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

“Nurse practitioners provide the largest amount of primary care services in the United States,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Those experts include more than 170 psychiatrists, psychologists, and primary care physicians who have practiced in 60 countries, the company said.

From BBC

The project was carried out in over 100 primary care centers within Spain's National Health System.

From Science Daily

The tools for a healthy, dementia-free future exist: blood pressure control, appropriate statin and other therapy, smoking prevention and cessation support, and comprehensive primary care focused on prevention.

From The Wall Street Journal

The DIY health trend brings risks like relying on diagnostic and treatment information that hasn’t been reviewed by a clinician, says Dr. Tom Delbanco, a professor at Harvard Medical School whose focus is primary care.

From The Wall Street Journal