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A number of factors including health insurance restrictions, cost, and busy schedules have led Americans down a path of sporadic health care. In the United States, an overwhelming number of people do not visit a doctor until they become very ill or have other problems they can no longer handle on their own. There is a misconception that a family doctor is a doctor that treats only the traditional mom, dad, and kids. This is not true. A family doctor is a doctor who has not chosen a specialized field to practice in but instead is qualified to diagnose, treat, and recommend health procedures dealing with a person's overall wellness. There are many benefits that come with having a regular family doctor whom you visit yearly whether you are sick or not. These are the top five reasons you should select and build a solid doctor patient relationship with a family doctor. If you visit the same doctor regularly they will be familiar with your medical history and that will help them to more quickly identify any changes that are cause for concern. Visiting a doctor when you are healthy will give them a chance to see you at your best so that when something is wrong they will be familiar with how much your condition has deteriorated. Visiting a specialist if a problem occurs is great, but a family doctor will not only be able to help you when you are sick, they can also provide advice or council that will help you maintain your health, like nutrition advice, exercises that will help you strengthen parts of your body that might be weak, or even mental health recommendations for relieving stress. A family doctor's job is not only to make us better when we are sick, but to also help us take care of our bodies so we do not get sick. Another benefit that comes with seeing the same doctor regularly is that they will be up to date on your medical history. There are many recommended tests and screenings that we need throughout our lifetimes and a family doctor will help you keep track of when you should have these tests. If you are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with some form of long term disease or illness, a doctor whom you have been seeing for an extended period of time will be able to provide you with the information you need to find specialists to help with your problem. They will also have an extensive relationship with you and that is another great reason to keep the same doctor over a period of time. Having a trusting relationship with a doctor is very important, especially in times of illness. Many health problems are very complicated and hard to understand. If you are familiar with your doctor and they are used to communicating with you, it will help them to better explain in terms you can understand what is happening in your body and what recommendations they are making for treatment. Finally, if you see a doctor when you are healthy, you will be a part of their patient list and it will be easier for you to receive care quickly when you do get sick. If you are up to date on your checkups and you get a cold, a doctor who is familiar with your health records is much more likely to be able to see you quickly and confidently proscribe medicine to you, if they know about your past medical history. Lawrence Reaves writes for AAPP, an association of private physcians who offer conceirge medicine. For more information about these conceirge doctors visit this site.
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