Do You Have a Primary Care Physician? If Not, It’s Time to Get One.

When was the last time you saw your primary care physician (PCP), that health care professional who is your particular partner in advocating for your health?

You do have a PCP, right?

Unfortunately, many U.S. adults do not. In fact, a recent study of 10 first world countries showed that U.S. adults were the least likely to have a longstanding relationship with a PCP despite its widely recognized importance.

Primary care is a critical part of health care and the PCP an essential partner for every adult. The PCP is your first line of defense for preventive care, diagnosing and managing the treatment of nearly any disease or condition, and helping you live as healthy a life as possible for as long as possible. In a complex health care industry like ours in the U.S., the PCP is vital.

One U.S. adult who wholeheartedly believes this is 68-year-old Leslie Wagner of Schuylkill Haven. It would be difficult to find someone who is a bigger believer than Wagner.

“The role of the PCP is so important. They really are ‘primary,’” Wagner says. “They are someone who sees the whole picture. And if you have a PCP you can really, really talk with, that’s the ideal.”

Wagner’s PCP is Cristin Weicker, DO, with LVPG Internal Medicine. Their relationship goes back more than 15 years.

“I had been hospitalized for a stomach issue and my physician at the time, who was associated with a different health care organization, wouldn’t visit me in the hospital,” Wagner recalls. “Dr. Weicker was there covering for him. She was compassionate and caring, and she really listened to me.”

Wagner decided then and there that Dr. Weicker would be her PCP. Soon, she introduced her new PCP to her husband and parents, who also made Dr. Weicker their PCP. The family connection aligned perfectly with Dr. Weicker’s approach to care.

“I always try to talk with patients like they’re family,” Dr. Weicker says. “A PCP should be someone you can talk with about anything.”

Over the years, Wagner and Dr. Weicker have talked about many things, and worked through several health challenges, including psoriasis, sciatica and shingles. The most serious challenge arose in 2020.

“Leslie got COVID and became very ill,” Dr. Weicker says. “She was hospitalized and on a ventilator for weeks.”

That was bad enough. Then things got worse.

Wagner’s blood sugar had been borderline high. In the hospital, it skyrocketed and Wagner developed diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition that can be brought on by serious illness. The A1C test is used to measure blood sugar levels. A1C results below 5.7 are normal. A1C results above 6.5 indicate diabetes. Wagner’s A1C was 15. She was immediately started on insulin.

The DKA crisis passed, but diabetes would remain an ongoing fact of life for Leslie. It would need to be carefully managed – along with the high blood pressure and risk for kidney damage that too often go hand-in-hand with diabetes. Plus, Wagner was still in the process of recovering from COVID. Much of the time, she wasn’t aware of all that Dr. Weicker was doing for her behind the scenes.

“I learned later that she was calling nearly every day I was hospitalized to see how I was doing,” Wagner says. And when Wagner had difficulty paying for some of her medications, Dr. Weicker made a few more calls, checking with local pharmacies for the cost of alternative medications.

The A1C goal for most people with diabetes is 7 or less, and Wagner has had trouble getting there. (She admits that she could do a better job of following the diet Dr. Weicker recommends.) But the last time she saw Dr. Weicker, her A1C was down to 6.9.

“Dr. Weicker danced into the room that day,” Wagner says, laughing.

The patient and her PCP will continue to meet every three months or so until Dr. Weicker is sure Wagner’s A1C really is under control. She’d also like to see her lose some weight. And, they are looking into the back pain that has been bothering her.

“Dr. Weicker and I are partners in my care,” Wagner says. “She coordinates my care, she explains and translates things for me. She discusses with me choices and possible outcomes so I have a clear understanding of what is happening with my body. She discusses everything with me and gets my approval. She takes care of me every step of the way.”

If you have a PCP, make sure you see him or her regularly. If you don’t have a PCP, make a point of getting one as soon as possible. It can make all the difference for your health.