Doctor’s Day Message from Dr. Terry Steyer: Primary Care is Crucial for Your Ongoing Health Care

Doctor’s Day is March 30, and the perfect excuse to recognize all of MUSC Health’s physicians and especially our primary care providers across the state of South Carolina. It is also an ideal time to address precisely what primary care is — and why having a primary care provider is so important.

Selecting a primary care provider that you can count on is one of the single best things you can do for your health. This person is your home base, the first stop when things don’t seem right. This provider is someone you should see every year, even when all seems well, so they can help to prevent, diagnose, and treat conditions you may or may not be aware of. Throughout every phase of your life, a primary care provider should be your point of entry into other parts of the health care system that you may need from time to time.

MUSC Health primary care providers across South Carolina — Charleston, Lancaster, Florence, and the Midlands — are here to guide and refer you to other medical professionals and specialists who can help manage health concerns that come your way.

Here are a few reasons why having a primary care provider is so important.

Primary care is a one-stop-shop

Primary care provides a place where patients with a wide range of health concerns can be seen and, in most cases, have their issues resolved, all in one place. If the matter requires attention beyond the scope of primary care, we can refer you to someone we trust.

You’re part of a complete team

That’s right — we’re a team – an expert team of health care workers — from nurse practitioners and registered nurses to physicians and physician assistants and front desk staff to certified medical assistants. We each offer a unique perspective to address your needs and offer you quality health care. We provide health care for the whole person so you can talk to us about anything — from depression to a sore throat to a weird, new pain in your arm — that’s concerning you.

A primary care relationship builds familiarity and tailored care

Building a relationship with a primary care team means we all become more familiar with each other. We’ll become acquainted with the intricacies of your health and wellness, while your growing familiarity with us will increase your trust and confidence in your personalized care. Knowing who you are and all you’ve been through saves time (and the emotion) you’d otherwise spend retelling your medical history.

Primary care builds patient autonomy

Our goal at MUSC Health Primary Care is to give our patients the confidence to take control of their health. Building an ongoing relationship with a primary care team means fostering your participation in your care, giving you the tools you need to comfortably and confidently make decisions about your health.

Primary care provides disease prevention and early detection

Primary care can be lifesaving as it allows us to detect signs of disease early and make changes to prevent further disease development. Again, we prioritize whole health, so recommending preventive health measures that promote whole-body wellness is a priority.

We’re building healthy bridges

A primary care team builds bridges between personal care, patient families, the immediate community, and beyond. We help you find the care you need when you need it, introducing you to teams and services beyond our doors, if necessary.

Do you have your routine primary care appointment in place for the upcoming year?

MUSC Health primary care providers in Charleston, Lancaster, Florence and the Midlands are accepting patients now. For more information on our primary care services, to find a provider, or to schedule an appointment today, call 843-792-7000 or visit us here.

Terry Steyer, M.D., is MUSC Health’s Primary Care Integrated Centers of Clinical Excellence (ICCE) Chief and believes in taking care of the whole patient and the patient’s family. His specialties are primary care and family medicine, with further interests in preventive medicine and chronic disease management. Dr. Steyer guides patients with chronic disease management by giving them the proper care and addressing environmental factors (like stress) that are often unaddressed health care barriers.