The most fundamental level of access to health care is primary health care. Primary health care focuses on preventing diseases and maintaining a person's health. As such, it's the “primary type of health service” used by most people most of the time. Let's say a patient needs an annual physical exam, get a flu shot, or treat their seasonal allergies. In those cases, they are likely to see a primary care provider (PCP).
If a person has a new problem or condition, they will usually also start primary health care for basic evaluation and treatment. Secondary care providers are specialists in their area of expertise and have received additional training to achieve that level of experience. Levels of care refer to the complexity of medical cases, the types of conditions a doctor treats, and their specialties. Finally, and most importantly, PCPs help patients access higher levels of care by making referrals and ensuring that all patient needs are met. Palliative care is usually provided when there is no cure for the patient's illness and usually when the patient's life expectancy is six months or less.
In these cases, patients can receive long-term care by moving to a care facility or having long-term care providers visit them at home. This level of care often includes grief care and other emotional support services for the patient's family and loved ones. Patients seek secondary care for a wide variety of reasons, in many places and on a scheduled or unscheduled basis. As the first and broadest level of care, a primary care provider can offer a wide range of services. You'll also be better prepared to manage health insurance-related issues that may arise when you move to a new level.
The next level of medical care is known as tertiary care, which usually occurs when a patient is hospitalized or requires a more specialized level of care than can be provided by a primary or secondary professional. Having a medical home allows older patients and those with multiple chronic medical conditions to receive more efficient and higher-quality care, as it is coordinated in one place (AHRQ, 202). Now that you have a better idea of why levels of care in healthcare are so important, it's time to dive deeper into what each level involves in terms of the patient experience, the services provided, and the provider's responsibilities. Emergency departments are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so patients can get the care they need at any time.
In addition to these primary levels of care, other levels of medical care may include emergency and emergency care, palliative care, long-term care, and mental health care. Primary care providers play a critical role in ensuring that patients receive the care they need based on the severity of their symptoms, improving patient outcomes and reducing the misuse of emergency room visits or other hospital resources. In this case, the patient's acute problem was managed by a team of secondary healthcare providers for an extended period.
