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.

Effective Communication in Primary Care Teams

Choosing a Primary Care Provider

Benefits of Primary Care Intervention

Multidisciplinary Primary Care Teams

Strategies to Improve Shortage of Primary Health Care

Benefits of Primary Health Care

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Economic disadvantage linked to tobacco addiction and lower motivation to stop smoking

A new paper in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, finds that people experiencing more economic disadvantages are more likely to smoke cigarettes, have higher levels of tobacco addiction, and find it harder to quit than those who are most advantaged.

11 Feb 2026

Posture-induced retinal vascular response predicts diabetic retinopathy progression

Diabetic retinopathy develops through complex microvascular damage driven by chronic hyperglycemia, yet traditional risk factors such as disease duration or glycemic control explain only part of individual risk.

11 Feb 2026

End of enhanced Obamacare subsidies puts tribal health lifeline at risk

Leonard Bighorn said his mother tried for two years to get help for severe stomach pain through the limited health services available near her home on the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana.

11 Feb 2026

Dementia Care Aware partners with IHI to advance age-friendly care

Dementia Care Aware (DCA) is collaborating with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to support its March 2026 Action Community, a community learning experience that helps health systems across the country implement the 4Ms Framework of an Age-Friendly Health System.

10 Feb 2026

AI-powered stethoscopes enable early detection of heart valve disease

Artificial intelligence could help doctors detect serious heart valve disease years earlier, potentially saving thousands of lives, a new study suggests.

10 Feb 2026

Digital resource aims to enhance trauma-informed health care for people with complex PTSD

A new digital resource co-created by University of Victoria (UVic) researchers and trauma survivors will streamline access to resources and tools for clinicians who support people with complex post-traumatic stress at Island Health in B.C. and other jurisdictions.

9 Feb 2026

Chronic alcohol use profoundly alters gene expression in the brain's reward system

Chronic alcohol consumption profoundly alters gene expression in key brain regions involved in reward, impulse control, and decision-making, according to a study led by researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences, a joint center of Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

9 Feb 2026

AI stethoscope doubles detection of serious valve disease in primary care study

A prospective primary care study found that an AI-enabled digital stethoscope substantially improved sensitivity for detecting clinically significant valvular heart disease compared with standard auscultation. The technology identified more previously undiagnosed moderate-to-severe disease but showed reduced specificity, highlighting a trade-off between earlier detection and potential false positives.

8 Feb 2026

Review highlights smarter medicine delivery as key to better adherence

Health system design plays a major role in medication adherence for chronic diseases, with delivery models influencing access, affordability, and continuity of care. Flexible, well-regulated dispensing systems that address structural barriers can improve long-term treatment outcomes across diverse populations.

5 Feb 2026

AI-enabled stethoscope doubles detection of valvular heart disease

New research shows that the use of an AI-enabled digital stethoscope more than doubled the identification of moderate to severe valvular heart disease during routine clinical examinations, compared to a traditional stethoscope.

5 Feb 2026

Self-collected HPV tests match clinical screening

New data shows universal access to self-collected HPV testing boosts cervical cancer screening uptake, especially among underserved populations in Australia.

4 Feb 2026

Research shows the effect of losing weight in preventing multiple diseases

Researchers have quantified the role of obesity in common long-term conditions, showing for the first time the effect of losing weight in preventing multiple diseases.

4 Feb 2026

Simple EHR nudges cut use of high-risk medications

This study demonstrates that simple EHR prompts can enhance medication safety for older adults by increasing deprescribing of sedatives and anticholinergics.

4 Feb 2026

When the doctor needs a checkup

He was a surgical oncologist at a hospital in a Southern city, a 78-year-old whose colleagues had begun noticing troubling behavior in the operating room.

4 Feb 2026

Poll: Many adults over 50 skip flu and COVID vaccines

This winter's brutal flu season isn't over, and COVID-19 cases have risen recently too. But a new poll taken in recent weeks shows that vaccination against both viruses lags among people 50 and over, and the national survey reveals key reasons why.

3 Feb 2026

New guidance on diagnosing UTIs without an in-person exam

Researchers developed criteria for triaging suspected UTIs, focusing on antibiotic use and urine testing to improve outpatient care and telehealth efficiency.

3 Feb 2026

Large gaps exist between Medicaid enrollment and actual care

Almost one-third of physicians who are enrolled in Medicaid don't actually care for a single patient covered by Medicaid insurance, according to new research led by Oregon Health & Science University.

2 Feb 2026

Your next primary care doctor could be online only, accessed through an AI tool

When her doctor died suddenly in August, Tammy MacDonald found herself among the roughly 17% of adults in America without a primary care physician.

2 Feb 2026

Updated newborn screening guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis detection

An updated report on cystic fibrosis (CF) from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights the new national guidelines on CF newborn screening that aim to detect affected babies earlier, more accurately and more fairly.

1 Feb 2026

Researchers identify key factor to help improve treatment for glioblastoma

A groundbreaking study from Brown University Health researchers has identified a crucial factor that may help improve treatment for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and common forms of adult brain cancer.

30 Jan 2026