A general practitioner or GP is qualified in providing general medical care services, which include diagnosing conditions, providing prescriptions, and treating a wide range of medical conditions. In most instances, you will visit your family doctor for the diagnosis of a condition rather than directly approaching a specialist. They will refer you to a specialist or recommend hospital admission if the condition is serious and not treatable without specialist intervention or hospitalisation.
Your doctor or physician acts as your first point of healthcare contact and, in many instances, can provide the diagnosis, care, or advice you need for the particular medical condition without you having to visit a specialist or be hospitalised.
As a general practitioner, your physician takes the necessary time to learn about your health history, circumstances which may have caused or have contributed to the particular health problem, and previous treatments for the condition.
With millions of GP visits daily around the world, these general practitioners have become the cornerstone pillars in the medical industry to help patients manage their health. They often work as part of medical teams associated with health clinics and hospitals. It is also not uncommon for a GP to visit nursing care facilities.
What You Can Expect at a Typical Visit to Your Doctor
On average, an appointment at your GP lasts 10 to 15 minutes, but the appointment duration can be longer, depending on the particular condition to be diagnosed and treated, as well as other circumstances. Considering that the 10 minutes you spend in your doctor’s office can mean the difference between solving a health issue or having it escalated to a serious condition that requires emergency intervention, it makes sense to visit a general practitioner if you suspect an underlying health condition.
As a qualified general practitioner, your physician has been trained and is experienced in making quick and accurate observations and diagnoses. They see many patients daily, which also means few conditions escape their trained eyes. However, they are also trained in listening to their patients. When you discuss your concerns, you can be assured that the doctor listens. Every piece of information you provide is used in conjunction with what they already know, the results from tests, and standard procedures in diagnosing conditions. You are in good hands.
A diagnosis may be swift because the doctor takes your previous treatments, family history of certain conditions, your health history, age, gender, overall health, and symptoms in consideration.
For the average person who uses the Internet to self-diagnose, there is a high risk of misdiagnosis because many conditions show similar symptoms. Only a well-trained physician, who has knowledge of possible overlapping conditions or symptoms, can make an informed diagnosis.
Your GP will consider patterns and related factors to rule out conditions. If unable to make an accurate diagnosis due to conflicting symptoms, the doctor will run tests to confirm their diagnosis or to rule out other conditions. Where necessary, you will be referred to a specialist.
With their skill sets and the advanced technology available today, doctors can now give virtual or telephonic consultations. At Intercare, we now provide patients with virtual consultations as well, helping to ensure you can get expert medical advice from your home.
General procedures or treatments at the doctor’s office may include:
The GP is trained to quickly identify red flags for specific conditions and is the go-to medical professional for preventative healthcare. With consideration of their expertise and them being the health professionals who build long-term physician-patient relationships, they know and understand your family’s healthcare needs. To this end, it is best to go for a medical check-up at your doctor at least once a year, and here is why:
Keep Up to Date with Your General Well-Being
Regular visits to your family physician make it possible to build a profile of your overall health. For instance, if your doctor measures your blood pressure and compares the result with previous measurements, any drastic changes can be identified on the spot. The doctor will keep record of visits. This also means you will have medical records available when you need to have them for a medical procedure, insurance, or job application. The physician will remind you of upcoming screenings and vaccinations that are due.
Identify Underlying Conditions, Which Require Specialist Care
Many conditions can go unnoticed until too late if you do not go for medical check-ups. Early detection of serious health conditions with the likes of cancer, lupus, or the risk of a heart attack can help to save your life. Regular medical check-ups make it possible to detect these and other, often life-threatening conditions, enabling early intervention. Blood tests do not normally form part of the physician consultation, but sometimes, screenings may be necessary. Your GP will be able to interpret and discuss the results with you.
Potential Reduction in Medical Care Expenses
Early detection of serious conditions and timely intervention can help to reduce your medical expenses. A condition left untreated can lead to a situation where only emergency or serious intervention, such as a surgery, can solve the issue. Hospitalisation and invasive interventions are expensive, which can often be avoided with early treatments.
Reduce the Risk of Falling Ill
We perform regular service and maintenance checks on our properties. Likewise, we have our vehicles serviced at specific intervals, even if nothing is wrong with them. This is preventative.
The same holds true for regular GP visits for check-ups. With these, you can keep current with your immunisations and nutritional supplements to maintain a healthy body. The physician is concerned with your overall health, not just specific medical conditions. Therefore, the check-ups serve to maintain your health.
Your GP is the go-to physician to help you maintain good health and can provide you with a range of preventative medical services in addition to emergency intervention, diagnosing conditions, and treating conditions not needing invasive procedures. The doctor also provides health advice, performs screenings, and refers you to a specialist when needed.
Take care of your health. Start with a medical check-up. Use our convenient online system to book an appointment with a GP near you.