Understanding your needs and goals
At Mayo Clinic Primary Care in Arizona, you have a team of people that work together to take care of you. They listen to your needs and goals and help you to achieve them.
Primary care professional
Primary care professionals oversee your care. They diagnose and treat health concerns, create care plans and support other members of your care team. Your primary care professional may be a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Primary care doctors have expertise in family and internal medicine. Some doctors are in the Mayo Clinic residency program. You may hear them called residents. Residents are medical doctors who have entered the phase of their training that includes caring for patients in clinical practices. Mayo Clinic staff doctors partner with and guide the residents who provide your care.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with graduate-level education and clinical training. Physician assistants are licensed medical professionals who have graduated from an accredited physician assistant program. Both pass national certification exams to practice.
Your primary care professional also can connect you with specialists at Mayo Clinic, such as heart doctors (cardiologists) and cancer doctors (oncologists), when needed.
Registered nurses
If your primary care professional creates a personal care plan for you, a registered nurse can help coordinate it. Your nurse may:
- Provide education when you're diagnosed with a new condition.
- Check your blood pressure.
- Perform some well-child assessments.
- Perform some adult wellness screenings.
- Diagnose and suggest treatment for common illnesses, often over the phone.
Licensed practical nurses, medical assistants and clinical assistants
These team members help prepare you for your appointment, schedule screenings and give vaccinations.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists are an important part of your care team. They help you manage your medicines, avoid medicine safety problems, and find options that cost less when possible.
Social workers
Social workers are trained to help with many issues. They talk with people about stress and other concerns and help them find the right services for support.
Appointment line and customer service staff
When you call or message with a question or to schedule an appointment, appointment line and customer service staff connect you to the right service or care team member who can help you.
Nurse line
The nurse line is a service you can call anytime, day or night. It helps you get the care you need, often without having to leave your home.
The nurse line can help you:
- Talk to a nurse anytime.
- Determine if you can treat your concern at home or if you need to see a healthcare professional virtually or in person.
- Get prescriptions for certain health issues, which you can pick up at the pharmacy you choose.
Additional experts
When needed, your primary care team also can bring in experts such as physical therapists and mental health specialists. These experts can support you online or through virtual or in-person visits.
The care team members you see at your appointment will depend on your needs that day. Your team is here to give you the right care in the easiest and most helpful way possible.