Primary health care involves providing services to individuals, families, communities and populations and involves a proactive approach to preventing health problems before they occur and ensuring better management and follow-up once a health problem has occurred. Since many of the factors that affect health occur outside of the health system, primary health care proactively works with intersectoral partners and community groups to address broader community needs.

A system of primary health care engages the community in addressing broader community needs, and strengthens the linkage to agencies and organizations such as social services, the educational system, recreational facilities and groups, police, municipal governments and other local community organizations that directly impact the determinants.