Medical Health Encyclopedia

Types of health care providers

SPECIALTY CARE

Your primary care provider may refer you to professionals in various specialties when necessary, such as:

• Allergy and asthma
• Anesthesiology -- general anesthesia or spinal block for surgeries and some forms of pain control
• Cardiology -- heart disorders
• Dermatology -- skin disorders
• Endocrinology -- hormonal and metabolic disorders, including diabetes
• Gastroenterology -- digestive system disorders
• General surgery -- common surgeries involving any part of the body
• Hematology -- blood disorders
• Immunology -- disorders of the immune system
• Infectious disease -- infections affecting the tissues of any body system
• Nephrology -- kidney disorders
• Neurology -- nervous system disorders
• Obstetrics/gynecology -- pregnancy women's reproductive disorders
• Oncology -- cancer treatment
• Ophthalmology -- eye disorders and surgery
• Orthopedics -- bone and connective tissue disorders
• Otorhinolaryngology -- ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders
• Physical therapy and rehabilitative medicine -- for disorders such as low back injury, spinal cord injuries, and stroke
• Psychiatry -- emotional or mental disorders
• Pulmonary (lung) -- respiratory tract disorders
• Radiology -- X-rays and related procedures (such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI)
• Rheumatology -- pain and other symptoms related to joints and other parts of the musculoskeletal system
• Urology -- disorders of the male reproductive and urinary tracts and the female urinary tract

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