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Illustrated Health Encyclopedia
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Ency. home > SpecialTopic > T > Types of health care providers

Types of health care providers   

Overview

Alternative names:

Physicians - different types; Healthcare provider types; Doctors - different types

Information

PRIMARY CARE

  • Generalists:
  • Specialists who are frequently sought directly by women consumers for general primary care needs:
    • OB/GYN -- physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, including well women's health care.
    • CNM (certified nurse midwife) -- an advanced practice nurse specializing in women's health care needs throughout life, including prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care of women through "normal" pregnancies.
    • NP -- some nurse practitioners (advanced practice nurses) prepared in programs specific to women's health care including common gynecological problems, routine GYN health maintenance and screenings (such as a pap smear), and family planning.
  • Areas of primary care where consumers often seek specialty care directly:
    • visual care -- ophthalmologist (MD) or optometrist.
    • mental health care -- psychiatrist (MD), psychologist, social worker (MSW), or psychiatric/mental health nurse specialist (MSN).
SPECIALTY (SUBSPECIALTY) CARE
Common specialty areas to which the consumer is typically referred by the primary care provider:
  • anesthesiology -- anesthesia, either general or spinal block for surgeries and some forms of pain control
  • cardiology -- heart disorders
  • dermatology -- skin disorders
  • endocrinology -- hormonal and metabolic disorders
  • gastroenterology -- digestive system disorders
  • general surgery -- common surgeries involving any part of the body
  • gynecology/obstetrics -- pregnancy, both normal or problematic, and women's reproductive tract disorders
  • immunology -- disorders of the immune system and allergies
  • infectious disease -- infections affecting the tissues of any body system
  • nephrology -- kidney disorders
  • neurology -- nervous system disorders
  • oncology -- cancer and some other malignant (growing worse - resisting treatment) diseases
  • ophthalmology -- eye disorders and surgery
  • orthopedics -- bone/connective tissue disorders
  • otorhinolaryngology -- ear, nose, throat (ENT) disorders
  • physical and rehabilitative medicine -- coordinate return to optimal functioning in individuals with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders (such as low back injury, spinal cord injuries, and stroke victims)
  • psychiatry -- emotional or mental disorders
  • pulmonary (lung) -- respiratory tract disorders
  • radiology -- evaluation of X-rays and related procedures (such as ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI)
  • urology -- male reproductive tract and both male and female urinary tract disorders

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