A “medical home” is a medical office or clinic where a team of healthcare professionals works together to provide comprehensive primary care. It is characterized by being patient-centered and comprehensive, involving physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, nutritionists, and care coordinators.
It provides care for the whole person, and it is coordinated with open communication between all aspects of the medical home and members of the broader healthcare team. Your caregivers will take personal responsibility for your ongoing care, get to know you and your health history, and suggest treatments that make sense for you.
Establishing a medical home with any GHS primary care practice serves as a bridge to the comprehensive services offered through the state’s largest public healthcare network. There are five types of primary care physicians available at GHS:
1. Family Medicine—Basic care for the whole family throughout an entire life, including pediatrics and gynecology.
2. Internal Medicine—Diagnosis, treatment and care of disease-facing adults across the health continuum.
3. OB/GYN—Focus on the management of pregnancy and overall gynecologic care for women. It is recommended that women establish a medical home with a primary doctor in addition to their OB/GYN.
4. Pediatrics—Manage the physical, behavioral and mental health of children from birth until age 21.
5. Internal Medicine-Pediatrics—Board certified in pediatrics and internal medicine, these doctors provide medical care for both adults and children, with a special focus on treating adults with “carry-over” illnesses from childhood such as diabetes, autism and congenital heart disease.
One of the many advantages of going to a medical home is that someone needs to be your coach. Someone needs to be the go-to person that coordinates all of the many aspects of your medical care whether it be establishing yourself for a physical, developing a comprehensive healthcare plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, or referring you to subspecialty care when needed.
Your medical home is where you start your journey to better health. And with primary care physicians located at multiple sites across the Upstate, there’s one near you. Find yours today at ghs.org/mydoctor or call 1-844-GHS DOCS (447-3627).
The post Starting your journey to better health appeared first on GHS Blog.
