PCP or OBGYN: Do You Need Both?

You may wonder whether you need both a primary care provider (PCP) and an obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN). Although OBGYNs can address some primary care needs, such as reviewing blood test results and checking on mental health, those areas are not their primary focus. Some don’t mind doing those things, but most tend to stick to OBGYN-specific care, said Kimberlee Coleman, M.D., an OBGYN at Obstetrics and Gynecology of Southeast Florida, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group. “If someone’s been healthy, I don't mind doing all the annual labs that the primary care would be doing,” said Dr. Coleman. Her main reason: if she is the only physician a patient sees, she would rather order the tests herself than have the patient skip them altogether. However, if results fall outside the normal range, she encourages the patient to follow up with a PCP.

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