Working with Your Primary Care Clinician

This content is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information contained herein should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health condition, and those seeking medical advice or guidance should consult with a licensed and qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have learned here or elsewhere.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. No physician-patient or provider-patient relationship is created by this website or its use. Boulder Care makes no representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.

Key Points

We do our best work with you when we include your primary care clinician (doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant)
If you do not have primary care, we will help connect you
If you need help in addition to primary care, please ask us

Importance of primary care

We know from experience how important primary care is to people’s health. Though we want to know you as a whole person, your primary care clinician will do a better job connecting all the dots of your health. Some things primary care clinicians are especially good at include:

Diagnosing medical conditions, including lab and other tests as needed
Caring for multiple ongoing conditions
Determining what treatments may work best for you
Caring for your mental health
Caring for chronic pain
Connecting and coordinating with other medical specialists you may need
Helping with hospital stays, surgeries, and other kinds of care

In order for us to work with your primary care, we need your written permission. We can help you fill out this form (called a “release of information”).

Especially important parts of your care

Some parts of your health may need special, timely attention. We find that attention to your mental health, birth control, infection care, and sometimes liver care can make a real difference.

Our job at Boulder is to help connect you with counseling if you want that to be part of your treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). It may be that this counseling is best done with people your primary care clinician knows. We will work to figure this out with you (see Referral to Counseling).

Summary

Having a strong connection with your primary care clinician can really help your health. Your Boulder Care team does its best work when we can coordinate with your primary care.

If you are not connected with primary care, we will help you do so. When you have a primary care connection, we will ask your written permission to work with them.

Potential Actions

Let your Boulder Care Team know who you have for a primary care clinician and where you see them.
If you don’t have primary care, let us help you find it.
Let us know if there are other health providers you see who are important to you. Please sign the form (“release of information”) so we can talk with each of them.
Let us know if you would like counseling.

Questions, concerns, or feedback?