Your primary care provider is responsible for managing your health care needs. Many HMOs require its members to receive all care from the primary care provider or with a referral from the primary care provider.

Please inform your current provider that you would like to transfer your care to a Primary Care to another provider.

When you enroll as a member of Dean Health Plan, you will choose a physician or clinic from our network of plan providers to be responsible for managing your healthcare. This is your primary care provider and is the provider you contact first whenever you need healthcare services. If you choose a clinic rather than a physician, you may see any primary care provider in that clinic without a referral.

You choose a Primary Care Provider from your Plan's list of doctors when you enroll in your Plan. If you do not, your Plan may choose one for you. Ask these questions when choosing a Primary Care Provider:

Every plan has its own procedures for changing primary care providers. Some plans will only allow you to change primary care providers once during the year. Others allow you to change as often as you like. This should be explained in your member handbook, or your employer may be able to assist you.

Primary care providers are usually doctors or nurses specializing in Internal Medicine, General Practice, or Family Practice. Your PCP takes care of your overall health-care needs. A gynecologist focuses on women's health issues, such as a breast and pelvic exam.

Primary care is normally associated with a family/general practice--routine internal medicine for adults, routine pediatric care for children, and at BFCCs, routine gynecological/obstetric care for women. Primary care includes regular checkups, appropriate screenings for diseases such as high blood pressure or lead poisoning, and doctor visits for non-emergency illnesses such as the flu or a sore throat.

Continuity of care is important in maintaining good health so we encourage you to select a physician who you feel comfortable seeing on a continuing basis; however, you may change your PCP at any time.

A PCP is usually an M.D. Some other providers of care may be Nurse Practitioners. A PCP is licensed in general practice, family practice, internal medicine or pediatrics. No. Although an OB/GYN is not considered a PCP, women may see any OB/GYN in our network for their well-woman check-up each year without an authorization from a PCP.

Yes. We encourage establishing a long-term relationship with one dentist. Once a member selects a dentist, all future regularly scheduled appointments will be with the selected dentist. Members are allowed to change dentists or locations at any time.

Yes. You may specify which provider you would like to see when scheduling an appointment. See Our Staff for physician and nurse practitioner biographies and photos. If you have an ongoing health problem, it is usually preferable for you to stay with the same provider as much as possible, as they will already be familiar with you, and can best ensure a consistent medical plan.

Don't sue us! Fractured Atlas is not an insurance company. We're also not lawyers, brokers, agents, doctors, or anyone else qualified to give professional advice. We try our best to be helpful, but take anything written here with a handful of salt.

Although most people decide to use a Primary Care Provider for most of their medical needs, it is not a required element of Providence Preferred.

TThey do not have to be licensed, unless they care for enough individuals to require licensing in your State. They must provide you with their Tax ID Number or Social Security Number. You will need this number for the required filing of Form 2441 (or Schedule 2, if filing a 1040A) with your Federal tax return.

Yes. You may choose your own personal physician from our available primary care doctors in these specialties: internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics.

Care for Kidz has not sought approval to become an in-home care provider. It means that the Department of Families & Community Services has approved certain in-home child care providers to receive CCB (child care benefit) on behalf of families. The benefit is passed on to families as a reduction in their childcare fees. Care for Kidz has investigated this matter and decided not to seek approval because there are very limited number of places available in Australia.

Special Care usually refers to specialized services delivered in a secure area for memory-impaired residents. Special care staff members have expertise in caring for residents with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia with patience and compassion. Everything from stimulating activities to the simplicity of the building layout and design is created with the Alzheimer's residents' special needs in mind.

One of the best ways to find a reputable pet care professional is through your veterinarian. Veterinarians can provide their clients with a reference and discuss the background of individuals specializing in animal care. You may also ask for a recommendation from friends who own pets. A growing number of people are using pet care services, and most are happy to provide you with the name of a service that they trust. You should ask your potential pet care provider the following questions:

Adapted from recommended questions by the American Cancer Society and from the article, Recommendations to MDs on Counseling Patients' Use of Alternative Medicine, by David Eisenberg. Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 127, No. 1, pp. 61-69.)

Your Primary Care Provider (PCP) is your family doctor, nurse or other health care provider at your medical home who takes care of you and your family. Your doctor will: Send you to specialists or other health care providers when you need to go. This is called a referral.

Adapted from recommended questions by the American Cancer Society [www.cancer.org] and from the article, Recommendations to MD’s on Counseling Patients’ Use of Alternative Medicine, by David Eisenberg. Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 127, No. 1, pp. 61-69. You may be missing complex carbohydrates. It is quite possible to be low in the complex carbohydrates, one of the main sources of sustained energy to the muscles.

You cannot see a specialist without permission from your Primary Care Provider. Getting this permission is called a referral. Ask your Primary Care Provider for a referral if you think you need to see a specialist. You do not need a referral for some types of care. Women can see a gynecologist at least twice a year without a referral. Some people with serious, long term illnesses like HIV/AIDS can see their specialists without a referral.

Yes, with your approval. It is not our intention to replace your primary care provider (PCP), but to "fill in the gap" when you require minor ill-care and prevention services. We encourage all of our patients to establish a permanent medical home. Utilizing the industry's most advanced information technology system from McKesson, our ability to communicate with you and your primary care provider is simple and seamless.

No. While some health plans require a referral from your primary care provider before they pay benefits, they cannot prohibit you from seeking care from any physician you choose. Even though we don't accept assignment of insurance payments, we will be glad to help you work with your insurance company. Treatment for injuries received in an auto accident do not require any referral. Work injuries in the state of Oregon can be treated up to certain limits without any referral.