Our Primary Care Providers Help Keep You Well with Preventive Medicine

Ask anyone about the role of a health care provider, and chances are they’ll immediately mention caring for people when they’re ill or injured. Of course, that’s a big part of their job. But primary care providers (PCPs) at Emory Healthcare aren’t just here to treat earaches, upset stomachs and viruses. Our PCPs also offer preventive medicine designed to ward off illness and injury, so you’re less likely to need their other services. With their expert help, you’ll be better positioned to avoid disease and disability and live a longer, healthier life.

Preventive medicine is nothing new. But in recent years, it’s taken on new importance. In fact, increasing preventive care is a priority of Healthy People 2030. This government initiative focuses on improving the health and well-being of all U.S. citizens by setting 10-year goals for the country.

Emory PCPs have always prioritized preventive care and recognized its importance. For many, that recognition has grown out of seeing patients time and again for the same conditions. Many chronic medical conditions that keep people returning to their providers are linked to factors such as diet, physical activity level, and smoking status. PCPs care for people when they’re sick, but also work to keep their patients well and prevent chronic disease by helping them make positive lifestyle changes. So, PCPs often counsel their patients on the best ways to make these changes to the root cause of these conditions in order to reach their health goals.

Our PCPs practices preventive medicine by:

• Evaluating whether your family health history puts your well-being at risk—and if so, offer guidance about keeping yourself healthy.
• Making sure you receive the appropriate immunizations.
• Scheduling recommended screening tests may help you find health issues early, so you can treat them before they become more serious.

The Power of Preventive Medicine

Diabetes screening offers a good example of the power of preventive medicine. With a simple blood test, you can learn if you have diabetes or prediabetes, a precursor to the disease. While prediabetes affects 96 million American adults, 80 percent don’t even know they have it. Over time, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss, and many other complications.

The good news about prediabetes is once you know you have it, you can take steps that may reverse it. And that preventive screening test can let you know. Then, by losing just 5 to 7 percent of your body weight if you’re overweight and walking briskly or doing some other activity for at least 150 minutes a week.

That’s preventive medicine at its best—and why it’s so valuable to have a skilled PCP in your corner. They can offer tips on healthier eating, adding physical activity into your day, and making lasting lifestyle changes that will benefit all aspects of your health.

For all your healthcare needs—preventive, acute, and chronic—your PCP will be at your side, offering education, support, and inspiration.

“Preventive care is important,” Melody Bowen, MD, an internist with Emory Clinic at Midtown, says. “I encourage my patients and let them know we will work together. I will be their advocate, whatever cards they have been dealt.” She hopes her patients understand two things when they’re in her care. “One, I want them to feel empowered. They can make positive changes in their health, and they can lean on me to be an active team member as they make those healthcare decisions,” she says. “And two, I am their advocate. I’m in their corner, supporting their health. I will be there to make sure they understand our plan and help them navigate the health care system.”

All of our PCPs are supported by and work together with Emory Healthcare’s specialists. With expertise in more than 70 different areas, we are Georgia’s most comprehensive academic health system. If you need their help, they’re available as well.