Your healthcare provider, a family doctors or nurse practitioner, play an important role as your first point of contact for your healthcare concerns. Developing a relationship with your healthcare provider – provides better health outcomes for you, the patient.
As your primary healthcare provider, they understand your medical history, which helps inform their decisions and can help be an advocate for the best treatment options for you.
If you do have a healthcare provider, they should be your first point of contact when looking for medical care.
Your family doctor or nurse practitioner can:
- Assess and diagnose most medical conditions
- Complete ongoing health exams for specific medical conditions
- Support people with chronic illnesses
- Prescribe medication
- Refer to specialist