What is a Clinical Specialty and Which Doctor Should You Call?
Have you ever needed clarification about all the available clinical specialties? For example, what clinical specialty is appropriate for your specific issue, and how did you find the appropriate doctor for …
Have you ever needed clarification about all the available clinical specialties? For example, what clinical specialty is appropriate for your specific issue, and how did you find the appropriate doctor for that specialty?
Read further as we provide some answers to this complex question and guidance on where to go next.
What Do Clinical Specialties Mean?
Clinical specialists focus on specific areas where the medical expert specializes in a particular category of medicine, or the specialty may even focus on certain medical products.
Some areas what is clinical specialty include:
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- Checking elderly health – Many clinics specialize in geriatric (elderly) healthcare.
- Neurology – Clinics specializing in brain health.
- Anthesiology – This clinic’s specialty is with doctors trained in administrating anesthesia, typically working with certified nurses trained in anesthesiology.
- Cardiology – A clinical cardiologist can diagnose and manage heart diseases, including high blood pressure and chest pain. The cardiologist also treats heart valves, blood vessels, and other vascular issues.
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- Dermatology – What is clinical specialty for the clinic with the treatment provided by a dermatologist. The physician performs medical treatment procedures, including Botox treatments and cosmetic surgery.
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- Chriopractor – The chiropractor clinic specializes in non-invasive treatment by a licensed chiropractor. Some medical conditions certified chiropractors treat include trigger point therapy, spinal manipulation, and manual joint stretching.
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- Oncology– An oncology center specializing in the advanced treatment of various forms of cancer. These treatments may include hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
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- Endoscopy– An endoscopy center is a clinic that administers endoscopy examinations of the gastrointestinal tract. With advances in medical technology, an endoscopy center may also provide surgical procedures using a modified endoscope.
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- Sports Medicine – A clinic specializing in sports medicine treats many ailments brought on by athletic performances. These treatments include sprained ankles, knee and shoulder injuries, fractures, cartilage injuries, and concussions.
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- Gynecology – Specialized gynecological care includes various female medical treatments and procedures. Among the treatments performed are caesarian sections, hysterectomies, and removing growths such as ovarian cysts.
- Physical therapy – What is clinical specialty for physical therapy specialist who performs different examinations at a physical therapy clinic to determine your medical condition. Among the areas a therapist may focus on are:
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- Cardiovascular and pulmonary – Examination of the heart and lungs
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- Oncology – Cancer therapy
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- Geriatrics – Examination of elderly health
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- Orthopedics – Therapy for joints, bones, and spinal conditions
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- Neurology – Brain health therapy
What Specialty Doctor to Call For Help?
We are fortunate to have many choices when calling a doctor. The trick is to contact a doctor in what is clinical specialty for your current ailment that requires attention.
To assist you in trying to decide what type of doctor to contact when needing help, this is a partial list of specialty doctors.
Allergists – When allergies occur, you may want to contact a doctor for relief. A doctor specializing in allergies, or an allergist, is someone you should call about outbreaks of allergies or asthma attacks.
Dermotologists – These specialty skin physician in what is clinical specialty treat conditions and diseases of the skin, hair, or nails. Some common conditions for seeing a dermatologist for treatment are acne, psoriasis, skin cancer, or eczema. Some specialty clinics will provide in-office procedures such as mole or wart removals. Often, dermatology clinics offer aesthetic procedures like Botox injections, dermal fillers, and chemical peels.
Opthamologists – Specializing in vision and eye care, ophthalmologists treat conditions of the eye and may provide eye surgery at the clinic. Ophthalmologists treat complicated eye conditions and routine eye care, like eye examinations or prescribing glasses.
Cardiologists – Focusing on the cardiovascular system, cardiologists with what is clinical specialty to treat conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Although they can perform several procedures, including tests, they do not do heart surgery. Among the conditions they treat are:
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- High cholesterol and blood pressure
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- Heart rhythm problems
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- Strokes and heart attacks
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- Congestive heart failure
Gastreonologists – Gastrenologists focus on treating the stomach, liver, colon, gallbladder, intestines, pancreas, and esophagus. They also perform certain procedures, such as colonoscopies and endoscopies.
Urologists – The urologist’s focus is treating both female and male urinary systems. They also focus on treating male reproductive health issues. Some urologists may focus on specific treatments for either male infertility or female urology.
Psychiatrists – A doctor of psychiatry in what is clinical specialty treats various mental health conditions. Depending on the patient’s unique circumstances, their treatment may require counseling, medication, or hospitalization. Some psychiatrists may focus on medicine addiction or adolescent mental health.
Oncologists – An oncologist’s focus is to treat cancer and all of its symptoms. When undergoing cancer treatment, a cancer patient may have several healthcare professionals on their team. Certain oncologists may focus on specialized training to treat:
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- Specific types of cancer
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- Certain areas of the body
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- Health issues related to cancer
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- Specific type of cancer treatment
Neurologists – The neurologist treats conditions of the brain, spine, and nerves. Some of the conditions treated by neurologists are Parkinson’s disease, stroke, migraine, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Radiologists – The focus of a radiologist is to treat medical imaging results based on such scans as MRIs, X-rays, ultrasounds, mammograms, and CT scans. There are three types of radiologists:
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- Radiation Oncologists – Physicians making patient cancer treatment plans based on radiation therapy.
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- Diagnostic radiologists – The diagnostic radiologist focuses on reading and interpreting the medical conditions of patients by studying medical imaging tests. They may also interpret test results and provide the patient’s doctor with valuable information about their condition.
- Interventional radiologists – They utilize certain imaging results, including MRI scans, X-rays, and other medical procedures to treat patients. These conditions may be strokes, heart disease, or cancer.
- Cardiac surgeons – Cardiac surgeons often work with cardiologists to determine the best path for a patient to take. Their specialized skills include placing stents in the heart and performing heart bypass surgery.
- Nephrologists – Concentrating on kidney care, Nephrologists may treat the following medical conditions:
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- Endocrinologists – Endocrinologists focus on treating the conditions affecting the endocrine system. The endocrine system comprises a series of glands in the body that regulates hormonal functions. Some of the glands they treat are:
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- Hormonal imbalance
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- Thyroid conditions
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- Endocrinologists – Endocrinologists focus on treating the conditions affecting the endocrine system. The endocrine system comprises a series of glands in the body that regulates hormonal functions. Some of the glands they treat are:
Go to a Clinic or Hospital?
Sometimes, we may wonder if we should go to a clinic or hospital and waste valuable time deciding. Fortunately, some suggestions can help in the decision process.
When to Go to a Specialty Clinic?
These are some factors to consider when deciding to go to a what is clinical specialty clinic or a hospital and waste precious time in the decision process. You may decide to go to a specialty clinic based on these guidelines.
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- Visit for preventative care: A preventative care clinic is ideal for immunizations, physical exams, or checking on conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer symptoms.
- Routine care: Routine care can include attending therapy sessions at a mental health clinic or making follow-up appointments.
- Non-emergency issues: Clinics are ideal when you are feeling ill with symptoms like ear pain, cough, or a sore throat.
- Minor injuries:Visiting a clinic is perfect for certain conditions like muscle strains, minor cuts, or accidental small burns.
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When To Go To a Hospital
Sometimes, some conditions are best treated by visiting a hospital. These are some guidelines for determining if a hospital is the best choice.
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- Hospital specialist: Often, many specialists are located in or on the hospital staff. A specialist may diagnose your condition and provide a treatment plan. An example may be when a top oncologist treating cancer sees patients only at the hospital.
- Medical emergency: Hospitals are probably your best choice when a medical emergency happens. Although clinics can make an excellent diagnosis and recommend treatment, a hospital is a better choice in a medical emergency. An example of a medical emergency may be a stroke or heart attack, and visiting a hospital’s emergency room is a wise choice.
- Surgical procedures: Other than minor surgery, most surgeries performed at hospitals are either non-emergency or emergency. Some surgeries may be outpatient only, but many may require a hospital stay afterward.
- Serious injuries: Serious injuries like a car accident, head injuries, serious cuts or burns, and falls from high places are best addressed in a hospital’s emergency department.
- Mental health emergencies: If a person is acting strange and posing a threat to themselves or others, the hospital is the best place for evaluation and treatment.
Costs to Consider When Visiting Clinics
Even with insurance coverage, you may still incur some costs when visiting a specialty medical clinic. Costs can vary based on the insurance policy coverage and the procedures performed at the clinic. The various costs associated with a clinical visit, even with insurance, are the following:
- Insurance deductible – The difference in the amount you must pay out of pocket before the insurance coverage begins.
- Co-pay – The set amount per your insurance policy that you must pay after receiving health treatment.
- Coinsurance – After paying off the clinic visit, the coinsurance is the percentage you pay out-of-pocket for covered health services.
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses – Depending on your insurance policy, not all policies cover certain procedures, and if so, you will be responsible for paying the difference.
What Are Benefits of Visiting Speciality Clinics?
There are several benefits to visiting specialty clinics. Among these benefits are:
- Scheduling appointments and communicating more easily with clinics. In specialty clinics, establishing relationships with doctors and staff for medical requirements is typically much easier.
- Clinics offer more of a one-stop-shopping experience for healthcare needs. Many clinics may offer several specialties in one location, providing high-quality medical care at one facility or facility.
- Greater accessibility to specialists for your condition.If your treatment calls for the services of specialists, often what is clinical specialty may be at your location or nearby. Another advantage is all clinics within the same corporate umbrella automatically share immediate access to patient information, saving valuable time for treatment.
- Typically, greater access to the latest and most modern technology.Typically, multi-specialty clinics are equipped with the latest technology required for their expertise. This quick availability of in-house services can speed up the treatment process and greatly reduce the loss of treatment time for waiting for services.
- Speciality clinics with multidisciplinary teams provide more focused patient care. Multidisciplinary teams of physicians at a clinic permit a closer bond with the patient. Physicians often have peer-to-peer consultations within the clinic to provide optimal health because everyone is on the same page.
- Schedule appointments and communicate with staff more easily.Clinics offer a more intimate setting that leads to a closer relationship with their doctors, which leads to becoming closer partners in patient care.
What Is the Future of Specialty Clinics?
The future of specialty, especially multi-specialty clinics, looks promising. Consolidation of services under one health umbrella is convenient for the patient and promises cost savings for participating physicians.
Imagine being under a single roof to have diagnostic tests, then a specialist immediately reads the result. Next, the test results are read, and your specialist has a conference with you to discuss a treatment plan.
All on the same day at probably the same location. That is advanced healthcare with the patient the winner immediately, or very soon, given their healthcare treatment plan.
Physicians are also winners in multi-specialty clinics due to sharing the overhead with other physicians of fixed expenses like:
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- Malpractice insurance rates/li>
- Employee payroll costs
- Healthcare benefits
- Better pricing from vendors
- More efficient patient scheduling
- Working with integrated EHR (Electronic Health Record0
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Many other benefits exist for a patient and a medical doctor working under a shared specialty clinic umbrella. Patients receive better and more attentive care, while physicians, with shared expenses, have a more profitable practice working in specialty clinics.