Physician Specialist
What is a physician specialist?
A physician specialist is a physician that focuses on one area of medicine or a group of patients. They practice within a single field and become experts who can diagnose, prevent, manage, or treat symptoms and conditions affecting a specific patient population.
Some areas on which a physician specialist may focus include:
- Pediatrics
- Family medicine
- Geriatrics
- Psychiatry
- Obstetrics/gynecology
- Dermatology
- Internal medicine
- Optometry
- Surgery
- Pulmonology
- Otolaryngology
- Radiology
- Neurology
By specializing in one field, the physician becomes an expert on specific disease states, age groups, or body parts.
The physician specialist works similarly to a general practitioner, examining patients, diagnosing issues, and creating treatment plans. Insurance coverage for specialist appointments is usually different than for a primary care provider, and often entails a higher copay or coinsurance amount.
Why are physician specialists important for healthcare?
Physician specialists are well-trained within a specific field, making them useful for treating patients with unique or highly specified conditions or disease states. Those who specialize in certain body parts or systems can perform procedures that might otherwise be too complex for general practitioners.