primary care

American  

noun

1. medical care by a physician, or other healthcare professional, who is the patient's first contact with the healthcare system and who may recommend a specialist if necessary.

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Other Word Forms

• primary-care
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of primary care

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

primary care

"I encourage patients to be proactive and use the checklist to start a conversation with their primary care provider about any concerning bowel changes."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

Since this model was adopted 20 years ago, Lyon says the Dutch have seen a "massive expansion of primary care, early diagnosis and treatment" while still offering universal healthcare.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Venezuelan medical students, doctors and veterinarians are offering primary care out of a McDonald’s that was among the few buildings left intact after the quakes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

“They will show up in increased primary care office visits and exacerbations of chronic disease over the next few weeks,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

We’ve had people come in saying they want to sue some specialist, and we’ll say, ‘We don’t think that doctor was negligent. We think it’s your primary care doctor who was at fault.’

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell