primary care

noun

: health care provided by a medical professional (such as a general practitioner, pediatrician, or nurse) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist

—often used before another noun

a primary care physician

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care

Examples of primary care in a Sentence

He provides primary care to inner-city patients.

Recent Examples on the Web

The only outlier was a high number of white blood cells, so she was advised to follow up with her primary care doctor. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Proud Firefighter Mom Dear Mom: A primary care physician is a great, and confidential, place to start. —R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

The woman was discharged and advised to follow up with her primary care doctor. —Ars Technica, 13 Feb. 2025

From the vans, residents can access primary care and OB-GYN services. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

primary care

noun

: health care provided by a medical professional (as a general practitioner or a pediatrician) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist for further treatment

—often used attributively

primary care physicians

primary care practice

primary care medicine

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care