According to the Institute of Medicine, primary care is “the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community.” Patients that visit a regular primary care physician consistently have lower health care costs and better health outcomes than those who don’t.
We believe that routine primary care is vital to the overall health of people. When reviewing the definition from the Institute of Medicine, one of the things that strikes us is that primary care physicians should practice medicine in “the context of family and community.” This resonates with our practice because we are a family medicine practice where our family cares for the health of your family.
Our priority as a family medicine office wants to personalize health care for our patients because we have seen the fragmentation and complexity of the healthcare system. Towns used to have one doctor who “did it all,” but now specialists and physician-centered practices are the norm. However, our practice puts patients at the center; we believe that patients shouldn’t have to go to one doctor for one health concern and a different doctor for another health concern. We want to be able to see patients through all of their medical needs, and we work to continue and maintain a strong relationship with our patients for years.
Dr. Smith’s practice, as a family medicine practice, focuses on:
Caring for patients of all ages (from 2-102) - This allows our patients to have a consistent and trusting relationship with our doctors, nurses, and office staff.
Being the first contact for patients - If patients have a concern about their health, our office works hard to be the first point of contact to help resolve it.
Being a bridge between our patients and the healthcare system - If our patients need a specialist or hospital care, we work hard to be present in the care process from start to follow-up.
Being present in the community - We work hard to understand and integrate into the Cleveland area community, which helps us to identify resources for our patients in the community.
We are proud to be a practice that has been around for decades. We hope to continue to serve your family well as your primary care physician practice!