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

The Coalition's original model hinged on the theory that navigating people to existing resources like primary care clinics and shelters would be enough to improve a person's health and simultaneously drive down health spending. —Leslie Walker, NPR, 3 May 2024

Now, as the CEO of One Medical, primary care is the only service Green thinks about. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 2 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

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