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

Federally qualified teaching health centers provide comprehensive care to low-income and uninsured populations and have primary care residency programs that train doctors to serve underserved communities. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 21 Sep. 2025

Concerned, the Brooklyn-native returned to his primary care provider but was immediately sent to the emergency room to receive antiviral treatment through an IV. —Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025

The 10-year project will add a new education pavilion, equine hospital, cancer center, spay-neuter clinic, raptor center and a primary care hospital — facilities that will allow the school to expand its class size from 600 to 800 students, UC Davis officials said. —Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2025

By midsummer, staff orientation on integration of HIV and primary care was rolled out in his region, Isabirye adds, including at the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and 10 health centers. —Brian Simpson, NPR, 19 Sep. 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