What do my taxes and my health have in common? Why do I need a primary care doctor?

April 17th, 2012

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.”  Almost everyone has a financial planner, accountant, or does their own taxes.  Then, why wouldn’t you want your health status checked annually?  Let’s say you are unfortunate and your taxes get audited, wouldn’t an accountant who knows your finances be a great resource?

The same logic goes for your health.  You don’t know you need a doctor until something truly catastrophic happens.  By establishing a relationship with a primary care doctor (also called a general practioner, family medicine doctor, internist, internal medicine specialist), you have gained a partner who can advise you on ways to improve your health, detect chronic illnesses early, and rapidly treat acute illnesses early.

Let me illustrate this point with an example.  I once had a patient who called me complaining of a strange tingling pain on the skin over the right side of his back.  I immediately recognized the symptoms as early herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles and called in a prescription with the instructions that he take the medication immediately.  He did eventually develop shingles, but a very mild form as a result of his early treatment (less than 24 hours of initial onset).  He was very thankful when I saw him at a later date and recounted to me how a friend of his had gotten shingles, but had waited a week before getting help because that was the earliest he could get an appointment with a new physician.  That delay caused the painful rash to continue for six weeks compared with my patients milder form at two weeks.

Just like you should keep copies of tax returns, you should also keep track of your blood test results, surgical reports of biopsies, and a record of your medications.  Put your medical information in a place where it is easily accessible and secure, such as next to your passport, birth certificate, etc.  If you ever need to be rushed to the emergency room, you will save yourself the frustration of trying to remember all your past medical history as you are asked by the ER staff while you may not be feeling well.  I can’t tell you how many times I get the answer, “I take a yellow oval pill, a blue round pill, and a oblong white pill.”  Unfortunately, most doctors don’t know what a fraction of all the medications look like, and one medication can have multiple generic forms made in different countries with a whole array of colors, shapes, and sizes.

When you see your doctor, be sure to ask for paper copies of your lab results to keep for your records.  Though doctors are required to keep medical records, don’t rely on that in an emergency situation as the office may be closed or you may find yourself relocating at some point.  Your health is more important than your finances, and you should put just as much effort into maintaining it by getting regular check-ups.