Choosing your family doctor: The different types of primary care providers

Your primary care provider is more than someone you visit once a year for a physical – they’re your trusted health care partner and help navigate your well-being throughout the different stages of life.

“Primary care providers are like the quarterback of the medical team,” said Patrick Courtney, MD, a family medicine provider at MercyOne North Iowa Family Medicine Residency. “We collaborate with the specialists while also keeping the whole of your care in mind.”

There are three main primary care specialties – pediatrics, family medicine and internal medicine.

Pediatrics

The main factor setting pediatrics apart from family medicine and internal medicine is the age of patients. While both family medicine and internal medicine providers see adults, pediatrics is focused on children.

“Pediatricians train more in-depth for different diseases and conditions that affect children and adolescents,” said Sara Schutte-Schenck, DO, who sees children at MercyOne Ankeny Pediatrics Care. “We hone in on an age group more and spend a lot of our training learning the development of the human mind and human body.”

Pediatricians provide care for:

• Children from birth to 21-years-old
• Growth disorders
• Genetic disorders like Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder
• ADD and ADHD
• Learning and behavioral challenges
• Chronic disease management like chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease
• And more

“Primary care providers are like the quarterback of the medical team." - Patrick Courtney, MD

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you see a pediatrician up until 21-years-old, though many people switch anytime after turning 18-years-old.

“Oftentimes there’s a natural progression for our patients from seeing a pediatrician to an adult care provider,” said Dr. Schutte-Schenck. “After they graduate high school there can be a gray area during college years, but we do everything we can to keep the continuity of care.”

Family Medicine 

Family medicine providers are typically who you think of when you talk about a primary care provider. They see patients of all ages: from newborn babies to older adults, they provide care for the whole family!

“Family medicine providers are proud generalists,” said Dr. Courtney. “I imagine it like this: all three have the same volume of water in their cups, but family medicine has a broader and shallower cup. Internal medicine and pediatricians are deeper but narrower.”

Using a holistic approach, family medicine providers care for the breadth of life.

“I can go straight from seeing a 97-year-old patient to a 12-month-old,” said Dr. Courtney. “We’re kind of the specialists for common medical conditions.”

Care provided by family medicine providers:

• Acute care visits
• Annual wellness exams
• Geriatric care
• Management of chronic disease like high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, heart disease
• Mental/behavioral health care
• Musculoskeletal care
• Urgent care visits
• And more

“I know my patients very well. I know their current medical problems, past medical problems, family medical history, what’s important in their lives.” - Lazaro Rabang, MD

Internal Medicine

While pediatricians no longer see patients once they’re adults, internal medicine providers, or internists, only see patients aged 18 years and older.

“Internists care for patients 18 years old and above, especially if you have multiple chronic diseases or complicated conditions,” said Lazaro Rabang, MD, an internal medicine physician at MercyOne Urbandale Internal Medicine and MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. “We also are able to either work within inpatient settings as hospitalists or in outpatient settings, like a clinic.”

Most subspeciality providers in medicine, like cardiologists or pulmonologists, must train within the field of internal medicine first.

Internal medicine providers specialize in diagnosing, treating and preventing disease in their adult patients. Care by internists includes:

• Complicated or numerous chronic conditions
• Endocrine disorders
• Heart and vascular disease
• Geriatric care
• Rheumatic conditions like autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal diseases and connective tissue disorders
• And more

“I know my patients very well,” said Dr. Rabang. “I know their current medical problems, past medical problems, family medical history, what’s important in their lives. Primary care providers take care of the whole person.”

Continuity of care

Not only does your primary care provider get to know you well, but also your family.

“I have my second generation of families coming to see me,” said Dr. Schutte-Schenck. “Babies I cared for have grown up and now I’m taking care of their babies! It is just so rewarding.”

Your primary care provider is also your go-to trusted health expert for preventive care.

“I really like the continuity of care,” said Dr. Courtney. “With primary care we can help keep people out of the hospital.”

If you don’t have a primary care provider, find one near you.