Primary Care
What is Primary Care?
Your primary care practitioner is the hub of your care – they coordinate everything related to your health, including specialists, referrals, medications, behavioral and mental health services, and much more.
What makes BNWS primary care unique?
Our providers pride themselves on truly listening to you and answering your questions so that you are empowered to live your healthiest life. Our care is centered around the patient – we want to help you meet health goals that are important to you.
Our care team includes internal medicine, geriatric physicians and adult and family nurse practitioners.
What to expect?
To become our patient, you will see one of our providers for a longer visit to establish care. Once you are an established patient you can schedule for follow-up visits, sick visits, and other services.
If you are having an urgent need or health issue after normal business hours, there is always a BNWS provider on-call ready to speak with you.
Your care may include:
In 1996, the National Academy of Medicine (then known as the Institute of Medicine) defined primary care as:
“The provision of integrated, accessible, health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of the family and the community.”
Annual Wellness Visits (Medicare patients only)
Patients with Medicare will have this wellness visit with one of our nurse practitioners once a year. The purpose of the visit is to ensure our health information about you is up to date.
Session includes:
A review of your medical and family history
Developing or updating a list of current providers and prescriptions
Height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements
Detection of any cognitive impairment
Detection of any gait or walking impairment
Personalized health advice
A screening schedule (like a checklist) for appropriate preventive services. Get details about coverage for screenings, shots, and other preventive services.
Advance care planning
Learn more here.
Annual physicals (non-Medicare)
This is your basic doctor visit and checkup. Your health history, vital signs, and general health will be checked.
Care Coordination and Chronic Care Management
Effective care coordination is integral to managing your chronic conditions and improving outcomes. Part of that is being available to our patients to answer any questions or concerns they may have at any time. The care coordinator is your first point of contact if you have any questions for your doctor or other providers in our practice, or if you have any needs arise regarding your health.
Chronic Care Management is a service provided by Medicare to help patients to reach their health goals and avoid going to the hospital. A chronic condition is a health condition that’s expected to last for at least 12 months. Examples are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, asthma, COPD, atrial fibrillation (A. fib), joint disease, chronic pain.
Patients who have 2 or more chronic conditions are eligible for this service which includes:
Assessing the needs and goals important to you
Creating a proactive care plan
Monitoring goal progress and following up with you
Supporting your self-management of conditions
You can reach our care coordinators during business hours at:
Advanced Care Planning
Our experienced physicians and nurse practitioners can start a conversation with you and your family about what plans are in place in case you become unable to speak for yourself. We can assist you with filling out an advanced directive and a MOLST form as part of your yearly wellness visit.
After Hours On-Call
If you are having an urgent need or health issue after normal business hours, there is always a BNWS provider on-call ready to speak with you.
After Hours On-Call number:
After Hours Are:
– Weekdays after 5pm and before 9am
– Weekends*Note: please do not call the after hours number for scheduling purposes. For all scheduling needs, leave a message on the main line: 240-449-3094.