Steven Fochios, MD

First find the Primary Care Doctor that best fits your needs, review their experience, and determine that the location is convenient for you. Then, from that page, upload your insurance information. The Doctor’s office will contact you to verify whether your plan is accepted. 

Many plans allow for access to out of network providers for the same out of pocket cost as in network providers.

The Medical specialties that are considered Primary Care are: Internal Medicine, General Practice, OB/GYN, Family Medicine and Pediatrics. There are subspecialties within that group.

The most common conditions seen by Primary Care practices are: upper respiratory tract infection, hypertension, routine health exam, arthritis, diabetes, depression or anxiety, pneumonia, ear infection, back pain, and dermatitis.

Family doctors, Internists/General Practitioners, OB-GYNs, and Pediatricians are all considered PCPs. You may want to choose a PCP who is specially trained to deal with a particular area of care. Board certification is an extra step doctors can take to verify that they are experts in a particular field. The American Board of Medical Specialties maintains a searchable database of board-certified doctors called Certification Matters.  In addition, you should try to get references, make sure the office is convenient, the staff is friendly and professional and that the Doctor accepts your insurance.

A Primary Care Provider (PCP) is usually your first medical contact. PCPs help coordinate health care and ensure patients are up to date with check-ups, tests, and immunizations. PCPs play a special role in coordinating patient care. There is some speculation among Physicians as to whether Specialists keep current with the broad range of primary care topics that fall outside of their area of expertise. Some studies conclude that though health outcomes may be similar, outpatient visits, hospitalizations and the costs of seeing a Specialist versus a PCP tend to be higher.

A recent study suggests that women who choose an OB/GYN as their primary care physician may miss out on more-comprehensive care. If you have health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, you may need a primary care physician. PCPs have the expertise to manage and coordinate overall health measures. It is strongly recommended that women have both an annual well-woman exam with their OB/GYN and a complete physical with and Internal Medicine Doctor or General Practitioner.

There are two kinds of primary care specialties that apply to men depending on their age and general health: Internal medicine and Family medicine. If chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease are present, an Internist may be better suited because their training is based on organ systems and the traditional model of disease treatment. Family doctors have broader training; from pediatric to geriatric medicine, including: medical, surgical, and trauma-related problems. This indicates a more integrative approach.

In short, no. Your first appointment is when the Doctor will obtain the information he/she will need to provide appropriate care. Your initial visit may include providing information on topics such as: your health history and family medical history, any current medications, new symptoms, personal and lifestyle information.

A routine physical exam measures important vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Your Doctor will evaluate your body using observation, palpitation, percussion, and auscultation (listening to your heart, lungs with a stethoscope). Imaging studies may include X-rays, computer- tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MRI) scans and an electrocardiogram (EKG). Common laboratory tests may include a blood test, a urine specimen and certain symptoms may require taking stool and sputum cultures.

Pre-employment examinations may include physical exams as well as health inquiries including drug and alcohol tests, psychological tests, and physical or mental health assessments. Most of the rules pertaining to pre-employment physical exams are covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

They are similar exams, for different reasons and different in scope. A company physical exam is not in-depth; it is designed to assess the employee's ability to perform specific job-related functions. Annual exams are in-depth full body reviews that cover all major functions of the body, both physical and mental.

An “office visit” is an appointment to discuss new or existing health problems. This may include prescribing medications, ordering additional tests, in-office procedures or referrals to specialists. A “physical” or “preventive health exam” is a thorough review of your general wellbeing and may include a complete physical.

Here are some approximate metrics for Covid 19 test types and when
results may be available:

Test

Description

Results Ready

Rapid Antigen

In-person Nasal Swab

15 minutes to 3 days

Covid PCR

In-person nasal Swab

48-72 hours 

Take-home saliva kit

Same day may be available

Covid antibody

In-person finger pick

10 minutes to a few days

Your surgeon may request a medical evaluation by your Primary Care Physician before performing your surgery. A medical clearance is essentially authorization from an evaluating doctor that a patient is cleared, or deemed healthy enough, for a proposed surgery.

A preoperative physical examination is essentially the same thing as getting 'medical clearance. It is performed at the request of a surgeon to ensure that a patient is healthy enough to safely undergo anesthesia and surgery. This evaluation includes a physical examination, cardiac evaluation, lung function assessment, and appropriate laboratory tests.

The purpose of medical clearance is to assess your personal risk related to undergoing a surgical procedure. If you have comorbidities your surgeon may want another doctor familiar with your medical history to offer perspective on whether the procedure is safe for you and ways to reduce risk.

Your surgeon may require routine laboratory tests before your procedure to identify potential problems that might complicate surgery if not detected and treated in advance. A blood test will show if you have a blood-clotting problem and may be at risk of too much bleeding during surgery.  Urinalysis may be used to detect urinary tract infections, renal diseases and poorly controlled diabetes.

Your Primary Care Physician is the Doctor who manages your medical care. He/she will provide the appropriate information.

A patient's medical history, physical exam and labs are valid for 30 days. EKG's that are normal are valid for 90 days. These parameters may vary if the patient has comorbidities.

Getting medical clearance for a fitness program is a good idea (and may be required by some fitness professionals) if you're unsure of your health status or have multiple health problems. There are many medical issues that can affect the type, duration or intensity of the exercise you might be performing: high blood pressure, heart rate limitations, bone or joint injuries etc. It is very important that your fitness instructor knows if you may have health related restrictions before beginning an exercise program.

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to filter your results by gender. That way, you’ll only see Doctors who match your preferences.

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to filter for Primary Care Doctors with availability after 5 p.m. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

PreferredMD’s online service uses a purple video icon on the profiles of Primary Care Doctors who offer online video visits. You can filter your search results to show only Doctors who offer video consultations.

Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same rate as in-person visits. You can search on PreferredMD specifically for Primary Care Doctors who accept your insurance for video visits. Select your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page to verify. If that information is not available, we recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to search specifically for Primary Care Doctors who have appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to see real-time availability for Primary Care Doctors that offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

You should check with your Primary Care Physician to confirm whether they offer CV-19 testing. You can also check with your local health department. Testing may be available in other local facilities, such as urgent care clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and free-standing pop up locations. Some of these will require you to physically go inside; others may be drive-through.

A preventive visit is a review of your overall health, to identify risks and find out how to stay healthy. Some insurance plans cover 100% of a preventive visit if you see a doctor in your plan network. An office visit is for the purpose of discussing or getting treated for a specific health concern or condition. You may have to pay for the visit as part of your deductible, copay and/or coinsurance.

Now that you’re here, you can use PreferredMD’s free online service to find Primary Care Doctors and book appointments instantly. You can easily search for an appointment in your desired location and specify your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of Doctors who meet your search criteria, accept your insurance, and their available appointment slots.

PreferredMD patients can often get same day appointments; on average within 24 hours. You can search for real-time availability of appointments with Primary Care Doctors in your area, who accept your insurance and make an appointment online. 

You can use PreferredMD’s online service to find Primary Care Doctors who are highly rated by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on PreferredMD, they are invited to review their experience. All ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Each review must comply with PreferredMD’s guidelines.