CentraState - Healthy Directions

Making Primary Care a Priority For Jean Boyce of Marlboro, her primary care physician plays a crucial role in her overall health. Jean and her husband have been regularly seeing her primary care physician—Christopher Skeehan, MD, primary care physician with Family Practice of CentraState—for about six years. His care has helped her stay on track with medical appointments and detect health issues in their early stages. “Dr. Skeehan makes my medical experience easier and less stressful,” Jean says. “He takes his time and is always willing to answer questions or address concerns.” When Jean experienced a feeling of pressure underneath her ribs, she brought up her concern during a check up with Dr. Skeehan, who immediately ordered further testing. The ultrasound Dr. Skeehan recommended revealed that Jean had a mass in her kidney. The mass was found to be cancerous, and because of Dr. Skeehan’s quick reaction to Jean’s discomfort, the tumor was removed. Since overcoming cancer, Jean has continued to enjoy spending time with her family—her husband, four children, 12 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. The Powerful Purpose of Primary Care Primary care providers are responsible for a patient’s overall health, from treating current conditions to practicing preventive medicine. These specialized physicians also help manage the symptoms of already-present conditions to create a better quality of life for patients. When patients need further testing or treatment outside the primary care realm, these providers can help coordinate any referrals or appointments with other health care professionals. Primary care physicians continue their relationships with specialists to be aware of the patient’s care and contribute any necessary medical history information. For Dr. Skeehan, primary care means providing health services for patients of all ages, from children to seniors. Dr. Skeehan enjoys getting to know the whole family and understanding their dynamics to better care for them. “A large part of our practice philosophy is to prevent problems before they arise,” Dr. Skeehan says. “We also help manage immunizations and routine health screenings, such as mammography and colonoscopy, and keep the entire family as healthy as possible.” CentraState has more than 75 primary care physicians on staff. For more information about primary care or to find a primary care physician at CentraState, visit www.centrastate.com/primarycare or call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727). HD

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