Originally published in the Atlanta area publication, Cobb In Focus, the below article was researched and written in 2012.

When it comes to health care—which doctor to see, what’s happening with your body, why a particular type of treatment has been chosen, and more—it’s difficult to know where to begin or how to make sense of it all. From when you should see a doctor to who you should see and what questions you should ask, many people are on the fence about what to think about health care and those who work in the field.

 To help Cobb County residents answer some of those questions, Cobb In Focus checked in with some of the doctors who practice in our community, to discuss their attitudes towards helping us when we’re ill (and even when we’re not) and how the system works for various branches of medicine. A number of providers, from primary care physicians and general practitioners to specialists, agreed to be poked and prodded for a change.

For starters, what are the actual roles and responsibilities for each of these doctors? It’s a little tricky to know, and even within the medical world, the lines tend to be a little blurred when it comes to who deals with what body parts and ailments.

Who’s Who?

Being a primary care physician can mean different things, depending on the field of medicine. It can refer to a doctor who practices internal medicine and pediatrics, whereas the term general practitioner can refer to a doctor who deals with both internal medicine and pediatrics, as well as family medicine. Recently, the two terms have become interchangeable in everyday conversation.

To further confuse things, internal medicine consists of doctors who only treat adults, just as pediatricians only treat children, but sometimes pediatricians will retain patients up to the age of 22. And many women will claim their OB/GYN as their primary physician, rather than having a separate internist.

So, Who Do I See?

When problems arise, some patients are not sure who they should schedule an appointment with first, whether it be a primary care physician or a specialist. Dr. Patrice Gaspard, a general pediatrician with the Kaiser Permanente health system, strongly suggests seeing general or primary care doctors first. “We can manage 90 percent of the problems because we can check that the child is developing normally and we are the person to best decide which specialist they need to see,” she says.

Gaspard describes pediatrics as a “medical home.” This means that anything children and the parents need can and should be mentioned to their general pediatrician, which allows them to coordinate the care that is needed. “If there are multiple specialists on a patient, I would look at each and communicate that they are doing what they need to be in an appropriate fashion,” she says. This creates a sense of home, or family, that works together to deal with problems.

Dr. Dave Ecklund, also a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente, says that this communication is key both on the part of the patient and the person treating the patient. “I love getting that connection with those nonverbal children that can’t have full communication just yet,” he says. “So much of our relationship is based on trying to connect with them on a one-on-one basis.”

The importance of communication extends to all areas of medicine. “Most primary care doctors can evaluate simple orthopaedic complaints and will then refer to the orthopedist when the basic treatment is unsuccessful,” affirms Dr. Charles Pesson, an orthopedist with Pinnacle Orthopaedics.

If your primary care physician recommends that you see a specialist, you can rest assured that, in Cobb County, you are never far from the right one. Through Kaiser, the specialists are in the same facilities as primary and general doctors, allowing easy access to both physicians for any treatment and questions you may have. These facilities are referred to as comprehensive medical centers. So, when something begins to feel a little off, be sure to get an appointment with your primary physician as soon as possible to know whether or not a specialist’s care is needed.

 Specialists serve an important role in making sure patients receive the best care. “We’ve been afforded the opportunity to have a more concentrated training on a particular topic,” says Dr. Shawn Kaser, a cardiologist with Kaiser Permanente. With this concentrated training comes a larger depth of knowledge on a particular subject, which is why a primary physician will send you to a specialist if your condition reaches a certain state of complexity. “The role of a primary care provider is a pretty daunting one,” Kaser adds. “Basically, they’re charged with knowing everything about everyone, but clearly no one can know it all. So that’s where the specialist can kind of pitch in.”

 How You’re Being Treated

Knowing who does what is only part of health care awareness. What about knowing how you’re being treated for something and why? Dr. Ecklund feels that it’s important for people to be aware of what’s going on and understand why their doctors have come to a certain conclusion about the diagnosis. “I always turn the computer screen towards them and let them have the opportunity to ask questions and then make a decision,” says Dr. Sreekala Satheesh, a gastroenterologist with Kaiser Permanente.

 Another way to have a greater understanding of what you’re being treated for and the steps that need to be taken is to take advantage of available technology. Most doctors and health care facilities record all their patient information in electronic records, making it amazingly simple to transfer information from one doctor to another in seconds flat. Both Kaiser Permanente and Pinnacle Orthopaedics utilize this type of system. It’s also very common for doctors to be easily accessible via e-mail and phone. Satheesh has patients in their 80s who utilize their Internet access to ask her questions at any time of day. “They can e-mail me and ask me questions without having to be present in the office,” she says, adding that she enjoys and is grateful for the Kaiser system. Being able to ask a question at any time of day or night is not only convenient but helps patients become more active participants in their own care.

Comfort in the System

It’s comforting to hear the obvious concern that Cobb County’s own medical professionals have for their patients. Doctors tend to get a bad reputation because people outside their professional world don’t understand the systems they use, the intricate details they have to manage, and the processes that help maintain patients’ safety. “It’s my goal to do the right thing for the patient at the right place and at the right time, as best possible,” says Dr. Joey Cadle, a Kaiser Permanente OB/GYN.

Different providers have different methods to help them individualize treatment for each patient. For Satheesh, it’s about seeing the patient as a whole. “I like to treat the patients and not the lab or the CT scan,” she says, adding that, “A lot of times what happens is we forget the patient in the mix of all the things. For me, my primary approach for any decision that is made is the patient and their complaints and how we can fix their problem.”

 But good health care doesn’t come from a one-sided conversation. How can patients actually help doctors do their job better? “We get that one moment in time, so patients need to let us know what’s going on and not be afraid to ask questions,” says Ecklund. “That lets us address the issue and problem as a team.” This communication, in pediatrics, internal medicine, and all other facets of care, is utterly important. After all, how can you understand what’s actually happening or why you’re taking a specific medication if you don’t ask?

The Future of Care

Cobb County residents are fortunate to have both caring providers and easily accessible medical facilities. Kaiser currently has five medical offices in Cobb, with a comprehensive medical center opening this spring. This will be an extension of the TownPark Medical Center in Kennesaw and will increase the amount of specialist care. Pinnacle Orthopaedics has two locations, one in Austell and the other in Marietta. When it comes to your health, whether it is an emergency or just a check-up, the care you need is never far away.