meet with a service provider in person.
But if you’ve already established a relationship with your healthcare provider, you can call him (or write him a message ) to get a quick answer to what interests you. They have all your notes, and best of all, they will truly remember you . In general, if they saw you recently, you can get recipes and answers to simple questions. Therefore, if you are not motivated by taking care of your health, consider contacting your PCP as a way to indulge your laziness.