Internal Medicine

Internal medicine is an inclusive specialty whose practitioners provide care for patients regardless of the type of condition they have. This makes internists like those at Touch Stone Rehabilitation & Health Center in the Prince's Bay neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, the ideal primary care providers for a range of services, from urgent care to the management of chronic conditions. To learn more about the services offered at Touch Stone Rehabilitation & Health Center, call the office or request an appointment online today. 

What is internal medicine?

Internal medicine covers all aspects of adult health care and is the foundation for all doctors’ medical training. 

Every doctor in the United States trains in internal medicine, and while some go on to specialize in specific aspects of medicine, others focus on retaining a broad spectrum of knowledge.

Doctors who practice internal medicine are called internists. General internists treat patients with conditions that span the entire field of internal medicine. 

They maintain their expertise in numerous other specialties to diagnose and treat patients with both common and more unusual conditions.

Is internal medicine the same as family medicine?

Internists and family medicine practitioners both cover a wide range of health issues, and internists often work in primary care facilities like family medicine practitioners.

However, internal medicine is an exclusively adult branch of health care, in the same way that pediatrics deals exclusively with children up to 18.

Family medicine combines the two, treating adults and children of all ages. Family medicine practitioners may also include obstetrics in their practice. 

Internists and family medicine practitioners don’t normally carry out surgery but may perform minor outpatient procedures.

When would I use internal medicine services?

Many doctors who provide primary care services are internists. You’ll also find internists in hospitals. 

Internists deal with everyday health concerns and minor illnesses. They also excel in providing care for patients with uncommon or serious health problems and those who have complex health care needs.

In addition to treating conditions like strep throat, STDs, headaches, and constipation, doctors who work in internal medicine also have experience in specialty subjects, such as:

• Endocrinology
• Rheumatology
• Infectious diseases
• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Dermatology
• Ophthalmology
• Gynecology
• Ear, nose, and throat
• Non-operative orthopedics
• Palliative (end-of-life) medicine
• Sleep medicine
• Geriatrics
• Rehabilitation medicine

With expertise and experience in such a wide range of subjects, the Touch Stone Rehabilitation & Health Center team is ideally qualified to provide exceptional medical services to their patients. 

To schedule a consultation with Touch Stone Rehabilitation & Health Center, call the office or request an appointment online today.