What is the difference between traditional PCP and family practice/doctor?

[Mommy_Mea]

I am in need of a PCP, and a friend recommended her practice. When I looked it up, I saw it was a family practice. I did some google searches, but I guess it isn't clear to me what the difference is.

Can anyone give it to me in laymans terms? Are they a little more crunchy? Less likely to go straight to meds? Do they require all the same training as a standard PCP?

Thanks!

[abh5e8]

PCP = primary care (provider) doctor...it could be a pediatrician, family practice or internal medicine doctor. :)

all are MD or DO, with the regular doctor = medical school and residency training. i would not say in general either would be less likely to use meds...but some individual doctors may be, so ask around your area if that is more what you are looking for.

[nrp]

I may be totally wrong, but I thought "primary care physician" was just a generic term (maybe created by insurance) for your first-line, non-specialist doctor. That would generally be a family practice doc or an internal medicine doc, I should think, although I am sure there are others. Family practice treats all ages - kids through adults. I think internal medicine docs treat only adults.

[hellokitty]

You're PCP, whether they are an NP, internal med, family practice or ped is like the gate keeper. You go to them with general health issues, colds/flu, new symptoms that you are not sure of, etc., and if they think it is necessary, they will refer you to specialists.

Oh and as far as crunchiness goes, I feel that DO's are generally more holistic than MDs, due to their theory of study. There are also chiropractors (which I admit that I don't know a lot about) and naturopaths (sp). Overall, I think that if you want a doctor who is more crunchy, you need to ask around and to get that kind of info.

[karstmama]

lots of different types of folks provide primary care - pediatricians, ob/gyns, midwives, internal med docs, many nurse practitioners, many physician assistants, family medicine docs. as hellokitty says, they are the gatekeepers and there are lots of possibilities. for instance, you wouldn't have a heart surgeon as your primary care physician.

family practice *is* generally a bit more laid back and leans a bit more crunchy but i think that's just who that specialty attracts. some family practice do obstetrics, some don't, but in general they care for people with average health problems from birth to death.

[Mommy_Mea]

Thanks everyone! I think I will go ahead and set up a first appointment, see how I click with the doctor. That is what is most important anyways. :)

I am not super crunchy, but I shy away from overmedicating. It drives my sinus specialist batty, but it is my body. I have no problem taking meds when it is really necessary, but having a whole drug regimen when I am a fairly healthy woman in her 30s seems nuts to me!

[wellyes]

Growing up, my whole family went to the same Dr.

Now my PCP s an internal medicine MD.
My kids PCP is a pediatrician.
My DH's PCP is a DO. I think it is a bunch of hooey :ROTFLMAO:but respect his opinion on what he needs as much as he respects mine for myself, so it works out.

I am in my 30s and take zoloft (anxiety) and levoxyl (thyroid) daily. It is what I need. I do think many kids are overmedicated! But, I also think my opinion on that won't amount to much unless/until I am advised to put my own kids on something and really have to make that choice.

[lizzywednesday]

... "primary care physician" was just a generic term (maybe created by insurance) for your first-line, non-specialist doctor. That would generally be a family practice doc or an internal medicine doc, I should think, although I am sure there are others. Family practice treats all ages - kids through adults. ....

:yeahthat:

PCP = the first person you call when you're sick.

Depending on your insurance, this can be anyone from a "Family Practice" doctor to a Gynecologist.

I have had plans that considered a gynecologist a specialist, and so I needed to get a referral from my PCP to see my gyno, making me less likely to go to the gyno because referrals are a hassle to me.

[AnnieW625]

PCP is the first doctor you see. I grew up with my whole family seeing the same doctor, a family practitioner.

Our current insurance is the same as our health care provider and they require a PCP for adults, and a pediatrician for the kids. It isn't that much of a hassle and I haven't had any issues like billing like I had when we had PPO so I figure it isn't that big of an issue as long as I am happy with the overall insurance.

I see a DO, who can perform a pap smear if needed, DH sees an internal med. doctor (we were assigned drs. at different times), and the girls go to a pediatrician who we all really like.

[kijip]

In my experience family docs are no more or less likely to be "crunchy". The kids have a pediatrician as their PCP and we had a family medicine practice as our PCP. Over time, I decided this family practice was not for me and I switched to an institute of complementary medicine for general health and a NP group for gynocology. I am not especially crunchy medicine wise but I became disillusioned with a number of things at the practice. I could not be happier with the switch.

[abh5e8]

I see a DO, who can perform a pap smear if needed, DH sees an internal med. doctor (we were assigned drs. at different times), and the girls go to a pediatrician who we all really like.

DO vs MD is just the degree the doctor has...determined by which kind of school they went to. (osteopathic medicine vs allopathic medicine).

a DO can be trained, just like an MD, in any specialty...from family practice to neurosurgery. if your DO does pap smears, i would assume they are ob/gyn or family practice.

family practice = all ages
internal medicine = adults
pediatrician = children to 18 (usually)
ob/gyn = obstetrics and gynocology...its actually a surgical specialist. although some women will claim then as their PCP, it would just mean they don't have a true pcp. an ob/gyn will not treat ALL general medical problems like a PCP

nurse practitioner or physicians assistants are mid level providers. they work under the supervision of an MD or DO. they can also be trained and work in any specialty. if they work with a FP, IM or peds office, they would provide primary care. if they work with a neuro surgeon, they would not :)