The specialty of internal medicine or internist is one of the most necessary and least known. It is defined as a middle ground between specialists and GPs or GPs. It usually performs its area in hospitals or clinics and intensive care units. As its name suggests, it deals with internal organs, such as the heart, lungs or digestive tract, treating a variety of pathologies. The internal medicine doctor should not be confused with the internal medicine doctors, who are the ones who are doing their specialization in a hospital.
What pathologies does the internal medicine doctor treat?
The internal medicine doctor usually treats complex cases, and can diagnose ailments that affect several organs at the same time. Internal medicine physicians only care for adult patients, dealing with their comprehensive and comprehensive clinical care.
The cases that lead to the internist are:
- Diseases that affect various organs, such as lupus or diabetes.
- Rare diseases with complex diagnosis.
- Inflammatory or systemic autoimmune diseases.
- Pathologies linked to the environment.
- Genetic diseases.
- Immunosuppressed.
- Affected by infectious or tropical diseases.
- Interned in intensive care units with multiple pathologies that require various treatments.
- Heart and respiratory failure, angina and other cardiovascular problems.
- Pneumonia.
- Insufficiencies of various organs.
- Digestive hemorrhage.
A very current specialty
According to the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, these specialists in internal medicine will play an increasing role in hospitals and inpatient centers and also in an outpatient setting. It is due to the increase in life expectancy, which will be reflected in an increase in the number of chronic complex patients.
In fact, almost half of the patients admitted to internal medicine wards are over 80 years old, with specific requirements of this age such as nutrition and fragility that is affected by hospitalization.
Other activities of the internal medicine doctor
Internal medicine doctors not only deal with healing, but they play a very important role in the training of future doctors. In fact, the teaching role of the internist is widely recognized, as it is well known that doctors begin training in medical schools, but continue to do so throughout life. On the other hand, internists are researchers by nature.
They are also involved in the chronic patient and community education, integrating multidisciplinary teams of therapeutic education for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. They play a prominent role in public health and epidemiology issues, as their training allows them to understand the sociocultural environment of patients.
So much so that the most advanced countries recognize in the internist one fundamental pillar of the comprehensive health care system.
How to be seen by an internal medicine doctor?
Except in the case of emergencies, the consultation with the internal medicine doctor is made by referral from the GP, or from the specialist who is performing a treatment. It can also happen that the consultation is requested by the health insurance company.
In most cases the internist is consulted almost exclusively in clinics and hospitals.
- The internal medicine doctor works in conjunction with other specialists in case of complex and multisystemic diagnoses, as he is better prepared to see the patient in his integrity.
- In large hospitals it is loaded with inpatients intensive care rooms.
- It can also act in the case of high risk pregnancies. While the obstetrician takes care of everything related to the future baby’s health and childbirth, the internal medicine doctor will treat any illnesses or ailments that may affect the pregnant woman. For example, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or gestational hypertension. Also other chronic diseases suffered by pregnant women such as arthritis, diabetes, irritable bowel among others.
- The internist also intervenes here, when a patient with various ailments has to be evaluated.
- In the small hospitals it is common for there to be an internal medicine professional at times from several specialists, or even a team of internists on the emergency guards.
Internal medicine care in Spain
If your GP referred you to an internal medicine specialist or you are an intern in a clinic or hospital, you will be interested to know that a Internal medicine physician serves in both the public and private sectors.
Health insurance companies that offer medical care or care in their own clinics often have almost as many internal medicine physicians like those of other specialties. In addition, the new services offered by most insurers, such as those related to eating disorders, age disorders and others, require the participation of internists.
I recommend you read the policy carefully to know the coverage in case of hospitalization. In fact, this service is included in most general medicine policies, however internationalization is not included in primary care benefits.
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