As a resident of the Bristol Bay area, you know the many health challenges of living in rural communities in Alaska. You need emergent care right away when accidents happen. Yet, like people everywhere, you also need complete health resources from reliable providers for preventative care, nutritional guidance, regular check-ups, and perhaps behavioral health services. Here’s why it is essential to have a primary care provider.
Are you ready for compassionate primary healthcare? Contact Cama’i Community Health Center today to set up your first appointment!
What Does a Primary Care Provider Do?
Many healthcare providers specialize in a specific type of disease or body part. The role of a primary care provider is different, though. At Cama’i Community Health Center, we specialize in rural health care. We’re your primary care team that will take care of routine check-ups, help you manage chronic illnesses like diabetes or arthritis, provide preventative services, and offer nutritional or mental health guidance.
Your primary care physician sees you as a whole person, recognizing how all the parts of your body work together to make a complete picture of your overall health. Then, if you ever need to see a specialist, your primary care doctor can refer you to the best specialist for you.
Why Are Check-Ups So Important?
Unfortunately, some people live their lives without ever having a health check-up until they encounter a severe health issue. The truth is that ignoring your health could lead to major problems later on. Yearly check-ups are critical to maintaining good health. Simple screenings like blood pressure checks, glucose level tests, monitoring cholesterol levels, and others can mean the difference between catching and treating problems as they arise or waiting until the disease is more advanced and difficult to treat successfully.
Even the most basic aspects of a routine check-up can reveal health problems you have not noticed. For example, when the physician listens to your heart, they may hear heart sounds that indicate problems like atrial fibrillation or a leaky heart valve. In either case, you might not have any symptoms yet at all, but leaving them untreated can lead to an increased risk of a stroke. Routine check-ups are all about identifying and dealing with problems as early as possible to get the best health results possible. And if you get a clean bill of health, so much the better!
Why Bother with Preventative Care?
The concept of preventative care is that taking precautionary measures will protect your health and reduce your overall healthcare costs. Preventative healthcare can seem like a nuisance if you don’t understand the value it brings. After all, who looks forward to a colonoscopy? Yet, if the colonoscopy reveals the beginnings of cancer, you might be very glad you took the time for it. Early treatment means better results.
Vaccinations are also a part of preventative care. They reduce the likelihood that you will get sick from a particular disease. In addition, your child may need to show proof of vaccinations to enter school. Your Cama’i healthcare team will always get your consent before any vaccination and respect your wishes.
Does Cama’i Offer Emergency Care?
Of course, Cama’i still offers emergent care. We understand that you face many health hazards in rural Alaska. Suppose you go fishing and catch a hook in your hand. You need somewhere to go to get it out and ensure your hand doesn’t get infected. We can take care of such emergencies and get you back to doing what you enjoy.
What you might not realize is that having Cama’i as your primary care provider enhances the emergency treatment you receive. Our team already knows you and any health problems you might have. For instance, if you have diabetes and have recently been fighting high blood sugar readings, we already know of any risks you might face that others don’t. Because we know you and care about you, we can give you the care you need as a unique person.
Are Nutritional Counseling and Behavioral Health Services Preventative?
Nutritional counseling can help you maintain or improve your health so you can avoid problems in the future. Perhaps, you already have a chronic health condition that requires a specific type of diet. Maybe your weight is too high or too low. Or, you might only feel a bit lethargic or unfocused. In all these cases, nutritional counseling can help. Knowing what, how much, and when to eat can improve your health and make your life more enjoyable.
It might surprise you to know that behavioral health services are also preventative. When you can improve your mood and resolve mental health issues, you will feel more emotionally stable and interested in life. What’s more, your mental health affects your physical health. Here’s an example. When your mind is racing with anxious thoughts, this inner turmoil can affect your digestive system, your nutritional choices, how much exercise you get, and your sleep patterns. Dealing with behavioral health problems early can help you avoid serious physical health problems.
Help with Chronic Conditions
Do you need help with a chronic condition like diabetes, asthma, arthritis, or heart disease? Going it alone can be risky and uncomfortable. Chronic health conditions require monitoring and often treatment.
Consider rheumatoid arthritis. You may think that nothing will make it better, so you decide to stop bothering with community health centers and just live with it. That can be a costly mistake. Not only do treatment and lifestyle recommendations help you feel better but they also prevent related issues like joint deformity and complications in other parts of your body.
At our rural health center, we provide excellent care for chronic conditions. We help you learn to manage it well, monitor your progress, and provide any necessary treatments. Our focus is always on improving your total health picture so you can live your best life.
The Cama’i Community Health Center Difference
Have you ever gone into a healthcare office and felt a sense of coldness? Have you ever been treated like a number when you are concerned about your health? Does it ever seem like the center is only treating you because of the financial reward? You are not alone. Many people have experienced the same thing.
However, at Cama’i, we value you as a unique individual. When you visit our center, you enter a relaxing environment. We treat you with the warmth and respect that you deserve. We are committed to making your visit as comfortable and pleasant as possible while ensuring we meet your healthcare needs. In short, we care about you and your health.
Cama’i Community Health Center is a non-profit health organization. Taking care of your health is our overriding mission – not profiting from our practice. Therefore, our main goal is to ensure that you get the services you need without paying for unnecessary tests or treatments. Our caring team of family physicians, medical assistants, community health aides, and office staff all want you to feel your best and look forward to a healthy future. Come to us for caring, compassionate, first-rate primary care!
Find your primary healthcare home at Cama’i Community Health Center. Schedule an appointment to learn more about our services and commitment to your well-being.
