Apr 4, 2022 Eight Great Reasons to See a Primary Care Physician

Now offering services at Aldrich Primary Care in Howell are (from left) family medicine physician Kerollos Askander, MD; internal medicine physician Mini Balaji, MD; and family medicine physician Iniobong Ukonne, MD.

Regular visits to a primary care physician can help keep you healthier.

Mini Balaji, MD
Mini Balaji, MD

When was the last time you saw—or even had—a primary care physician? Research suggests the number of Americans who regularly see one is dropping. But going to a primary care doctor has important health benefits, according to Mini Balaji, MD, internal medicine physician at Aldrich Primary Care in Howell and a member of RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group.

“A primary care physician typically specializes in a discipline such as family or internal medicine and provides a first point of entry into the health care system,” says Dr. Balaji. “It’s important to have a go-to health professional in your corner who can assess and treat a broad variety of conditions.”

Dr. Balaji and her recently arrived colleagues at Aldrich Primary Care— family medicine physicians and RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group members Kerollos Askander, MD, and Iniobong Ukonne, MD—say regularly seeing a primary care doctor can improve your health for reasons like these:

Kerollos Askander, MD
Kerollos Askander, MD
Iniobong Ukonne, MD
Iniobong Ukonne, MD
  1. You’ll be better off if you get ill. After just one meeting, your primary care physician will know at least some of your medical history and possibly baseline results from a number of routine screening tests. When something goes wrong, your doctor will know what “normal” looks like for you, which will help in addressing both your acute and chronic medical problems more effectively.
     
  2. Medications will be managed more effectively. People who use prescription drugs often take more than one, sometimes prescribed by different doctors. Many take vitamins and supplements as well. A primary care physician can monitor and track all your medications, helping to protect you from drug interactions. Your primary care doctor can also keep records of any changes in dosages that might cause unwanted side effects, and speak with your other doctors to help fine-tune your regimen.
     
  3. You’ll receive disease-prevention advice. Seeking out a primary care physician regularly even when you’re feeling fine can help prevent you from becoming seriously ill down the road. From your health profile, your doctor will be able to recommend tests that can assess your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other serious-but-common problems. If your medical history and tests indicate that you’re prone to specific illnesses, your primary care physician can suggest healthy lifestyle changes and regular screenings to reduce your risks.
     
  4.  Remote consults may be readily available. Baseline health information your primary care physician collects may allow your doctor to be comfortable treating certain problems over the phone, knowing you can always schedule a follow-up if your symptoms don’t improve. Without a primary care doctor, you’ll more likely need to take time out of your schedule to visit a medical office.
     
  5. You’ll have an easier time finding specialists. When you need the care of an expert in a certain specialty, your primary care physician can help you find the right person—not only someone with the proper qualifications, but a provider who will mesh well with your personality and care preferences. If you prefer aggressive treatments, for instance, you can communicate this to your primary care physician, who can recommend specialists who align with your approach.
     
  6. You’ll get help navigating the ER. Wondering if you should head to the emergency room? If you have a relationship with a primary care physician, you can touch base with the practice office and get guidance from your doctor, potentially sparing you a trip. If you do need to seek emergency care, your doctor may be able to call ahead and provide pertinent medical details that could shorten your wait time when appropriate. 
     
  7. You’ll receive better care overall. People with primary care physicians tend to receive significantly more high-value health care such as flu shots and cancer screenings. They often have better patient experiences and overall access to health care as well.
     
  8. You might live longer. Research suggests that people who live in areas where primary care physicians are readily available on average have longer life spans. But benefiting from their services depends on actually going to your primary care doctor.

A New Primary Care Practice

For people who live in and around Howell, it’s now easier than ever to find the perfect primary care physician, thanks to the recently opened Aldrich Primary Care at 4013 Route 9 North in Howell. Next door, patients will find the Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center at Howell, which offers mammography, bone density testing services, genetic counseling and general X-rays. Women who have a primary care visit and need a mammogram can simply walk across the hall to the Center—no appointment is needed.

For more information on Aldrich Primary Care, call 732-835-7914.