We all fall sick and feel miserable trying to find the best “internist near me”. The quest for going to the perfect primary care doctor for adults at times is so much that we become overwhelmed and anxious. But with the help of research and word of mouth, we can find an internist who can prove himself to be the right fit for our needs.
Here in this blog we have covered the following topics so that you know the basics and most fundamental concepts of internal medicine.
Table of Contents
H1: Introduction: Internist and Internist Physician
H1: Vitality of Internal Medicine and Internist Specialty
H1: Ways to Treat and Diagnose Health Concerns: Lab Work, Physical Checkup & Screening
H1: Questions to Ask an Internist on Your Initial Visit
H2: Reminder For Your First Visit to the Internist’s Office
H1: Internist Doctor Near Me: Find an Internist at Indus Medical Associates
Introduction: Internist and Internist Physician
We all go to the clinics and hospitals when in need, right? But most of us are baffled by the responsibilities and types of doctors. That is the real reason why they need to understand the basics and read this blog.
So, first thing first, an internist is a primary care physician for adults. Yes, these internist physicians are those who diagnose, treat, and prevent health concerns of adults. However, to say that internist is a broad term for the specialties under the umbrella is justified.
In layman's language, internal medicine physicians are professionals who have gone through the following;
- A complete degree in medicine
- Completion of residency program for doctors
- A total of three years in training
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They are doctors who practice and train themselves about the overall diseases of an adult
- Gynecology
Furthermore, if you see, some of the internists specialize. For that, they have to go for more years in training. The sub-specialties of internal medicine include;
- Dermatology
- Psychiatry
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Obstetrics
- Geriatrics
- Rheumatology
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatrics
- Allergy & immunization
Note: To complete the procedure of the title “internist medical professional,” one has to not just complete everything mentioned above but also go through a tedious training of minimum one and maximum three years of residency. One thing that you might note is that these doctors usually opt for one specialization at a time.
Vitality of Internal Medicine and Internist Specialty
The main role of a good doctor is to allow patients to have an awareness of what is going on in the body. So, in other words, it all stems from the same root – awareness. After which, the doctor and patient align themselves to understand “prevention.” Naturally, it is so that the patient can bounce back to a healthy, good life.
Interestingly, the moment you are in the game of prevention than you automatically go to the diagnosis and the treatment. It is for the fundamental reasoning – without treatment and diagnosis, you might have difficulty in prevention.
So, knowing that the prevention is a must, you should know what are the ways to prevent a disease, what to do to maintain health, and how that mission is achieved. Well, following areas are dealt by the internist doctor near me and you.
- Balanced diet
- Adequate amount of water
- Regular physical workout
- Limited consumption of smoking and having alcoholic drinks
- Keeping a check on stress levels and walking to lower it down
All these areas are covered by the internist specialty doctors. These doctors help you figure out the routine and lifestyle changes in the counseling sessions. Detecting the disease before the signs start to appear is an art – the one on which an internist has a full command.
Note: To determine about the health issues, an internist figures out the disease. To ensure about the conclusion, the doctor takes help of physical examinations, blood work, and screenings. This section is discussed separately in this blog.
Ways to Treat and Diagnose Health Concerns: Lab Work, Physical Checkup & Screening
Now that you know who is an internist, what is his importance, and what kind of studies and mastery is required to become the best internist doctor near me and you. We should move on to the next connecting topic: what are three best ways to diagnose a disease.
All right, so here is the thing. You must have noticed that as soon as you enter a clinic or hospital, a nurse comes to take your vitals (blood pressure, fever, and weight). This step is for out-patients mostly.
The next step after taking vitals is to check your body, complete the set of screenings, and give a list of blood work. Please note that a good internist always gives a list of lab work before you go for the follow-up session.
However, some of the basic screening and physical tests include;
- Prostrate examination
- Testicular examinations
- Breast examination
- Bone screenings (scans) to diagnose osteoporosis
- Mammograms
- Cholesterol levels to regular good health
- Blood sugar to check for diabetes
- To diagnose hypertension, blood pressure is checked
- Overall, body parts are checked, too (nose, throat, mouth, eyes, abdomen, ears, legs, skin, and fingernails).
Note: The regular once or twice a year checkup is a must for everyone above the age of 20.
Questions to Ask an Internist on Your Initial Visit
The best way to find an “internist near me” is through a set of questions. These queries allow you to check if there is exactly what you are looking for if the internist holds the kind of expertise you need to cater the needful, etc.
Questions Related to Expertise and Background of the Internist Medicine Doctor
- Do you have board certification?
- What is the duration of practicing internal subspecialty?
- Which subspecialties come under your professional services?
Approach to Treat and Care for Patients
- Are there any approaches to follow for preventive care?
- Do you give guidelines on how to balance out life with medications?
- Will you be able to collaborate with other doctors if required?
Communication
- What is the procedure to book an appointment?
- How long does it take to get your consultation?
- Do you involve patients in deciding the best treatment or preventive measure plan?
Important Consultations
- Do you have expertise in handling and managing chronic diseases like hypertension, heart-related concerns, diabetes, etc.?
- Can you share some ways through which you stay informed on medical progressions?
Risk Assessment
- Why is medical history important to treat and diagnose my health concerns?
- What screenings and blood tests are vital for my age group?
- Are there any suggestions to improve my current lifestyle for better health?
Specific Signs of Health Concerns
- What are some of the main reasons for my current health concerns?
- Do you want me to go through lab work or screenings to ensure the current medical conditions?
- How can we cater to the serious health problems in the next steps?
Chronic Health Management
- What are the best ways to handle and manage life-threatening health concerns?
- Is there a new way to treat and prevent my current health situation?
Medications
- Do you think the medicines I take currently are still appropriate?
- What are the main side effects of my medications?
- Can I know the positive and negative sides of taking the medications you have prescribed?
Reminder For Your First Visit to the Internist’s Office
Asking the questions mentioned above enables you to decide if you are comfortable with the professional or not. Also, giving it a go for the first time will make you understand if the professional ethics are aligned with your values or not. Other than that, what you really need to do is to carry your “health record,” aka “medical file,” while visiting the doctor.
In the file you should have the following items so that it becomes easy for the doctor to work on your health issues.
- List of medicines or/and supplements you are consuming currently. It helps the internist to review the dosage, combination with other medicines, etc.
- Have the information related to the health insurance for the right kind of help required.
- Also, write down all the allergies associated with food, other kind of substances, and medications.
- Keep a record of reports of surgeries, chronic past conditions, and hospitalizations.
- Mention all the diseases that your family had in the past. This helps the doctor to figure out if you have the tendency to catch on the diseases from your family or not.
- Vaccination cards or history is something you should keep in the record file.
- Screening reports and lab work copies are something you must have in the “health record file.”
Internist Doctor Near Me: Find an Internist at Indus Medical Associates
At Indus Medical Associates you will have a list of seasoned internists in Rancho Mirage and Coachella. However, the most famous ones among others are Dr. Parimi and Dr. Azam. They both have decades of experience under their wings. To know more about them, please contact them on the official website.