primary care

noun

: health care provided by a medical professional (such as a general practitioner, pediatrician, or nurse) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist

—often used before another noun

a primary care physician

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care

Examples of primary care in a Sentence

He provides primary care to inner-city patients.

Recent Examples on the Web

Women veterans enrolled in VA health care will enjoy access to specialized gynecology care without a referral from a primary care provider (PCP), the department said. —Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

Investing in primary care is one of the key priorities in optimizing scarce resources, since basic health care can prevent more serious and costly medical needs in the long run. —Alice Park, Time, 5 Dec. 2025

The 58-year-old, from Cheshire, England, was only told about his diagnosis when a primary care physician — who didn’t know hospital staff hadn’t informed him — mentioned it over the phone in December 2021. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025

Shortages exist in 257 areas in Texas for primary care doctors, 149 for dentists and 251 for mental health providers. —Kobi V. Ajayi, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for primary care

• concessionaire
• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare

Medical Definition

primary care

noun

: health care provided by a medical professional (as a general practitioner or a pediatrician) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist for further treatment

—often used attributively

primary care physicians

primary care practice

primary care medicine

called also primary health care

compare secondary care, tertiary care