Services

Primary Care

Comprehensive Care for You and Your Family

The primary care physicians and family medicine physicians of Manatee Physician Alliance provide comprehensive medical care. 

Primary care doctors specialize in internal medicine and provide preventive care for adult patients. Primary care providers build close relationships with patients and work to develop personal wellness and treatment plans. They can diagnose and treat chronic conditions, coordinating care with specialists and nurse practitioners. 

Our primary care clinic is also home to family practice physicians. If you are in need of family medicine services, Manatee Physician Alliance family doctors focus on pediatrician and internist care specialties. They provide long term healthcare for both children and adults. 

Primary care specialties, including family medicine, provide essential care and diagnosis and treatment. The care teams use lab services, preventive measures and health education to help you stay healthy year round.

Primary Care Services and Treatments

Our primary care services and treatments include:

Preventive Care Services 

Preventive care services aim to reduce the risk of diseases and disabilities. Disease prevention and risk reduction can be achieved through yearly screenings and health physicals. Through these regular health screenings, your doctor is able to identify health issues early on. Early detection is beneficial because health problems can be easier to treat at earlier stages. 

Basic preventive care services offered include: 

  • Physicals (pre-employment, school, welcome-to-medicare)
  • Annual exams 
  • Wellness screenings
  • Immunizations and vaccinations
  • Well-baby and well-child visits

Minor Office Procedures 

Minor office procedures are treatments that can be done outside of a surgery room. Minor procedures don’t require the need of general anesthesia or respiratory assistance.  

Procedures are performed in a sterile environment. If pain relief is needed, a local anesthetic is used. 

Some minor office procedures offered include:

  • Cryosurgery
  • Skin lesion, tag, mole and wart removal
  • Joint injections
  • Laceration repair
  • Suture and staple removal
  • Incision and drainage
  • Minor biopsies
  • Foreign body removal

Electrocardiograms (EKG)

Electrocardiograms are used to diagnose many common heart problems. It does this by recording electrical signals in the heart. Through a quick, painless and noninvasive process it can help show the size, shape and condition of your heart.

EKGs are typically ordered if a patient is showing symptoms like: 

  • Chest pain 
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue doing everyday activities

EKGs are able to detect: 

  • Irregular heart rhythms 
  • Blocked or narrowed heart arteries 
  • Past heart attacks 
  • Pacemaker function 

Spirometry 

Spirometries are used to test lung function. It does this by measuring how much air you inhale and exhale. It also measures how quickly you exhale. 

A spirometry may be used before a surgery to make sure the lungs are strong enough for the operation. If a patient is diagnosed with a chronic lung disorder a spirometry may be used to monitor breathing problems. It can check for efficiency of medications and treatment.  

A spirometry is also typically ordered if a patient is showing symptoms like: 

  • Wheezing 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Persistent cough 

A spirometry has the capacity to help diagnose lung conditions such as: 

  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 
  • Cystic fibrosis 
  • Pulmonary fibrosis 

Pap Smear 

A papanicolaou test, or pap smear, is a method for screening for cervical cancer.  

A pap smear is typically performed by an OB/GYN doctor along with a pelvic exam. During a pap smear, your doctor takes samples of your cervical cells from the surface of the cervix. These cells are sent to a lab and examined under a microscope for signs of cancer. 

Pap smear testing is recommended every three years for women ages 21 to 65.

Cancer Screenings

Cancer, at its early stages, can be asymptomatic. However, through routine screenings, cancer can be detected. A large part of cancer survival is early detection. An early diagnosis can provide patients with early intervention and more treatment options. 

Consider screenings for these cancers at your next checkup:  

  • Cervical Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Lung Cancer 
  • Skin cancer 

Referrals to Specialists

Our primary care physicians can connect you with specialists to get you access to more testing and treatment. 

Our network of physicians streamlines the process of finding qualified specialists. It also allows for easy communication about your medical history and unique needs. 

Conditions Treated

We treat a large range of common conditions, including:

  • High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Diabetes
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Allergies
  • Cough, sore throat
  • Cold
  • Eye and ear infections
  • Sinus infections
  • Rash
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)
  • Injuries
  • Sprains and strains