Adult Medicine
Primary care for adults
Internal medicine physicians, sometimes called "internists," treat adult patients. Although they often act as primary care physicians, they are different from family physicians because they focus on adults. Internists receive special training in the prevention and treatment of adult diseases.
Internal medicine physicians at Adventist Health and Rideout are experts at taking care of the whole patient — mind, body and spirit. They are specially trained to diagnose and treat everything from common to rare conditions, including situations where more than one illness strikes at one time. Our physicians also help coordinate your care when specialists are needed.
Benefits of working with an internist
As a doctor specializing in treating adult medical conditions, internists can provide more focused and specialized care for several diseases and conditions. Many internists even receive additional training in medical subspecialties. Highly knowledgeable in their fields, internists can help you prevent serious health conditions and learn more about your risk factors for various diseases. This is also a field that requires collaboration, and internists often have relationships with medical specialists they can refer you to when needed.
Some conditions treated by internists include:
- Heart disease
- Respiratory diseases
- Vascular conditions
- Blood problems
- Kidney diseases
- Digestive health issues
- Neurological disorders
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Chronic aches and pains
- Endocrine disorders and hormone issues
Internists often develop long-term relationships with their patients. When you make an internal medicine doctor your primary care physician, you can trust they have the skills and experience required to provide you with high-quality medical care.