Primary Care That’s Easier Than Ever

Your primary care physician is the point guard of your health care team. Not only do they care for you firsthand, but they work together with other providers, clinicians and specialists to bring the best expertise to you. Now, it’s easier than ever to find and see a primary care physician.

One of the main focuses of a primary care physician is preventive care. From administering vaccines that stave off pneumonia and influenza to connecting you with specialists for your colonoscopy or PAP smear, they are always thinking of what can be done now to keep you from developing an illness or disease. Beyond prevention, primary care physicians can be key in chronic disease management. Ranging from diabetes or high blood pressure to asthma in children, their experience and expertise in managing these conditions day-to-day helps keep you and your family well.

Primary care physicians are also at the ready to address any common illnesses that arise — whether it be an ear infection or a UTI. If ever a new symptom arises, your primary care physician can take on the role of a diagnostician, working to figure out what it may be and what care is needed. Because your doctor knows you and your medical history well, they may better recognize when minor signs or symptoms indicate something more serious going on with your health.

Online Scheduling

While the benefits of primary care are clear, it’s sometimes hard to find the time to locate a provider or schedule an appointment. Fortunately, BJC Medical Group now offers online scheduling anytime, day or night, at BJCOnlineScheduling.org. Through this online platform, both new and established patients have the ability to schedule an appointment with a primary care physician by providing some very basic information. All of the physicians listed on the website are accepting new patients, and it’s easily searchable by location or physician name.

E-Visits

Unfortunately, nuisances like colds, sinus infections and other illnesses do come up. While we often don’t want to miss work because of them, sometimes the symptoms are too severe to be handled without the help of a doctor. To make this care more convenient and accessible, established patients can now request an e-visit with a physician through another online platform called MyPatientChart.org. After completing the online form with important information about your symptoms, a nurse practitioner from BJC Medical Group will respond within a few hours, offering a diagnosis and course of treatment to help you get better. An added benefit is that an e-visit costs significantly less than a visit to urgent care.

These new services, BJC Online Scheduling and MyChart, are aimed at making it easier for patients to get the care they need — without leaving the comfort of their homes or interrupting their busy lives.

John Paul Shoup, MD, is a BJC Medical Group internal medicine and pediatrics physician in Wentzville, Mo. You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Shoup at BJCOnlineScheduling.org or by calling 636.928.WELL.