What is a specialty physician?
While a primary care provider (PCP) is the main caregiver for a patient, a specialty physician is also an important caregiver in a patient’s care, according to Premier HealthNet (PHN) physicians.
Your PCP will be where you take your first concern of a medical problem and where you go to prevent problems and stay healthy, according to PHN physicians.
Specialty physicians have a unique set of skills that they focus on a specific health issue or a specific part of the body. Oftentimes, a PCP will make a diagnosis of a health issue, and a patient will be referred to a specialty physician who will care for their specific health issue, according to PHN physicians.
Examples of specialty physicians include:
- Allergist & immunologist
- Anesthesiologist
- Cardiologist
- Dermatologist
- Endocrinologist
- Gastroenterologist
- Gynecologist
- Neurologist
- Obstetrician
- Oncologist
- Orthopedic surgeon
- Pulmonologist
- Urologist
For more information about what a specialty physician is, talk with your doctor.
Learn more: