Regularly Visiting a Primary Care Provider (PCP) is Beneficial for Adult Health
December 29, 2014, 10:21 pm
At Cox HealthPlans, it is our goal to help our members “think health forward”. In doing so, we want to remind you that regularly visiting a Primary Care Provider (PCP) is beneficial for adult health and wellness.
Many studies have found patients with a PCP have:
- Better overall health,
- Fewer dollars spent on healthcare and
- Better management of chronic conditions.
PCP’s help coordinate patient care all in one place. Within a PCP’s practice, you have the ability to access a wide spectrum of health services including:
- Preventive care such as cancer screenings,
- Chronic care for conditions like asthma, hypertension, diabetes and
- Acute care for symptoms like cough, stomach pain or high fever.
By developing a relationship with a PCP, you are ensuring that other physicians and medical staff within the practice also know your medical history. This health care team can more easily detect patterns in your health and recommend lifestyle changes to prevent future complications requiring expensive specialty care. For example, simple testing during a visit with your PCP can reveal health problems, such as high blood pressure, that may otherwise go unnoticed leading to more serious issues later in life.
We would like to encourage you to make an appointment with your PCP and to see them at least once a year. If you do not currently have a PCP, available providers can be found on the Provider Directory. Many screening/wellness services are available to you at no cost on a yearly basis. Your PCP can tell you what these services are, or you may contact the Cox HealthPlans Member Services Department at 417-269-2900.
Please feel free to contact a member of the Cox HealthPlans Medical Management team at 417-269-2813 if you need help finding a PCP or have any other questions.
Wishing You Good Health!