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

Humana, for example, operates hundreds of primary care clinics for seniors through its CenterWell and Conviva businesses. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 July 2024

The study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, looked at primary care data from the United Kingdom. —Erin Blakemore, Washington Post, 30 June 2024

According to the medical examiner’s report, a psychiatrist and an anesthesiologist who also served as Perry’s primary care physician were the only medical professionals known to be treating Perry in October. —Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2024

Impact Health teams up with care managers at primary care offices to connect Medicaid patients with local nonprofit agencies that regularly deliver food boxes with fresh fruit and vegetables along with non-perishable items, made to meet the nutritional and cultural needs of families. —Alia Sajani, STAT, 25 June 2024

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