When you or a member of the family gets sick, you visit the doctor. Do you know which type of doctor you would need to visit, though? The medical field is filled with all sorts of specialty doctors that address different needs.
Knowing the difference between these types of doctors can help you pick out a healthcare plan that best suits your family’s needs, as well as get them the help they need in a hurry. For example, if you are in need of a foot doctor in Jersey City NJ, you should browse online under the term “podiatrist in NJ”. Here are few doctors that your family will more than likely rely on at one point or another.
Primary Care Practitioner
Your family practitioner is your go-to for general health issues and specialty visits. A primary care practitioner can handle colds, flus, and serious illnesses. They are trained to treat all age groups and even have training in disease prevention.
While a primary care practitioner will cover the vast majority of your medical needs, there are instances that are outside of their scope of abilities. In this case, they can refer you to a specialist while continuing to oversee the process of your treatment. For instance, seeing a plastic surgeon in Vegas is definitely out of the scope of coverage.
Don’t be afraid to head to your primary care practitioner if you feel sick, think you may have blood sugar or pressure problems, or are worried that you might have some other condition. Best of all, the vast majority of insurance plans cover each visit.
Family Doctor
Family doctors, like primary care practitioners, are trained to treat anyone of any age. They may even treat every member of your family through all stages of their lives.
These individuals have the ability to care for a person from infancy to advanced stages of life. Your family doctor is someone you can visit for minor illnesses like a persistent cough as a well as major issues including high blood pressure.
A family doctor is also on your side when it comes to being healthy. They’ll encourage you to create healthy lifestyle changes for chronic problems, and might even be able to help you act proactively on genetic issues if they treat other members of your family. Having a more intimate connection with your doctor is an excellent way to treat issues as they arise.
They can also be knowledgeable about out of network costs. If you live in Chicago and need to see a food doctor in Jersey City, New Jersey, they might even be able to help you out with a referral.
The Internist
An internist treats a wide variety of illnesses, but only for adults. Just like a family doctor or primary care practitioner, they can treat common and major illnesses. The benefit of seeing an internist is that you can receive medical attention quickly by stopping in after work or on the weekend.
The second benefit is that they are highly skilled in treating adult conditions. If you have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol, then this is the right doc for you. An internist can also provide services like mental health and weight loss counseling, which might not be covered by your insurance.
How to Choose a Doctor
Ideally, you should pick one of these doctors to treat every member of your family on a regular basis. This helps you save time in an emergency, and makes your visits more comfortable. It’s okay to choose multiple doctors depending on your medical needs, though.
For instance, you might need to see an internist for a chronic illness instead of a primary care practitioner. Pick the option that covers you and your family’s medical needs, and you can’t go wrong.