NEWEST
Other choices
for your
primary care
D
octors aren’t the
only health care
professionals who
can be primary care provid-
ers. Other options include:
Physician assistants
(PAs).
PAs work under the
supervision of a licensed
physician. They have
medical training and clinical
experience in primary care.
They also must pass a na-
tional certification exam.
Nurse practitioners
(NPs).
NPs begin their
careers with registered
nurse training. They then
go on to advanced graduate
training. Most NPs have
master’s degrees. Many
have doctorates.
In general, most PAs
and NPs can offer normal
primary care services, such
as:
■
Physical exam and
diagnosis.
■
Health education and
disease prevention.
■
Treatment for acute
problems, such as setting
broken bones, and chronic
conditions, such as diabe-
tes or high blood pressure.
■
Ordering and interpreting
lab tests.
■
Prescribing medicine.
■
Referral to specialists, if
necessary.
Providers must be
licensed by the states in
which they practice. Their
legal roles may vary from
state to state.
Sources: American Academy of Nurse
Practitioners; American Academy of
Physician Assistants
cough that won’t go away. A swollen ankle. A sore wrist. These could signal some-
thing as benign as a common cold or a mild sprain or as serious as cancer.
✦
It’s
nice to know you can take these concerns to someone you trust—someone who
knows more than just your name. That person is your primary care physician (PCP).
To find a primary care physician,
call Samaritan Family Medicine at 793-9780.
PCPs can respond to health
issues ranging from the
straightforward to the more
complicated. And they are
already familiar with you
and your health care needs.
NOT JUST ANY DOCTOR
When you have a health
issue, your PCP is the first
person you call. They are
doctors who specialize in
treating the whole person.
For example, they can:
●
Offer preventive care.
●
Answer medical ques-
tions with sound advice
that’s specific to your
health.
●
Manage care for chronic
conditions, such as diabe-
tes or heart disease.
●
Refer you to a specialist,
such as a neurologist, sur-
geon or oncologist, when
you need to see one.
●
C o o r d i n a t e y o u r
health care, lab tests and
medications among mul-
tiple health care providers.
CHOOSING A PCP
A good
relationship with your PCP
can have a positive effect
on your health and health
care. If you don’t already
have a PCP, make choos-
ing the right one a prior-
ity. Look for someone with
whom you feel comfortable
and you believe you can
trust.
Be sure to choose the
right doctor for your age
and health history. Often,
PCPs are internists, family
physicians or pediatricians.
Family physicians treat
people of all ages, from
infants to older adults;
pediatricians specialize in
children’s health; and inter-
nists focus on health issues
common just to adults.
Sources: American Academy of Family
Physicians; American College of Physicians
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS
YOUR PARTNERS IN HEALTH
A
M
Samaritan Clinic is
proud to announce that
Morgan Fife, MD, a fam-
ily medicine provider,
will be joining Samari-
tan Family Medicine on
July 1. Dr. Fife received
his bachelor’s degree in
cellular, molecular and
developmental biology
from the University of
Washington in Seattle.
After graduation, he at-
tended Ross University
School of Medicine in
North Brunswick, New
Jersey, where he earned
his medical degree. Dr.
Fife has a special inter-
est in well-child care,
preventive medicine
and sports medicine.
“I grew up in
Washington state on
the west side of the
mountains,” says Dr.
Fife. “I always knew I
wanted to come back
to Washington but
wanted more sunshine
and less traffic. Moses
Lake was at the top
of our list. When we
visited the community,
we were welcomed with
open arms. We look
forward to raising our
family in the Moses
Lake area.”
Dr. Fife is fluent in
Spanish and wel-
comes new patients.
Call Samaritan Family
Medicine at
793-9780
to
make an
appointment.
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Permit No. 61
Samaritan Healthcare
Foundation
801 E. Wheeler Road
Moses Lake, WA
98837
amaritan
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