Primary health care

Health care services provided to people who do not require hospitalization, secondary health care.

Health care provided by a physician, nurse, or other health care professional in the first contact of the patient with the health care system. It may involve a private internist, a family physician, pediatrician, an ambulatory health care facility, or a hospital emergency department.

Sometimes called primary medical care, this is the care provided by a general practitioner (GP) traditionally entitled the family doctor or other health professionals who have first contact with a patient needing or wanting medical attention. In the NHS, the primary health-care services include those provided by the general, dental, ophthalmic and pharmaceutical services as well as the family doctor service. Community health services provided outside hospitals also offer some primary health care.

Routine health care provided in a physician’s office.