All You Need to Know to be Healthier in 2023, Part II: What Is The Healthcare System? - newberryobserver.com

Hey y'all! How are those SMART goals going? (For the newbies, those are special kind of goals that we talked about in the last article.) Are you drinking more water? Are you drinking less alcohol? Are you still going to the gym? Are you still meditating? Either way, I'm proud of you for continuing to fight for your health. Your life literally depends on it (no pressure). Trying is better than dying, so keep up the good work.

But what about me? I have been drinking more water, just not the whole gallon each day. I actually have been able to eat more veggies. My new spirit animal is now the vegetarian gorilla. My running has been pretty consistent, and some of you have probably noticed me at the local gym. The point is, SMART goals work, and I'm honored to be on the path to wellness with you.

Now for the point of this article. The healthcare system (insert dramatic music here). We all have to use the system to get the care we need. So, I'm going to teach you how that system is built. The most important thing is to know the levels of care:

• Primary: That's me! Primary care is your PCP (Primary Care Provider). We should be your first stop in the system, and because of that, your PCP knows you best. For more information, check out the article, Why You (Yes, YOU) Need a PCP.

• Secondary: As you probably guessed, this is the next stop in healthcare, so this includes the folks that PCPs like me refer you to. These are the specialists, like cardiology. Because they are the secondary level, insurance companies tend to require a referral. Because you can have a lot of specialists, PCPs should help keep everyone on the same page.

• Tertiary: This is your friendly, neighborhood hospital. As the next level up, tertiary care is more intense, which is why hospitals have more tools and can do surgeries because you are too sick for my office or even my specialist friends in their office.

• Quaternary: I hope you never have to get to this level. Quaternary care is so specialized that we are talking about experimental medicine or surgeries.

So, what does this mean? It means you need to make sure you have a PCP. That is how the system is built. We (The PCPs) can guide you from there. And for the record, urgent care is not a PCP. Yes, your PCP office may have urgent care, but your local urgent care is not built to be your PCP.

Next time, I will tell you how to build a good relationship with your PCP. Until then, you can find me on Facebook (House Calls with Dr. B), Instagram, and Twitter (@housecallsdrb). This column is written just for you, so please let me know what you think. And remember, friends, drink water, eat plants, and get moving.

Dr. Lance Braye, MD, MPH is a family medicine physician. He grew up in Walterboro, SC and attended Colleton County High School where he participated in band, football, and track. He received his undergraduate degree in Biology from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, before attending the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). While at MUSC, he took a year away from medical school to earn his Masters in Public Health in Health Behaviors and Health Promotion. After graduating from MUSC, he completed his residency in Family Medicine at Lawrence Family Medicine Residency in Lawrence, MA with a concentration in Health Systems Leadership. Professionally, Dr. Braye is interested in finding ways to improve the health system for all, addiction treatment, and nutrition. Personally, he loves sports, gardening, cooking, and spending time with his wife, Paris, and their cat, Obi.