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Telehealth care is available in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, and New York. You must be in your selected state during the visit.
For general educational purposes only, not a substitute for specific medical advice. Consult with a licensed provider before implementing any adjustments to your treatment regimen.
Finding a primary care provider can be hard, especially if local offices are not taking new patients. Many people find that a nurse practitioner has openings sooner. A common question follows: can a nurse practitioner be your main primary care provider? For many adults, the answer is yes.
What Nurse Practitioners Are Trained to Do
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have completed graduate-level education and clinical training. Family nurse practitioners are trained to care for patients across the lifespan and must pass a national board certification exam. The credential FNP-BC means board certified as a family nurse practitioner.
In primary care, nurse practitioners take histories, perform assessments, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret lab work and imaging, prescribe medication and refer to specialists. How independently they practice depends on state law.
What a Primary Care Provider Handles
A primary care provider is your main point of contact for health care. That usually includes:
- New illnesses and symptoms, such as infections, rashes or stomach problems
- Chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, asthma and reflux
- Preventive care, including screenings, lab work and health counseling
- Mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression and sleep problems
- Coordinating care with specialists, imaging centers and hospitals
Research comparing nurse practitioners and physicians in primary care has generally found similar results for many common measures, such as patient satisfaction and management of chronic conditions. What matters most is continuity: seeing a provider who knows your history and follows up.
Check Your Insurance Plan
Most insurance plans allow a nurse practitioner to serve as a primary care provider. Some plans, especially HMOs and some Medicaid plans, ask you to choose a primary care provider on file. If your plan works that way, ask your insurer how to designate your provider. Coverage and participation vary by plan and state, so it is always worth checking.
Wade’s Care First accepts many major insurance plans, including Original Medicare in Indiana and Medicaid plans in Indiana and Illinois, and verifies benefits before your visit. Self-pay is also available. See our insurance page for plans by state.
How Telehealth Primary Care Works
Telehealth primary care uses secure video visits for the conversation, assessment and planning parts of care. When you need more, your provider can order lab work and imaging at locations near you, review results with you and refer you for in-person care. Home readings, such as blood pressure or blood sugar logs, help track chronic conditions between visits.
Some things still need to happen in person, such as vaccines, certain physical exams and procedures. A good telehealth practice tells you plainly when that is the case and helps arrange it.
Questions to Ask Any New Primary Care Provider
- Will I see the same provider at each visit?
- How do I reach the practice between visits, and how fast will I hear back?
- Where will my labs and imaging be done?
- How are prescription refills handled?
- What happens if I need a specialist or urgent in-person care?
The Short Answer
Yes. A board-certified nurse practitioner can serve as your primary care provider, managing everyday illnesses, chronic conditions and preventive care, and coordinating with specialists when you need them.
Learn more on our telehealth primary care page or meet Charles Wade, FNP-BC.
Get Support
Wade’s Care First provides telehealth care in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada and New York, with same-day appointments when available. Visits are with Charles Wade, FNP-BC, a board-certified family nurse practitioner.
We accept many major insurance plans, including Original Medicare (Indiana only), Medicaid (Indiana and Illinois only), UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Humana and Cigna. Plan participation varies by state, and self-pay visits are available.
If you have been putting off finding a primary care provider, a first visit is a good time to bring your history, medications and questions.
Book at wadescarefirst.com.
Answers connected to this topic.
Will my long-term treatment plan change as my health changes?
Yes. Ongoing primary care involves reassessing goals, diagnoses, medications and test results over time, rather than using a fixed plan indefinitely.
Can primary care help when I have several symptoms that may be connected?
Yes. We review symptoms together rather than treating each one in isolation, and recommend laboratory testing, examinations or specialist input when needed.
How can home blood pressure readings be used during a virtual visit?
Bring several readings with dates and times if available. We consider the trend, symptoms and your medications before deciding whether monitoring, testing or a treatment change is appropriate.
Further reading: aanp.org · medlineplus.gov · medlineplus.gov (checkups).
