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.

Annual physicals important as you grow older

A comprehensive physical exam

The older you get, the more you need to keep track of your health on a yearly basis. An annual physical can spot the early warning signs of dangerous medical conditions before they cost you money or your life.

An annual physicals should cover every aspect of your health, starting with your blood pressure, pulse, breathing and temperature. The doctor will listen for any signs of trouble in your heartbeat and breathing, and will go over your medical history. If you have noticed any symptoms, this is the time to bring them up. There may be an eye, ear, nose and throat exam, and the doctor may also check your teeth and gums along with your skin, abdomen, joints and extremities. Your reflexes, balance and mental state might also be tested. For men, there may be a genital examination or hernia tests. For women, there may be a breast or pelvic exam. The doctor may order lab tests, including a blood sugar test to assess the risk of diabetes.

Getting an annual physical in Germantown, MD

The best place to get an annual physicals 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 visiting for the first time, bring your insurance card and a picture ID. The clinic accepts Aetna including the Medicare Advantage HMO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Beech Street, Cigna, Coventry, Healthgram, Human Choicecare, Medcost, Medicare and Railroad Medicare and United Healthcare. If you do not have any of these, contact them to find out if your insurance is accepted. Call today.

You should have a sports physical every year

Sports physicals required in Germantown

If you want to go into sports next year, or if you are already looking forward to your next season, the first thing you should do is get a sports physical exam. This is required in Maryland for anyone beginning a new sport or a new season, and should be done about six weeks before the season begins.

The physical will include looking at your strength, flexibility, joints and posture during the sports physical. The doctor will perform a vision test and check your ears, nose, throat and abdomen, and will also take your pulse and blood pressure and record your weight and height.

The doctor will also examine your medical history. Either you or your parents or guardians should fill out a form, discussing medications you take, injuries you have suffered, medical problems you have had, times you spent in the hospital, allergies, chronic illnesses or any medical problems your family has a history of. The doctor will be trying to get a sense of the health of your whole family.

Getting a sports physical

The best place for a sports physical exam in the Germantown area is Germantown Primary Care Associates, 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, the Chief Medical Officer, was recently named one of the TOP doctors of 2015. You will not need to do this for future visits. Schedule an appointment today.

Pre-college physical exams an important health step

The pre-college physical exam

If your son or daughter is planning to go to a new college at the start of the year, you should know that he or she may be required to take a pre-college physical exam first. Even if your son or daughter is not required to do so, you should still encourage him or her to do so. Looking after their own health on a day-to-day basis is an important step in achieving independence for your children. If your family has a regular doctor, send him or her there. If not, you should try a primary care facility.

A pre-college physical exam looks at medical history and current health. Be sure to bring records of all immunizations he or she has received. If he or she had all childhood vaccinations, he or she may still need booster shots and the annual flu shot. You may also wish to persuade them to get a meningitis shot.

Bring the medical history of your child, so the doctor can read through it. The doctor will discuss the particular health issues of your son or daughter, including how to stay healthy on campus and what dangers to avoid. Your child should pack a personal medical kit with pain relievers, bandages, cold and hot packs, cough medicine, wound cream, a thermometer and whatever medicine they normally take. Let them know if they are still covered by your insurance.

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. Get your son or daughter to make an appointment today.