Primary care is your first stop for most health care needs. The different types of primary care doctors can help you with preventive care – such as annual physical checkups, screenings and vaccines – as well as diagnosing and managing many common chronic conditions like hypertension, stable heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They’re also ready for when an illness or injury interrupts your day.

To get started, make an appointment online.

Or you can begin by choosing one of our primary care doctors or locations, and call to schedule.

Most common conditions can be treated online, saving you time and money. E-visits can help you with acne, cold and flu, sinus infections, birth control and much more.

Here’s how it works:

Sign in or create an account, answer a few simple questions, which are the same ones you would hear in the doctor’s office. Then, one of our board-certified nurse practitioners will review your answers and develop a treatment plan. We’ll send that treatment plan to your inbox in as little as two hours. We review e-visits 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. If you submit an e-visit outside these hours, your treatment plan will arrive the following morning.

Yes, a minor can go to their primary care appointment without their parent or guardian as long as they have a HealthPartners minor consent form on file.

If you are sending your child with another adult, please make sure to fill out the second page of the form.

While these specialties overlap, they do have one key difference. Doctors who are family medicine specialists treat patients of all ages, while internal medicine doctors are trained to treat both simple and complex conditions from early adulthood through old age. Choose the doctor that’s right for you based on your age and the medical care you need.

Primary care doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are trained in many different areas of health. Many also have specialized expertise in a certain area, like diabetes or geriatrics. They often perform your annual checkup (sometimes called a physical or an annual exam) and work with you to coordinate your care, arrange for consults with specialists when needed and collaborate with other members of your care team to make getting the help you need easier.

Some people like seeing different doctors, while others prefer to choose one doctor who will get to know them well over time. Whatever your preference, here are some things to consider when choosing a doctor.

• Choose a doctor who is board certified. That means their education and experience goes beyond the state-issued permit to practice medicine, and the doctor has completed additional training and passed the required board exam.
• Choose someone you think you can relate to by reviewing the doctor’s online biography. Ask yourself, “How does this doctor’s biography make me feel?” “Is their communication style a good fit for me?” “How well does it inform me about the doctor’s expertise and interests?”
• Choose a clinic location that’s close to home or work.
• Choose a doctor and clinic that offers you access to online medical records for easy access to your health history, lab results and recommended screenings.

Meet our primary care doctors and find one that’s right for you.

We know that making your health a priority is a commitment, so we do everything we can to make it as simple and easy as possible. Our experienced primary care team can handle the majority of health needs. In cases where something requires more specialized care, we can refer you directly to experts in over 50 specialty departments.

Other methods that we use to streamline your experience include:

• Online accounts that offer easy access to medical records, immunization records, lab results and bills.
• A variety of appointment types, including in-person, video and phone visits.
• Optional text notifications for appointments and lab results.
• Urgent care and orthopedic urgent care locations throughout the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin.
• Convenient e-visits for common conditions, including pink eye, sinus infections, acne, cold and flu. Answer a few simple questions, and get a treatment plan in as little as two hours. We review e-visits 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. If you submit an e-visit outside these hours, your treatment plan will arrive the following morning.