Specialist Referral

See Your Primary Care Physician (PCP) First to Receive the Right Care, at the Right Time.

If you have a health concern and think you need to see a specialist, you should always see your primary care doctor first. Why? Primary care doctors are trained to care for a wide range of health issues. When you see your primary care doctor first, he or she may be able to treat your condition on the spot—saving you time, unnecessary specialist visits and tests, and the additional copays that go with them.

It’s also important to realize that self-diagnosing a health problem can be dangerous. Many serious or life-threatening conditions have very common symptoms. If you go straight to a specialist, you may not be seeing the right one. Only a trained healthcare provider can diagnose your condition properly to ensure you receive the right specialist care at the right time.