Where to find a primary care physician

What a primary care physician will do for you

A primary care physician should be a friend whose competence and judgment you trust absolutely —one you would turn to in any crisis. Specialists deal with specific health problems, but your primary care physician is the only one who can tell you how healthy you are on the whole. A primary care physician deals with everyday illnesses and injuries. When a specialist is needed, he or she can determine what sort of specialist is needed and can coordinate your care. A primary care physician also keeps track of the health of patients on a year by year basis, looking for warning signs of heart disease or other long-term health issues.

A primary care physician should work at a facility that offers the widest possible range of services. These services include wellness exams, tests for heart and lung health, treatment for strains, sprains, broken bones, burns and puncture wounds, x-ray services, medical evaulations that can diagnose anything from allergic reactions to Lyme disease, childhood vaccinations as well as booster shots and travel vaccinations, breast exams and prostate exams. Look for a primary care facility that has its own clinical lab. This will save you a great deal of time if you ever need lab work done.

Excellent primary care physicians in Germantown, MD

Germantown Primary Care Associates is the best primary care facility in the Germantown area, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer. Make an appointment today.

Annual physicals important as you age

Annual physicals necessary for tracking your health

You may not be able to spot the early warning signs of diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure through self-diagnosis. You will need annual physicals as you grow older, to catch these illnesses before they catch you. If your insurance plan covers annual physicals, you should not hesitate to take advantage of this. Even young people may need an annual physical if they are in less than perfect health.

An annual physical should cover every aspect of your health. The basic steps that will be part of any exam include checking your blood pressure, pulse, breathing and temperature. A good primary care physician will tailor the exam to your age, gender and family history. He or she will examine your medical history, including habits, diet and exercise. If you have noticed anything that might be a symptom of a health problem, this is the best time to bring it up.

Getting an annual physical in Germantown, MD

Since annual physicals are a fairly basic function of primary care, the best place to get one is a primary care facility. Germantown Primary Care Associates is the best primary care facility in the Germantown area, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer. You can download a copy of the registration form from their Web site for your first visit. You will not need to do this for later visits. Make an appointment for an annual physical exam today.

Primary care provider offers many services

How a primary care provider can help you

A primary care provider is someone who can provide basic medical care, perform annual physicals, coordinate care and refer you to a specialist if necessary, and take steps to deal with minor health problems before they develop into life-threatening illnesses. Everybody in Germantown, MD needs one. This might not need to be a doctor — he or she could be a physician assistant or nurse practitioner — but he or she needs to be able to respond quickly to requests for help or an appointment.

The provider should offer annual physicals, as well as specialized physicals for students and athletes. Look for a primary care facility with its own clinical laboratory. If you ever need lab work done, you will be able to have the work done and get the results much faster.

Best primary care provider in Germantown, MD

The best primary care provider in the Germantown area is Germantown Primary Care Associates, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer. When going there for the first time, bring your insurance card and a picture ID. You should also bring a list of whatever medications you take, along with the dosage of these medications, any recent test results you have received from other physicians, and whatever other information you think may be useful to them. Download a copy of the registration form from their Web site for your first visit. This will speed up the process of checking in. Make an appointment today.

You may be required to take a pre-college physical exam

What the exam includes

If you are going to a new university or college at the start of the year, you may need to take a pre-college physical exam before enrolling. Even if you are not, this is a good idea.

A pre-college physical exam looks at your medical history as well as your current health. Here are some of the things you should be ready for:

• The physical examination. This usually involves checking over almost everything, and measuring height, weight and blood pressure. Bring your medical history.

• Immunizations. Bring records of all immunizations you have had. You may need booster shots, a meningitis shot or an annual flu shot.

• Health and lifestyle counseling. This part comes after the results of the other exams. The doctor will talk to you about your health issues, how to stay healthy on campus and what dangers to avoid.

• Lab tests. These do not always happen. Common tests include cholesterol tests, and tests for thyroid problems and anemia.

• Transition of care and insurance issues. Transition of care simply means you take care of yourself now. Start by packing a personal medical kit with pain relievers, bandages, cold and hot packs, cough medicine, wound cream, a thermometer and whatever medicine you normally take.

Where to get one in Germantown

The best place to get a pre-college physical exam in the Germantown area is Germantown Primary Care Associates, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer. Make an appointment today.

Less common vaccinations

You may need a meningitis shot

In addition to flu shots, booster shots and the infant immunization schedule, there are other vaccinations that you may also wish to consider. Bacterial meningitis affects 1,000 to 1,200 people in the U.S. each year. It strikes suddenly and carries the danger of hearing loss and brain damage, but can be treated with antibiotics. A student going to college may need a meningitis shot.

Travel vaccinations and HPV

Early in 2015, 29 Americans fell ill from an outbreak of hepatitis A in Mexico. If you plan to travel, getting travel vaccinations is not only wise, but sometimes required. In some countries, for example, the government will make you take the yellow fever vaccine and meningitis vaccine before coming. The proof of these vaccines is the yellow card, and you will need it in order to enter. Recommended travel vaccinations are just a good idea. At the Traveler Information Center of the CDC Web site, you can find out which vaccines, if any, you will be required to take and which are recommended. Some of these vaccines need to be given in two to three doses over the course of several months, so plan ahead.

In the United States, 26,800 cases of cancer each year can be traced to the human papillomavirus. Vaccination against it is already widespread enough to cut the rate of HPV infections among teenage girls by over half. More immunization could defeat it entirely.

Immunization services in Germantown, MD

All these vaccinations can be had at Germantown Primary Care Associates, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. The Chief Medical Officer is Dr. Manbir Takhar. Download a copy of the registration form from their Web site for your first visit to speed up the process of checking in. Make an appointment today.

Look for the right doctor

Services of a doctor

Choosing a doctor for yourself and your family is one of the most important decisions you can make. A good doctor strives to always be there for his or her patients. A good doctor earns the trust of patients, and monitors the progress of their health from year to year. A good doctor is someone can discuss any and all medical issues with, no matter how personal. With the right doctor, you and your loved ones can live longer and happier lives.

Your doctor should be able to perform vaccinations and physicals. He or she should be able to deal with injuries that do not require emergency treatment. He or she should be able to diagnose and treat rashes, earache, vomiting, and cope with diseases such as pneumonia, allergic reactions, bladder infections, eye infections and Lyme disease. He or she should be able to do a wellness exam, prostate exam, Pap smear or diagnose and treat STDs — or should at least be part of a primary care facility that includes these among its services.

Finding a doctor in Germantown, MD

GermantownPrimary Care Associates has been serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown for more than twenty years, with a staff that hails from many different parts of the world. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer.

Bring your insurance card and a picture ID. You should also bring a list of whatever medications you take along with the dosage, any recent test results you may have gotten from other physicians, and any other information that might be useful. Make an appointment today.

Primary care is a basic necessity

How a primary care provider can help you

Everyone needs a primary care provider. This is someone who can provide you with basic medical care, give you an annual physical, refer you to specialists and coordinate care between them. Whoever provides you with primary care can be a doctor, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

A good primary care provider should offer a broad range of services at extended hours. These services should include urgent medical care and any vaccinations you or your family may need, including those that are sometimes needed for overseas travel. The provider should also offer physicals — annual physicals for everyone, and specialized physicals for athletes and students going back to school or to college. Look for a primary care facility that has its own clinical lab. This will save time if you ever need lab work done.

The best primary care provider in Germantown, MD

The best primary care provider in the Germantown area is Germantown Primary Care Associates, serving patients in Montgomery County, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Hyattstown. Dr. Manbir Takhar is the Chief Medical Officer. When going there for the first time, be sure to bring your insurance card and a picture ID. You should also bring a list of whatever medications you take, along with the dosage of these medications, any recent test results you have received from other physicians, and whatever other information you think may be useful to them. Download a copy of the registration form from their Web site for your first visit — this will speed up the process of checking in. You will not need to do this for later visits. Make an appointment today.