How to Get the Primary Care You Need, When and Where You Need It.

Having a trusted relationship with a primary care provider is key to achieving and sustaining good health. But finding an available appointment on a day and time that is convenient for you can be challenging in today’s world, where primary care providers are in high demand. 

The good news is that MedStar Health offers a variety of options to help find and maintain regular care with your primary care provider, supported by a network of outstanding clinicians and specialists. In fact, we’re making it easier than ever to get the medical care you need at the moment you need it, in a location that is most convenient for you.

How to access our primary care and urgent care providers.

An in-person visit serves as the gateway to a variety of convenient care options.

Ideally, It’s important to begin your care by meeting face-to-face with a MedStar Health primary care provider. In this initial visit, we can get to know your medical history and what’s important to you and establish a baseline of care. By learning about who you are, your background, and your goals, we can advocate for you, help you stay on top of preventative healthcare measures, such as screening and vaccinations, and track any changes over time. Primary care providers are essentially the quarterback of your healthcare team, able to seamlessly coordinate and communicate with other specialists in the MedStar Health network when you need them. 

How to schedule an in-person primary care appointment.

To find a primary care provider near you, visit MedStarHealth.org/PrimaryCare or search for a provider using our ”Find A Doc” tool. There are several different ways you can schedule a primary care appointment with a MedStar Health provider:

• Call the provider’s office to speak with someone who can help to coordinate your appointment at a convenient time for you
• Fill out an online form with your contact information for someone to reach out to you to schedule a primary care appointment 
• Schedule an appointment for yourself online through some of our primary care provider’s profiles

Virtual visits expand your ability to get seen by your care team, when you need them.

After you’ve built a trusted relationship with a primary care provider, we can offer additional options to ensure you get the medical care you need when something unexpected comes up. When you really need to speak with your doctor or nurse practitioner but they aren’t available when it’s convenient for you or you aren’t physically able to come into the office, a virtual visit may be a great option. During a virtual appointment, you can talk to another exceptional healthcare provider who works closely with your primary care provider. This ensures you can get answers to any questions you have in a timely manner, from the comfort of your home. Because your primary care provider stays in close communication with their entire team, you can expect to have continuity of care whether you see us in-person or via video.

In fact, our extensive network of specialists, surgeons, and subspecialists shares one electronic health record, communicating regularly to ensure you have the comprehensive, individualized care you need. Many of these specialists are also available via a virtual visit, ensuring you can get seen when you need care. Your primary care provider also stays informed on your care and condition, whether through verbal communication between our teams or through our interconnected records. This allows us to all work together as a team to offer you the best possible care now and in the future.

MedStar Health Urgent Care options ensure you get prompt care for immediate concerns.

When your primary care provider’s office is closed or you can’t find an appointment that is convenient for you, you can access one of our 30 MedStar Health Urgent Care locations throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Our urgent care centers offer access to exceptional providers who can help care for you or direct you to the right point of care when something unexpected comes up. They’re open every day, including weekends and extended hours so you have options outside of typical working hours. Additionally, you may even be able to connect to a medical specialist during your visit, when necessary.

We’re here for you 24/7, 365 days a year through MedStar eVisit.

We know that illness and injury seems to happen at the most inconvenient times, such as a Friday evening or a holiday weekend. Where can you find urgent care when most doctor’s offices are closed? MedStar eVisit offers on-demand access to an urgent care provider via video with no appointment needed. With eVisit, you can access great care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. This ensures we can meet your needs any time you need us. In many cases, you may get everything addressed in this virtual visit. But if you need additional care beyond the video visit, they can direct you to the most appropriate access point so you can have confidence and comfort in knowing what next steps to take.

Watch the Facebook live broadcast below to learn more about primary care access:
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Primary and urgent care options for whatever arises.

Whether you see us in-person or on the screen of your phone, tablet, or computer, we’re privileged to offer complete care through all of our access points. And if you’re not sure where to go, you can choose any of these access points to speak with someone who can direct you to the best place for your unique circumstance. Our primary care clinicians, urgent care providers, and specialists are all on your team, working together so you can get what you need, when and where it’s most convenient for you.