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.

Benefits of Primary Health Care

Strategies to Improve Shortage of Primary Health Care

Effective Communication in Primary Care Teams

Benefits of Primary Care Intervention

Choosing a Primary Care Provider

Multidisciplinary Primary Care Teams

Latest Primary Care News and Research

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

First-of-its-kind clinical guidance on psychedelic medicine released

Unbound Medicine and Johns Hopkins Medicine today announced a significant expansion of the Johns Hopkins Psychiatry POC-IT Guide, a leading digital resource for clinicians and trainees worldwide.

30 Jan 2026

Key risk factors identified for long-term relapse in alcohol use disorder

John F. Kelly, PhD, of the Recovery Research Institute and Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, is the lead author of a paper published in Frontiers in Public Health, "Long-term relapse: markers, mechanisms, and implications for disease management in alcohol use disorder."

30 Jan 2026

Young adults with complex childhood conditions experience longer hospital stays, higher readmissions

Young adults with complex chronic childhood-onset conditions such as sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis experience longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates and greater use of resources in adult hospitals, according to a new study in JAMA Network Open.

29 Jan 2026