These family care doctors are widely skilled with training in the care of patients at every stage of life, from birth through childhood, adulthood and old age. In residency, a family practitioner receives training on caring for the whole family, including pediatrics and OB/GYN care. A family practitioner may be right for you if you are looking for a doctor for yourself and your children, or one who can transition your teen from his/her pediatrician to an adult primary care provider.

These doctors, also called internists, are trained to treat both simple and complex conditions from early adulthood through old age. While experts in primary care, they focus on the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions that affect the internal organs — conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and lung disease. Internal medicine specialists often care for people with complex, chronic, and multisystem disorders.

When you have a primary care doctor, you have a partner in health for life. By consistently seeing one primary care doctor, they will get to know you, your lifestyle and your family history. Over time, you’ll develop a trusting relationship where you feel comfortable sharing your health questions and concerns with someone you know will listen to you.

Your primary care doctor will help you stay healthy through regular checkups, preventative health care screenings and vaccinations. They can also help you successfully manage life-threatening and “silent” medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. And if you ever need advanced or specialized care, your primary care doctor will connect you to highly-trained medical specialists they know and trust.

A registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical education and experience in the care of the sick and in diagnosis, treatment and management of common and chronic illnesses. They can diagnose and treat medical conditions, administer vaccinations and prescribe medications. NPs offer a holistic and wellness orientation that emphasizes health education, risk identification and reduction and preventive care through lifestyle modification.

Because of growing time demands on physicians and the shortage of doctors in numerous specialties, both PAs and NPs provide a high quality, skilled and practical option for many of your healthcare needs.

For illnesses and injuries that are considered life-threatening, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

If you have a minor illness and believe you may be in need of treatment, you can visit one of Cullman Regional’s Urgent Care Centers. Click here to learn more about our urgent care services.