Internal medicine

Caring for the health needs of others sometimes means you don’t have much time to focus on your own. At Advocate Health Care, our internal medicine doctors make it easy to manage your health, keeping you well so you can enjoy life on your terms.

What is internal medicine?

Internal medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on comprehensive primary care for adults only. Primary care involves the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a wide range of illnesses, diseases and injuries that affect young adults through seniors.

Internal medicine doctors (also called internists) are board certified in internal medicine and have special expertise in managing care for people who have complex, chronic (long-term) conditions. Our experienced internists have advanced training in multiple medical fields, including: 

• Dermatology
• Endocrinology (hormones and glands)
• Infectious diseases
• Neurology and psychiatry
• Nonsurgical orthopedics and physical rehabilitation
• Ophthalmology (eye care)
• Otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose and throat care)

Your Advocate internist builds a long-term relationship with you, becoming your trusted health partner. By getting to know you and your medical history, they’re able to monitor your health to detect issues early. 

Internal medicine treatments and services

Our internal medicine doctors provide a variety of services and treatments that enhance your health and well-being for the long term. We offer:

• Preventive care: We provide information about disease prevention and wellness and perform your annual exam to keep you healthy. Our preventive care also includes vaccinations, screening tests and health risk assessments to find problems early and reduce your risk of disease. 
• Evaluation and diagnosis: If you experience new or unusual symptoms, your internist should be your first call. With a thorough evaluation, they work to find the causes of your symptoms. They also use imaging and other tests, as needed, to give you an accurate diagnosis.
• In-office procedures: You can have some procedures, such as skin biopsies and joint injections, in your internist’s office. That way, you receive care where it’s convenient for you – and can avoid a trip to a specialist.
• Treatment of acute conditions and injuries: You can receive prescription medications and other treatments for acute (sudden, short-term) conditions and injuries, such as flu, muscle pain or infection. You can also see us for minor injuries, such as deep cuts and ankle sprains – instead of going to urgent care.
• Management of complex, chronic diseases: Your internist provides ongoing, individualized care to manage chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. They also help you manage your medications and adjust them to meet your changing needs.
• Referrals and care coordination: Your internist can refer you to the right specialist if you need more advanced care. At Advocate, you have access to experts in every specialty who provide high-quality care. And because all our providers use the same electronic health record system, your internist can keep up with your progress to continue managing your overall health.

Conditions we treat with internal medicine

Many conditions, whether they’re minor or life-threatening, share similar symptoms. Our internists have experience identifying and distinguishing among all kinds of common and complex conditions. With an eye to your overall health, we make sure you receive the right treatments at the right time.

Some conditions we often care for include:

• Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic lung diseases
• Endocrine (gland) disorders, such as thyroid disease and diabetes
• Heart disease and stroke
• Infectious diseases, such as flu, pneumonia, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Injuries – from burns and sprains to bone fractures
• Lupus, arthritis and other rheumatologic conditions
• Skin conditions, such as rashes, skin tags and skin cancers