Primary Care Medicine

Why choose UCLA Health for primary care?

The primary care physicians (PCPs) at UCLA Health are here for you in all stages of your life. As the point person for your health care, your PCP should always be your first point of contact. Whether you’re sick, injured or have a general health concern, you’ll receive outstanding, individualized care. We offer:

Comprehensive care: Our PCPs include doctors who are board certified in internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, or both internal medicine and pediatrics. This means we’re qualified to care for everyone in the family. We build strong relationships and deliver personalized, well-rounded care.

Convenience and flexibility: We make it easy to find a skilled primary care doctor near you. Our network includes more than 50 UCLA Health primary care clinics throughout Southern California and more than two dozen clinics that provide primary care to children. Many practices offer extended hours, virtual visits, weekend appointments and flexible scheduling. We’re committed to helping you stay healthy, even when life gets busy.

On-site services: Many of our primary care practices offer on-site imaging, blood draws and lab work, behavioral health services and pharmacy consultations. Some also have dermatology, cardiology and cardiac imaging, endocrinology and diabetes care, and other UCLA Health specialty physicians right in the same building. Having these services on-site saves you time and ensures that you have easy access to the care you need.

World-class, coordinated care: If you need specialty treatments, you’ll have access to the full resources and support of the renowned UCLA Health network. Your primary care doctor will make referrals and oversee and coordinate your care with other specialists and programs. You and your family will receive exceptional, seamless care.

Our areas of care

Our primary care physicians deliver comprehensive care to you and your family. We offer everything from routine screenings and disease prevention to coordinated treatments for a wide range of health conditions. Our goal is to help you feel good and stay healthy.

We offer:

Behavioral health services
Coordination of care for patients with chronic medical conditions and multiple specialist physicians
Geriatric care
Newborn care
Palliative care
Preventive care, including immunizations and routine screenings for cancer and other diseases
Same-day sick appointments
Travel medicine, including immunizations
Well care for children and adults
Well-woman care

Services we offer

Your primary care doctor will want to see you for your annual physical and whenever you are sick or injured. They’ll get to know your medical history and personal risk factors and work with you to make positive lifestyle changes that support your long-term health.

Also called a general practitioner, your PCP:

Coordinates your care and acts as the leader of your health care team
Helps you manage chronic medical conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes
Learns your values and preferences to help with shared decision making
Manages your medications, adjusts dosages and orders refills
Recommends preventive health screenings, vaccines and routine tests for cancer and other diseases
Refers you to specialists as needed
Treats common and acute medical conditions

The difference between preventive care and follow-up or diagnostic care

Let’s say you schedule an annual check-up with your primary care provider (PCP) where you get a flu shot and talk about a colonoscopy. At the appointment, you tell your doctor about new pain you’re having in your joints.

This appointment may have started off as preventive care but turned into diagnostic care or treatment management. These two different types of care are billed separately. While most health insurances cover preventive care without a share of cost, they don’t always cover diagnostic care (for new symptoms) or follow-up care (for acute or chronic disease management) without a share of cost, such as a copay or deductible. Even for preventive care, there may be some charges for certain tests provided as a part of the preventive care evaluation.

When scheduling an appointment with your PCP, it is always best to let the office know why you’re making the appointment. Tell the office if this is only for preventive care or if you also have medical conditions or concerns that you would like to talk about.

Preventive care includes:

Checking blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol based on screening guidelines
Discussing age-appropriate cancer screening tests
Evaluations for older adults (such as fall risk, hearing loss, brief assessment for memory loss, advance directives)
Routine vaccinations (flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, etc.)
Measuring height and weight
Depression screening

Preventive care does not include:

Diagnosing, discussing or treating new symptoms
Managing chronic diseases (such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, dementia, etc.)
Following up on previously diagnosed conditions

Ask your PCP if you have questions about the difference between preventive care and follow-up or diagnostic care so you’re not surprised by any costs.

Conditions we treat

Our board-certified primary care doctors have extensive knowledge and expertise in the full spectrum of health conditions. We work with you and your family to prevent illness, detect health problems early and deliver effective treatments.

We are your trusted partner in improved health and well-being. Some of the conditions we manage and treat include:
Accidents and injuries, including minor burns, bug bites, cuts, sprains and strains
Behavioral health concerns, including anxiety and depression
Chronic conditions such as diabetes, anemia, allergies, asthma and high blood pressure
Illness such as ear infections, rashes and gastrointestinal problems
Viruses, including flu and coronavirus (COVID-19)

Meet our team

Our board-certified primary care doctors provide outstanding primary care for the whole family. We want you to find the perfect match among our team of experts. Use our Find a Provider tool to find a primary care doctor near you based on your zip code, language and area of focus.