Primary care is your first stop for health care
From newborns to older adult care, MaineHealth primary care providers (PCPs) specialize in the overall health and wellness of all family members. PCPs have a broad range of expertise and play an important role in your everyday health care. Except for emergencies that require urgent medical attention, your PCP should be the first person you contact about a health concern. Your PCP can:
- Take care of routine medical problems such as aches, pains and colds
- Provide annual check-ups and other preventive care
- Diagnose and monitor chronic conditions
- Provide health education and prescriptions
- Refer you or your child to a specialist when needed
Choose a primary care provider who is the best fit for you and your family
- Family medicine doctors provide general preventive and primary care services for people of all ages. They can provide care for you and your entire family.
- Pediatricians are specially-trained in infant, child and adolescent health care. They diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions that affect kids – from everyday illnesses to serious chronic conditions.
- Internal medicine doctors (also called internists) provide advanced primary care services for adults. In addition to preventive and routine care, internists are specially trained to diagnose and manage chronic conditions of the internal organs.
- Internal medicine-pediatrics providers (also called med-peds) offer expert primary care services for people of all ages. With specialized training in both pediatric care and adult internal medicine, med-peds often serve patients who are born with chronic conditions, or develop them during childhood.
- Family nurse practitioners are registered nurses with specialized training to deliver care that is focused on the family. They diagnose illnesses, preform exams and prescribe medicine. They work in both primary and specialty care practices.
