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Tertiary Care

What is tertiary care?

Tertiary care is specialized care delivered in a hospital or similar care setting. It usually requires a referral from a primary or secondary care provider, and it is typically only available at specialized medical centers. Tertiary care can include a range of procedures from cancer treatment to organ transplantation. 

While it is generally more expensive than primary or secondary care, tertiary care can be lifesaving for patients with complex medical needs. 
 

Why is tertiary care important to healthcare?

Tertiary care is provided to patients who require highly specific, specialized treatment, usually for severe or life-threatening conditions. While primary care focuses on the general health of patients, and secondary care focuses on specific conditions, tertiary care is important to healthcare because it treats patients with immediate, complex needs.