Primary Care

Primary care is the initial point of contact between a patient and the healthcare system that provides individuals with access to the information and resources they need for optimal health outcomes.

What is Primary Care?

Primary care is the initial point of contact between a patient and the healthcare system that provides individuals with access to the information and resources they need for optimal health outcomes.

Strategies to Improve Shortage of Primary Health Care

Benefits of Primary Care Intervention

Choosing a Primary Care Provider

Multidisciplinary Primary Care Teams

Benefits of Primary Health Care

Effective Communication in Primary Care Teams

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Semaglutide for weight loss was linked to a sharp drop in alcohol use in this case report

A 2026 case report describes a 34-year-old man with obesity and alcohol use disorder whose semaglutide treatment for weight loss was associated with a marked drop in drinking over 10 months, with his AUDIT score falling from 27 to 7 and alcohol use dropping from about 15 drinks per week to half a beer per month. The authors frame this as a promising but preliminary finding that adds to growing evidence on GLP-1 drugs and alcohol use, while also stressing that this was a single case and that better AUD screening in family medicine remains important.

2 Apr 2026

Sleep apnea raises risk of cardiovascular events and death

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) shows that those living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a 71% higher risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) or death from any cause (all-cause mortality) compared with those not living with OSA.

2 Apr 2026

Northumbria University spinout earns CE mark for breath sampling device

A medical device company spun out of Northumbria University has reached a significant milestone — receiving CE marking for a breath sampling platform that peer-reviewed research has demonstrated can reliably collect saliva-free exhaled breath condensates (EBC) from the deep lung, making it the first technology of its type to achieve this distinction.

2 Apr 2026

Finnish study reveals how parental immigration status impacts child mental health

A new nationwide Finnish register study shows that children with two immigrant parents are significantly less likely to receive mental health services for anxiety and depression than children of Finnish parents.

2 Apr 2026

Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg recommended by NICE to reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, in adults with established cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2)

NICE has recommended Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) 2.4 mg as the first GLP-1 RA to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2).

From Novo Nordisk 2 Apr 2026

Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients

People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine.

1 Apr 2026

AI scribes modestly reduce clinician documentation time and EHR use

Documenting a patient visit in the electronic health record (EHR) is essential to healthcare delivery, but also a major contributor to clinician burnout.

1 Apr 2026

Trump’s one big beautiful bill act darkens outlook for government-backed clinics

Bluestem Health, a clinic that serves low-income and uninsured patients in Lincoln, Nebraska, has lost money for the last two years.

1 Apr 2026

Lifestyle care in primary clinics allows for safe diabetes deprescribing

A new research study provides real-world evidence that deprescribing glucose‑lowering medications is both feasible and safe when patients with type 2 diabetes receive lifestyle‑informed care in primary care settings.

31 Mar 2026

AI eye exams accurately identify heart disease risk during routine visits

A new system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess cardiovascular risk based on images of the eye captured during eye exams demonstrated strong correlation with a standard cardiovascular risk assessment, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

30 Mar 2026

New clinical guideline adopts holistic approach to brain and heart health

A new brain–heart clinical practice guideline takes a holistic approach, integrating neurologic and mental health evidence with guidance for cardiovascular disease as many brain and heart conditions overlap and share similar risk factors.

30 Mar 2026

Evolocumab reduces cardiac events in high-risk diabetic patients

The cholesterol-lowering therapy evolocumab reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events by nearly one-third among patients who had no known significant atherosclerosis and had diabetes, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2026

Machine learning model predicts liver cancer risk with high accuracy

A machine learning model that analyzes patient demographics, electronic health record data, and routine blood test results predicted a patient's risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, with high accuracy.

26 Mar 2026

Study reveals overlooked depression symptoms in South Asian communities

Physical pain, heart-related sensations and repetitive negative thinking are among the most commonly reported symptoms of depression in South Asian communities - yet none appear in the diagnostic criteria used to screen for depressive disorders in the UK, according to a new review led by the University of Surrey.

26 Mar 2026

New fathers face delayed mental health risks after childbirth

Paternal mental health risks increase after childbirth, with delayed detection of psychiatric disorders underscoring the need for targeted support for fathers.

26 Mar 2026

An Arm and a Leg: Steep health care costs steer Americans to tough decisions

Health insurance is out of reach for millions of Americans this year. Many are making difficult decisions about how to pay for coverage amid the loss of Affordable Care Act subsidies and nosebleed-high premiums.

25 Mar 2026

Nepal and Afghanistan show how abrupt aid cuts can unravel essential care

Abrupt cuts to external health aid can destabilize multiple essential services simultaneously in fragile, donor-dependent settings, as illustrated by Nepal and Afghanistan. The paper argues that donor withdrawal is not just a resilience test, but also an ethical and governance issue that should be managed through “transition discipline.”

24 Mar 2026