An internist is a medical doctor who provides healthcare to adults, covering all medical needs across the spectrum – from minor health problems to complex, chronic illnesses. They specialize in disease prevention and promoting overall health and wellness, so this type of physician is a great choice to be your general practitioner, or primary care physician (PCP).
Internal medicine is a discipline that focuses on using the best medical science available to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in adults. To become an internist, a doctor must first earn an undergraduate bachelor’s degree, then complete a four-year degree in medical school, then undergo a residency in internal medicine – which typically takes three years, but can take longer. Some internists may also choose to take additional training, called a fellowship, to sub-specialize in a more focused area of internal medicine, such as cardiology (diseases of the heart). And some internists, like Dr. Adam Possner, are asked to stay on for an extra year to help run the training program – what is called a “chief year.”
Let’s talk about what an internist does for patients, and where you can go in North Bethesda to see a world-class internal medicine specialist who practices personalized, concierge medicine.
An Internal Medicine Doctor Provides Comprehensive Adult Healthcare
Internists are equipped to handle a broad and comprehensive spectrum of conditions and illnesses that affect adults of all ages, regardless of how common, rare, complex, or simple the problem is. Their in-depth medical training ensures they are able to deal with puzzling conditions or with patients who have multiple health issues that may warrant more than one treatment.
The main areas of an internist’s expertise include:
- Diagnosing, treating, and managing acute, chronic, and complex medical conditions
- Recognizing important, hidden, or emerging diseases
- Promoting overall health and well-being through regular checkups
- Preventing disease through vaccinations and other methods
- Coordinating care with, and referring patients to, medical sub-specialists when appropriate
Acute Illness and Injury Care
An internist can be your first point of contact for treatment if you experience a sudden injury, symptom of illness, or flare-up related to a chronic medical condition. An internist applies scientific knowledge and clinical expertise for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of acute illnesses and conditions, from abdominal pain to a respiratory infection, from an allergic reaction to a sprain, strain, or minor fracture.
Internists are fully up-to-date with the latest treatments, and so they can ensure that you are offered the treatments that may work the best for you. You can then base your treatment decision on your individual circumstances, preferences, and needs.
Chronic Disease Management
Not only can an internist provide care for acute (sudden) medical conditions, but he/she also has the expertise to treat and manage chronic (ongoing) health conditions. A patient may have multiple long-term health conditions that require complex ongoing care.
An internist takes a whole-person, integrated care approach to chronic disease management in order to ensure patients get the care they need. An internist is also charged with keeping an eye on whether the patient’s medications have any contraindications, which would render them useless or potentially even harmful.
Preventive Medical Care
The aim of preventive medicine is to help patients avoid particular health problems and to stop existing problems in their tracks, before they can lead to more significant or permanent damage. Preventive care consists of a number of important elements, including:
- Regular checkups
- Beneficial lifestyle choices
- Healthy diet
- Plenty of exercise and movement
- Work/life balance
- Maintaining up-to-date vaccinations
- Health screenings as appropriate (mammograms and Pap smears for women; perhaps PSA tests and DRE exams for men; colonoscopies for both sexes, etc.)
- Blood pressure checks
- Blood and urine tests
- Checking for possible inherited health issues
Concierge Internist in North Bethesda, MD
If you are looking for high-quality, compassionate healthcare, visit board-certified internist Dr. Adam Possner at North Bethesda Primary Care. Dr. Possner will take the time to get to know you to ensure that all your healthcare needs are met, and that he provides you with the best care possible.
Our medical team provides concierge primary care to adults who wish to experience the difference that truly personalized healthcare can make. To find out more about our membership-based practice, or to request a complimentary meeting with Dr. Possner, call us today at (301) 941-4414 or fill out our online request form. We look forward to helping you achieve and maintain excellent health!
