What is the Difference Between Seeing a Primary Care Provider (PCP) and Visiting an Urgent Care?

health share programs

Doctors play an important part in a healthy society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 82.3% of adults had a visit with a doctor over the course of the past year.

You can get Personalized Care with a PCP

When you go to a PCP’s office, your doctor will be able to access your medical records each time and they can recognize patterns over the course of multiple visits. This allows you to have a more personalized experience because they are familiar with your history and any concerns you’ve had in the past. Having the same PCP will help you develop a rapport over the course of time. Using health share programs is a good idea since there’s a good chance routine visits will be covered.

Urgent Care Is More For Emergencies or After Hours Care

If something happens later in the day and your PCP’s office is closed, visiting an Urgent Care is your best option. At Urgent Care, you’re not likely to get the same doctor each time. While they may be well-trained, they are more likely to take a conservative approach because they are less familiar with your prior conditions.

You Might Have a Longer Wait With Urgent Care

When you go to see your PCP, you usually set an appointment time and they will see you as close as they possibly can to that time, barring any emergencies. On the other hand, Urgent Care is usually first-come, first-serve, so if you’re at a busy center, your wait time could vary based on the purpose of your visit.

Deciding between seeing your PCP or going to an Urgent Care depends on a lot of different factors. You’ll have to see which ones fit your situation the best and then you’ll find the care that you need to stay healthy. Have questions about PCPs and how health share programs can help to cover the costs of those visits? Reach out to us today.