Internal Medicine
What is an Internist?
An internist is a doctor that specializes in diagnosing and performing nonsurgical treatment of diseases in adults. They can also serve as a primary care doctor. Internists have a much broader skill set in comparison to a specialist. They care for the entire spectrum of diseases and ailments aside from specific diseases that require expert care from a specialist. Internists are often the consultant to other doctors to help treat symptoms that are difficult to diagnose.
What Does an Internist Do?
An internist is a primary care doctor that focuses on adult medical care no matter how common or rare the illness may be. They can also care for those individuals who may experience multiple severe chronic illnesses at one time. Internists are specially trained and skilled in a wide variety of areas of medicine including health promotion, health maintenance, disease prevention and patient education.
When an individual needs different types of care, internists provide coordinated care with other medical specialists. They work closely with those specialists to develop a plan of action to not only get patients healthy, but to maintain wellness in the years ahead.
Internists also serve as consultants to other internal medicine subspecialties including:
- Nephrology: diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.
- Hematology: prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease in the blood stream.
- Oncology: treatment of cancer.
- Pulmonology: diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases.
- Endocrinology: endocrine system and the regulation of bodily hormones.
- Gastroenterology: functions of the stomach and intestines.
- Cardiology: treatment of heart disease.
What Type of Appointment Do I Need?
Primary Care encompasses the comprehensive treatment of a number of diseases in symptoms and specialties including pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine. Rather than specializing in one particular area of medicine, the physician is trained to meet all the needs of patients as one point of contact. Same-day appointments may be available. Call your clinic or log in to MyUnityPoint to schedule with your provider or a member of their care team.
Examples of symptoms and conditions treated by a primary care provider can include:
- Allergies
- Cancer screenings (for select cancers)
- Disease management (asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.)
- Long term care or treatment planning
- Managing existing conditions (migraines, depression, anxiety, arthritis, etc.)
- Medication refill and medicine checks
- Minor medical problems and injuries
- Ongoing symptoms (continued back pain, skin problems, etc.)
- Physicals/sports physicals
- Substance abuse
- Vaccinations
Urgent Care and Express treat minor medical problems and injuries that are not life-threatening, but need the attention of a health care provider. These are not an alternative to the emergency room, but offer the ability to get walk-in care without an appointment for all patient ages. Urgent Care is available after hours, weekends and holidays. Our Urgent Care Clinics can provide medical treatment for minor illness and injuries such as:
- Allergies
- Burns
- Colds
- Coughs
- Cuts (Stitches)
- Earaches or Ear Infections
- Fevers
- Minor Medical Problems and Injuries
- Minor Eye Care
- Flu
- Fractures (X-Ray On-Site at Most Locations)
- Infections
- Sore Throats
- Sprains, Including Sprained Ankles (X-Ray On-Site at Most Locations)
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Yeast Infections
- Certain Rapid Tests
Please note: Flu shots, physicals and/or sports physicals are not offered at every urgent care location.
*If you are experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath, please go to the Emergency Department or call 911 immediately. For less serious medical issues, such as physicals, medication refills or to leave a message for your primary care doctor, you can access your My UnityPoint patient portal 24/7!
Connect with a UnityPoint Health provider online using MyUnityPoint to access virtual urgent care. Virtual care doctors can diagnose, recommend treatment and prescribe medication when necessary for commonly treated conditions. Available every day, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for individuals 2 years and older located in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Virtual care should be used for minor, common ailments and illnesses. Some examples, and the qualifying age to receive virtual urgent care for that condition, include:
| Condition | Virtual Urgent Care |
|---|---|
| Acne | 2+ |
| Burn | 2+ |
| Cold/Flu | 2+ |
| Cold Sores | 13+ |
| Constipation | 2+ |
| Cough/Upper Respiratory Infection | 2+ |
| Diarrhea | 2+ |
| Fever | 2+ |
| Head Lice | 2+ |
| Heartburn | 2+ |
| Headache/Migraine | 18+ |
| Joint Pan | 2+ |
| Rash | 2+ |
| Red Eye | 2+ |
| Sinuses | 2+ |
| Sore Throat | 2+ |
| Urinary Tract Infection | 13+ (female only) |
| Vaginal Infection (yeast/bacterial vaginosis) | 18+ |
| Vomiting | 2+ |
Emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for severe or life-threatening conditions. Conditions that require emergency care include excessive bleeding, broken bones, chest pain or trouble breathing. Emergency services include diagnostic testing and access to specialists.
Examples of symptoms and conditions treated by emergency departments can include:
- Symptoms of a heart attack, including severe chest pain, sweating and shortness of breath.
- Profuse bleeding or blood loss that continues even after direct pressure has been placed on the wound.
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Sudden dizziness, weakness, loss of coordination, balance or vision problems, which are signs of stroke.
- High fever and vomiting that continues nonstop for several hours.
- Signs of meningitis for adults: severe headaches, neck/joint pain and stiffness, vomiting, high temperature, sensitivity to light or babies and small children: high-pitched whimpering/crying, lethargy, fussiness, restlessness, high fever, vomiting, cold extremities, refusing food, pale or blotchy skin.
- Seizures lasting longer than five minutes.
- Injuries occurring from an accident or fall - intense back or neck pain, obvious compound fractures and/or dislocations of bones, deep cuts and severe burns.