A primary care practitioner can help you stay healthier this winter

As temperatures drop and cold and flu season arrives, many people start thinking about what they can do to stay healthy through the winter months.

One of the most important steps is also one of the simplest: having a primary care practitioner you know and trust.

A primary care practitioner is often the first person you turn to when you are sick, but their role goes well beyond treating coughs, fevers and other seasonal illnesses. Primary care practitioners help patients manage their overall health throughout the year — from preventive screenings and vaccinations to chronic conditions, medications and changes in health that may need additional attention.

"Establishing a relationship with a primary care provider is one of the most important decisions a person can make," said Eugide Othepa, MD, who sees patients at TidalHealth Primary Care in South Ocean Pines. "It allows you to have someone in your corner to advocate for care when it comes to a specialist. You also have someone who will screen for diseases, treat preventable diseases and — most importantly — provide you with a patient standard of care based on your personal history, family history and social history."

That ongoing relationship can be particularly valuable during the winter, when illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, tend to circulate more widely.

When you already have an established primary care practitioner, you have someone who knows your medical history, medications and individual health needs. That context can help guide care when you become ill and make it easier to identify when a symptom may be more than a routine seasonal illness.

Primary care is also an important part of prevention.