What is Primary Care Research > Centers & Institutes > National Center for Primary Care (NCPC) > What Is Primary Care?
• What is Primary Care? Primary care is the long-term relationship between a person and their clinician. The clinician provides care for most of their health needs and coordinates additional health care services beyond the clinician’s area of expertise. The Institute of Medicine gave this definition for primary care in 1996: “Primary care is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community.” This definition is derived from the 1960s-era: Primary care may also be thought of as a level of care in the larger health-care system, to be distinguished from secondary care (care provided by community-based specialists and local community hospitals) and tertiary care (care provided by specialists at regional or academic health centers). In non-industrialized nations with limited health
