primary care

the medical care received on first contact with the medical system (before being referred elsewhere)

In medicine, primary care is a term used for a health care provider who acts as a first point of consultation for all patients. Generally, ''primary care physicians'' are based in the community, as opposed to the hospital. Alternative names for the field are general practice and family medicine, although the terms are not synonymous. General practitioners in the UK are physicians who have completed four years of post-medical school training including three years based in hospitals and one-year attached to a training general practitioner in the community. Family Medicine, in the USA, is a specialty that requires a minimum of three years of residency training and Board Certification. Examples of diseases managed in primary care are:

Diabetes mellitus (type 2)

COPD

clinical depressionDepression

Back painPrimary care physicians usually include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrition, and at time OB/GYN physicians.

References and external links -

books.nap.edu - Defining Primary Care from Institute of Medicine IOM - Primary Care: America's Health in a New Era (1996)

aafp.org - Primary Care Definitions from American Academy of Family Physicians AAFP

ama-assn.org - Definition of Primary Care from American Medical Association AMA

cre.gov.uk - Defining primary health care Department of Health United Kingdom UK

amsant.com.au - What is primary health care? Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) Australia

primarycare.co.uk - National Association of Primary Carenl:Huisartspt:Medicina de família e comunidade

E-chartmedical office
inexpensive, physician designed, easy to use EMR
http://www.echartmedical.com/

Fast Forward Marketing Consulting
Healthcare consulting practice.
http://www.4wardfast.com/

Center for Promotion of Child Development Through Primary Care
The Center for Promotion of Child Development through Primary Care seeks to improve the lives of children and families through research, training and support for parents and healthcare providers in the primary care application of child development knowledge. The Center is also the home of CHADIS: an interactive computer system for parents, primary care clinicians, and mental health professionals.
http://www.childhealthcare.org/

Finger Lakes Health
A community-owned, non-profit health system providing a full range of acute and long term care health services to residents of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, including 2 hospitals, 4 nursing homes, an ambulatory surgery center, primary care centers, child care and a nursing program.
http://www.flhealth.org/

Center for Pediatric Integrative Medicine
An integrative and holistic approach to treating many pediatric problems.
http://www.doctornewmark.com/

Emergency Medicine and Primary Care
Provides information, photo and radiology libraries, EKG library and patient simulators.
http://www.embbs.com/

Universitetet i Bergen (UiB)
Informasjon om organisasjon, forskning, undervisning og formidling.
http://www.uib.no/

Department of Health, UK
Legislation and guidance from the UK Government and the National Health Service.
http://www.doh.gov.uk