Akademik

primary care n 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

health care provided by general practitioner or other health professionals to whom patients seeking medical treatment have direct access and to whom they can usually self-refer. As well as the GP service, primary care services provided by the NHS include the general dental and ophthalmic services, together with NHS walk-in centre and other community services outside the hospital service. See also community health, domiciliary services, general dental services, health centre, NHS Direct. Compare secondary care, tertiary care.