Having a primary care provider allows one to establish a trusting relationship with the provider over time, maintain continuity in personal health care, and move from crisis-oriented or acute health care towards preventive care and health promotion and maintenance activities. Understanding the various types of primary care providers is only a start in choosing a provider. Many insurance plans either limit the provider selection or provide financial incentives for clients to seek care from a select list of providers. The consumer must know if such conditions apply. This is because many women do not have any other provider and see their gynecologists initially for whatever health care problems they may encounter.
Many people typically think of doctors when considering health care providers.
With advances in medical research, knowledge, and technology, the roles for most physicians have moved from that of a generalist to that of a specialist. In fact, many health care consumers choose a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant as their primary care provider. NPs, PAs, and CNMs all consult with or refer to physicians as needed for problems encountered outside their scopes of practice. Finally, choosing the optimal person or group from which to receive health care requires even further information gathereing. If you or a dependent have specialized health care needs for a specific chronic condition or disability, advocate groups may be a good source of information regarding providers adept at managing such unique concerns.