Secondary care
Secondary care is professional health care provided by facility or specialists, such as radiologists or cardiologists, who did not have any contact with patient in the first place, but were referred by primary care medical workers. Sometimes it requires further diagnosis (after primary care) and treatments usually using specialized laboratory facilities and equipment, and sometimes there is need for quick and direct treatment.
Who is secondary care for?
Secondary care is for patients with diagnosed issues such as serious and severe illness, injuries and more. These conditions are less frequently experienced by most patients with the need for specialized medical care in the hospital emergency department, but are well known, and common for the secondary care medical personnel.
What secondary care requires?
Due to the need for quick action there is main need for skilled personnel attendance during:
- intensive care
- surgeries
- childbirth
- radiation therapy and others, such as medical imaging services
Specialists working in secondary care area need to be:
- remarkably specialized
- have great knowledge in certain field
- and always be ready for action
Secondary care areas
Breast areas:
- mammography
- ultrasound
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)
- core-needle biopsy
- triple assessment
Also used in:
- Cardiology
- Ear, nose and throat illnesses
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Haematology
- Neurology
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopaedics
- Osteoporosis
- Pediatrics
- Renal Medicine
- Respiratory Medicine
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery
The differences between primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary care
Primary care is preventive care, first call diagnosis and treatments for most common health problems. When there are some complications with diagnosing or treatment possibilities then primary care personnel referrals patients upon to secondary care where all the specialists are and can be done in most full-service hospitals. Further if the problem is unusual and beyond second care specialists patient is referred to tertiary care. This is something that can be provided mostly in different speciality facilities. Tertiary care is needed in health needs such as open heart surgery. Last but not least, there is quaternary care that is for most complex level of surgical and medical care, usually it is provided at research institutions or universities.
Examples of Secondary care
- Specialty Clinics: Specialty clinics are facilities that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of specific ailments or diseases. These clinics typically employ a team of specialists that may include a primary care physician, a specialist in the specific area, and other healthcare workers such as nurses and technicians. Examples of specialty clinics include cancer centers, heart centers, neurology clinics, and pediatric clinics.
- Diagnostic Tests: Diagnostic tests are used to determine a patient’s health status and to diagnose illnesses or conditions. Examples of diagnostic tests include imaging studies (x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, etc.), laboratory tests, endoscopy procedures (colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, etc.), and biopsies.
- Surgery: Surgery is a type of intervention that involves direct manipulation of the body’s tissues. Common examples of surgery include orthopedic surgery, general surgery, gynecologic surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery.
- Consultations: Consultations are meetings between a patient and a specialist to discuss a medical issue. These meetings may involve a review of the patient’s medical history, a physical examination, and other tests or procedures. Examples of consultations include visits to a cardiologist, neurologist, or gastroenterologist.
- Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation is a form of treatment that helps patients regain their physical and mental functioning after an injury, illness, or surgery. Examples of rehabilitation include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
Advantages of Secondary care
One of the key advantages of secondary care is that it allows for more specialized and in-depth diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.
- It offers a more specialized and in-depth diagnosis and treatment than primary care, providing a higher level of expertise for more serious medical conditions.
- It allows for access to more sophisticated diagnostic tests and treatments, such as CT scans, MRI scans, and specialized laboratory tests.
- It can provide access to treatments and medications not available through primary care.
- It allows for access to multidisciplinary teams of specialists, who are better able to coordinate care and ensure the patient is receiving the most effective treatment.
- It allows for quicker access to specialist care, often leading to improved outcomes for patients.
- It can provide access to more specialist support and advice than is available through primary care.
Limitations of Secondary care
- Secondary care can be expensive and not covered by insurance, which may limit access to needed services.
- Long wait times to see specialists can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Specialists may be limited in the geographic area, making it difficult to access care.
- Specialist physicians may disagree with the primary care physician's assessment or treatment plan, leading to confusion or delays in care.
- Patients may be unfamiliar with the specialist, leading to feelings of anxiety or fear.
- It may be difficult for the primary care physician and specialist to coordinate care for the patient, potentially leading to duplicative or unnecessary tests or treatments.
Other approaches related to Secondary care often involve a range of specialized disciplines and services:
- Team-based care: This approach is focused on providing coordinated care across multiple disciplines, such as physical therapy, nutrition, and rehabilitation, in order to improve the overall health of the patient.
- Integrated care: This approach combines different services from primary, secondary and tertiary care, such as mental health and social services, to provide a holistic approach to patient care.
- Disease management: This approach focuses on managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, by providing specialized care and services designed to improve the patient’s overall health.
- Telehealth: This approach utilizes technology to provide medical services to patients remotely, such as virtual visits and online prescriptions.
In summary, secondary care often involves specialized services such as team-based care, integrated care, disease management, and telehealth to improve the overall health of the patient.
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References
- Akbari, A., Mayhew, A., Al‐Alawi, M. A., Grimshaw, J., Winkens, R., Glidewell, E., ... & Fraser, C. (2005), Interventions to improve outpatient referrals from primary care to secondary care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3).
- Amanullah, K. G. M. (2014). Analysis of patient safety measures in the private secondary care hospitals of Nanded City.
- Hopcroft, K. (Ed.). (2000). The GP Guide to Secondary Care Investigations. Radcliffe Publishing.
- Kronenfeld, J. J. (1997). The changing federal role in US health care policy. Greenwood Publishing Group.
- McWay, D. C. (2013). Today's health information management: An integrated approach. Cengage Learning.
- Myers, T. (2006). Mosby's dictionary of medicine, nursing & health professions (Vol. 1). Mosby Inc.
- Reid, S., Wessely, S., Crayford, T., & Hotopf, M. (2001), Medically unexplained symptoms in frequent attenders of secondary health care: retrospective cohort study. Bmj, 322(7289), 767.
- Steventon, A., Bardsley, M., Billings, J., Dixon, J., Doll, H., Hirani, S. & Rogers, A. (2012), Effect of telehealth on use of secondary care and mortality: findings from the Whole System Demonstrator cluster randomised trial. Bmj, 344, e3874.
- Turnock, B. (2012). Public health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Author: Mateusz Fudala
