Internal medicine focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating various health conditions in adults. Internists practice in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centers. In addition, some internal medicine doctors offer concierge medical services.
What Does an Internist Do?
Internists are trained to help their patients with health problems, manage their condition, and improve their overall health. It is well-known that early disease detection and prevention lead to better treatment results. Your doctor in Sonoma, California closely monitors your health. If they detect any irregularities, your internist will promptly investigate the cause and initiate treatment to prevent further complications.
Internists are primary care physicians and are typically the first medical professionals a patient sees for undiagnosed health concerns. They provide ongoing care in both outpatient and inpatient settings.
How to Become an Internist?
To become an internist, a physician must undergo a three-year internal medicine residency training program after earning their undergraduate degree. Internists may focus on an internal medicine area, such as oncology, nephrology, hematology, sports medicine, or rheumatology. Their specialized medical education allows them to provide precise and comprehensive care, crucial for disease prevention, accurate diagnosis, and treatment.
Some Conditions That Internists Treat
Internists specialize in diagnosing and treating several chronic and acute conditions, including the common cold, flu, bronchitis, arthritis, blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia, digestive disorders, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, immunological disorders, kidney problems, thyroid conditions, pulmonary diseases, and neurological conditions.
Common Procedures Performed by Internists
Internists can provide nutritional counseling, perform wellness checkups, and screen for common, everyday health problems. Internists are also trained to perform preoperative evaluations. Before surgery, the patient’s internist can assess their health condition. In addition, they may conduct specific tests to determine if any existing medical condition may pose a risk during surgery.
Your internist can administer flu, diphtheria and tetanus, HPV, hepatitis, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines. If you are grappling with a health condition that causes pain, your internists can give therapeutic injections for pain management in their offices.
Internists are also trained to perform minor office procedures, including:
- Removal of foreign bodies such as wood chips and insects from skin and eyes
- Laceration repair
- Skin biopsies
- Applying and removing plaster cast
- Excision of skin lesions
When to See an Internist?
It is recommended that individuals start seeing an internist as soon as they turn 18 and maintain their relationship with their doctor throughout their lifetime. An internist is the appropriate healthcare provider to see once a patient has attained majority and can no longer see a pediatrician.
Internists offer preventive care services and can help reduce healthcare expenses by making an accurate diagnosis at the onset of a health condition and starting treatment on time.
Dr. Guy is one of the most respected and trusted doctors in Sonoma. His specialized knowledge and experience enable him to tailor treatment plans to his patients’ unique needs. To learn more, call (707) 938-1255.
