BATON ROUGE — A new survey from Ohio State shows one in seven people do not have a primary care doctor and one in three have not had a checkup in the past year.

That means millions of people are missing out on the wellness benefits of regular visits to a medical professional.

Grant Bunting knows that reality well. He struggled to manage his type 2 diabetes even after weight loss surgery and taking up running, and a blood sugar spike put him in a coma for 11 days.

"I should have died," Bunting said.

While learning to walk again, he knew he needed help and could not manage his health on his own.

That's where Dr. Zachary Bittinger came in. "There's nobody that's in your corner more than your primary doctor," Dr. Bittinger said.

Dr. Bittinger started with Bunting's diet and exercise, then brought in pharmacist Jamie Bailey to help Bunting consistently monitor his glucose level and manage it with medication.

"We meet people wherever they are with their health and take care of them on a long-term basis," Dr. Bittinger said.

Primary care can monitor screenings and vaccinations, track medical history and help with balanced diet and exercise plans. Dr. Bittinger said primary care teams are well positioned to provide that kind of personalized approach.

"I want everybody to have somebody they trust, have a primary doctor that they can call with anything," Dr. Bittinger said.

That approach made a difference for Bunting. "I would even say having a primary care team is extremely important," he said.

Bunting now maintains a normal blood sugar and weight, giving him the confidence and accountability to prepare for his next run. "To get across that finish line with a smile on my face," he said.