The difference between PCP and internal medicine might seem small, but for senior adults enrolled in Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans, it can sometimes mean the difference between routine care and specialized support.
What’s the difference between internal medicine and primary care?
Both a PCP and an internist can manage your regular healthcare needs. But they come from slightly different medical backgrounds and focus on different things.
Primary care vs internal medicine at a glance
| Feature | Primary Care Doctor (PCP) | Internal Medicine Doctor |
|---|---|---|
| Treats adults | Yes | Yes |
| Treats children | Yes (if trained in family medicine) | No |
| Focuses on geriatric care | Often | Yes |
| Treats complex conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Provides preventative care | Yes | Yes |
| Manages hospital care | Sometimes | Always |
| Coordinates care | Yes | Yes |
Find a PCP in Arizona or Texas
Most internists are PCPs, but not every PCP is an internist because, as you can see from the table, some PCPs specialize in treating children.
At IntraCare Health Centers, we discuss the choice in detail with our senior adult patients and/or their caregivers, to help them determine which kind of care provider would best suit the patient’s needs.
Read more: How to find a doctor in your area you can trust
Do you need a PCP or an internist?
If you’re 65 years of age or older and managing one more multiple chronic conditions, choosing the right type of doctor may help you stay healthier, reduce the frequency of hospital visits, and allow you to make the most of your Medicare plan.
Let’s walk through the real distinctions between a primary care physician or primary care provider (PCP) and an internal medicine doctor (internist), and learn how to decide which one best suits your needs.
Primary care physicians (PCP)
A primary care physician is generally every person’s main point of contact for nearly all healthcare needs that aren’t urgent or life-threatening. PCPs provide a number of services to patients of all ages, from children to adults.
For senior adults, the services of a PCP may include:
- Performing check-ups and Medicare-recommended health screenings
- Managing long-term conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease
- Treating short-term illnesses like infections
- Cleaning, treating, and dressing minor injuries
- Performing necessary vaccinations
- Coordinating specialist referrals
- Tracking your medications and health goals
- Conducting Medicare Annual Wellness Visits
PCPs may be trained in family medicine, internal medicine, or even geriatric care.
Read more: 5 immunizations you should get after age 65
Internal medicine doctor (internist)
Internal medicine doctors are called that because their area of expertise is the internal organs and their care.
Internal medicine doctors focus on adult medicine, and their patients are typically aged 18 years and up. But they’re especially valued for treating older, senior adults with complex, chronic conditions.
Internists:
- Provide all or many of the same services that PCPs do
- Are trained to handle multiple co-existing illnesses and health problems
- Often coordinate care during hospital stays
- Specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults
- Typically do not treat children or pregnant women
Remember: Doctors of internal medicine are usually PCPs, but not all PCPs are internists
Is an intern and internist the same thing?
No. Interns are recent medical school graduates in their first year of residency training. They cannot practice unsupervised.
Internists are qualified physicians who have completed their residency training. They are licensed to practice medicine and may be board-certified.
Read more: 6 signs of a good doctor
When to choose a PCP
A universal primary care doctor may be ideal if you:
- Are mostly healthy and want someone to monitor your wellness from year to year
- Need guidance on Medicare-covered preventive screenings
- Want to continue with a provider you’ve been seeing for years already, long before you turned 65
- Want help managing one or two chronic conditions, like high cholesterol or early-stage diabetes
Related read: What to expect at your FREE Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
When to choose an internist
Consider choosing an internal medicine doctor if you:
- Have multiple chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, and COPD
- Are taking several medications that need careful coordination
- Have had recent hospital stays and need follow-up care
- Want a provider with deep expertise in managing complex adult health problems
Read more: What does the label on your bottle of prescription medication mean?
Why this choice matters more as you age
As we get older, our bodies don’t bounce back from illnesses, diseases, and viruses like they used to.
Medications can interact differently with each other, or with supplements, or with certain foods. Illnesses show up in unexpected ways. And we’re more likely to have overlapping conditions that affect each other.
Choosing the right type of doctor means:
- Your healthcare is better coordinated across multiple care providers
- You are at lower risk of hospitalization
- Any illnesses, current or potential, stand a better chance of being properly diagnosed
- You are able to manage medications more effectively
- You get personalized care plans based on your age, goals, and Medicare plan
Useful read: Brush up on the best vitamins for seniors over 65
How Medicare covers PCPs vs internists
Original Medicare (the standard government plan, also known as Part A and Part B) considers both PCPs and internists eligible for coverage as long as they are properly credentialed and accept assignment.
Most Medicare Advantage (also known as Part C, and usually provided by private health insurance companies) plans do not differentiate between PCPs and internists either. All you need to do is make sure your provider is included in your healthcare plan’s coverage network.
What is covered under Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans
Whether you are seeing a primary care physician or internal medicine doctor, you will likely be covered for:
- Medicare Annual Wellness Visits
- Chronic care management
- Preventative screenings for diabetes, breast cancer, prostate cancer
- Medicare reviews
- Referrals to specialist consultants
- Coordinated care
Read more: Understanding Medicare Enrollment periods, renewals, and re-enrollment
The IntraCare difference: Coordinated, compassionate care
At IntraCare, we place a lot of emphasis on care coordination. Whether your physician is a family medicine doctor or an internist, they’re part of a bigger care team that puts you at the center.
We also make sure you have ease of access in all aspects of care by:
- Offering home visits or telehealth when possible
- Offering Remote Patient Monitoring when possible
- Connecting you with specialists and social workers
- Helping you manage medications safely
- Keeping your Medicare benefits working hard for you
Questions to ask before choosing a PCP or internist
Here are some smart questions to ask when picking your doctor:
- Are you board-certified in family or internal medicine?
- Do you treat a lot of older adults?
- How do you coordinate care if I need a specialist?
- What’s your approach to managing multiple conditions?
- Will you help me navigate my Medicare plan benefits?
Useful read: The 7 step checklist to help you find a good doctor
Common misconceptions cleared up
With a lot of information available at your fingertips, there’s also a lot of misinformation floating around as well. Some of the more common fallacies our care teams have come across are:
- PCPs don’t treat serious conditions.
False. Most PCPs can manage chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes very effectively. They’ll refer you to a specialist consultant if something is outside their scope.
- You can’t have both a PCP and an internist.
False. Your internist can be your PCP. Or, you may see a family doctor regularly and check in with an internist once a year for a more detailed review.
- Medicare only covers one kind of doctor.
False. Medicare covers any qualified provider, including both family doctors and internists, as long as they accept Medicare assignment and payments.
So… which should you choose?
Here’s a cheat sheet to help you get started.
A PCP is best when you are:
- Generally healthy and just want preventative care
- Looking for a one-stop shop for you and your spouse or partner, and perhaps your kids and/or grandkids as well
Choose an internist if you:
- Are an adult with multiple health conditions
- Have a complicated list of several medications, both prescription and over-the-counter
- Have been recently discharged from hospital after emergency care, a fall, severe infection, etc
Final Thoughts
So what’s the real difference between a PCP and an internist? Is a PCP better than an internist, or an internist better than a PCP?
Actually, it’s less about one being better than the other, and more about which doctor fits your health picture best.
If you’re on Medicare or Medicare Advantage and living in Texas or Arizona, your needs may include:
- Coordinated care for diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis, or any combination of health issues
- Preventive check-ups fully covered by Medicare
- Help navigating benefits and managing medications
- A strong relationship with a trusted physician who understands seniors
Frequently asked questions about primary care vs internal medicine
Q: Do I need a referral from a PCP to see an internist?
A: Not necessarily. Most doctors of internal medicine are considered primary care providers. As long as the internist is in your insurance provider’s network, you can see them without a referral.
Q: What is the difference between internal medicine and family medicine?
A: The difference between family medicine and internal medicine comes primarily from the age of the doctor’s patients. A family medicine doctor accepts patients of all ages, from babies to the elderly. An internist treats adults only, aged 18 years and up.
Q: Are internal medicine doctors and general practitioners the same?
A: Not entirely. Although general practitioners and internists are similar in lots of ways and provide many of the same services, internal medicine doctors specialize in treating complex, multi-system diseases in adults, while GPs provide care for patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly.
Q: What are general practitioners and how are they different from PCPs?
A: General practitioners are a category of primary care physicians who provide broad, general medical services to patients of all ages.
Q: Are primary care and preventative care the same?
A: No. But they are closely related and tend to overlap. Primary care is the first step for most people seeking healthcare outside of a hospital setting. It includes diagnoses, treatment, and day-to-day care. Preventive care is one part of primary care.
Q: What is preventative care?
A: The purpose of preventative care is to nip an illness in the bud (or even earlier) and do everything possible to keep you out of the hospital. Doctors regularly monitor your health and watch for signs that may indicate potential illness. They then provide treatment designed to cure the problem, or stop it from taking root, or slow it down, whichever approach is most applicable.
Q: Are primary care and urgent care the same?
A: No. Primary care covers everyday health needs, like managing long-term chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes) or treating common acute illnesses, such as a cold. Urgent care is for non-life-threatening issues that need quick attention, like sprains or cuts that may need stitches.
Q: Do all primary care physicians provide urgent care?
A: No. Primary care clinics usually have scheduled appointments for preventive care, chronic disease management, and routine checkups, although some may offer urgent care services such as same-day appointments or after-hours care.
Urgent care centers include walk-in and express clinics. Appointments may not be necessary, and they may be open till late and on weekends.
Q: What type of doctors can be PCPs?
A: A PCP or primary care physician is a doctor that provides everyday, non-specialist care for overall health and well-being. Any doctor can be a PCP if they take responsibility for a patient’s diagnoses, treatment plans, medication adherence, and care coordination. Both MDs and DOs can be primary care physicians.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor should do more than just write prescriptions. They should know your story.
At IntraCare, we make it easy to connect with compassionate providers, whether you need a primary care doctor or an internist. Our doctors specialize in family care, adult care, and geriatric care.
We serve older adults enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare in Texas and Arizona, with a focus on managing chronic conditions and preventing unnecessary ER visits.
Visit IntraCare’s provider directory to explore your options today. Your future self will thank you.