Physician Assistant - Primary Care provides care to patients in a primary care setting under the supervision of a physician. Conducts medical histories and physical exams, diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, and develops treatment plans. Being a Physician Assistant - Primary Care orders and interprets diagnostic tests and laboratory work. Writes progress notes, conducts patient education, writes prescriptions, and provides advice about various health issues. Additionally, Physician Assistant - Primary Care requires a master's degree in health sciences for physician assistants. Requires Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C). Requires State License to practice. Typically reports to a physician. Physician Assistant - Primary Care's years of experience requirement may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.
A primary care physician (PCP) is a physician who provides both the first contact for a person with an undiagnosed health concern as well as continuing care of varied medical conditions, not limited by cause, organ system, or diagnosis. The term is primarily used in the United States. In the past, the equivalent term was general practitioner in the US; that is still the term in the United Kingdom (and in many other countries).
All physicians first complete medical school (MD, MBBS, or DO). To become primary care physicians, medical school graduates then undertake postgraduate training in primary care programs, such as family medicine (also called family practice or general practice in some countries), pediatrics or internal medicine. Some HMOs consider gynecologists as PCPs for the care of women and have allowed certain subspecialists to assume PCP responsibilities for selected patient types, such as allergists caring for people with asthma and nephrologists acting as PCPs for patients on kidney dialysis.
A Primary care psychologist (PCP) is a psychologist with specialist training in psychological knowledge and principles of common physical diseases and mental disorders experienced by patients and families throughout the lifespan, and which tend to present in primary care clinics.
Clinical associates in applied psychology are a related "New Ways of Working" initiative in Scotland.
Most recently, the UK Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative, which focuses on primary care psychological therapies provision, has benchmarked professionals at all career levels, from closely supervised psychological wellbeing practitioners (many of which have a psychology undergraduate degree and a post-graduate one year certificate/diploma, although several have Masters degrees too) to high-intensity psychological therapists, who, in terms of pay, are benchmarked against doctorate level training (many of these are counselling psychologists and clinical psychologists). Moreover, Clinical lead posts are pivotal in leading related primary care psychological services and these are benchmarked against Consultant Psychologist level (post doctoral expertise).
A Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) is responsible for providing comprehensive primary care to patients of all ages. They conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries, and provide health education and counseling to promote wellness and disease prevention. Primary Care NPs also manage chronic conditions, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated and effective patient care. They may work in a variety of settings, including private practices, community health centers, and hospitals, and play a crucial role in delivering accessible and high-quality healthcare to individuals and families.
The primary care manager is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the delivery of primary care services within a healthcare organization. This includes managing a team of healthcare professionals, developing and implementing care plans for patients, and ensuring that quality standards and best practices are followed. The primary care manager also plays a key role in promoting patient education and preventive care, as well as collaborating with other departments to provide comprehensive and integrated care for patients. Additionally, they may be involved in budgeting, resource allocation, and performance evaluation to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of primary care services.