Do you know which doctor specializes in kidney care? Or who is an expert at pacemakers? The differences between medical specialties can be confusing. There are more than 145 types of medical specialists and subspecialists certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
As confusing as these distinctions can sometimes be for seasoned health care marketing professionals, consumers and those new to the health care field have even more difficulty making sense of these differences. In fact, a recent orthopaedic perception study conducted by The Roberts Group showed that more than one-quarter of consumers do not know or have the correct understanding of word “orthopaedics.”
To help, we have has compiled this list of some of the common and not-so-common medical specialties you might encounter on the job or as a consumer.
Anesthesiologist – administers drugs and monitors patient condition during surgery; also provides pain management for acute and chronic conditions
Cardiologist, Interventional Cardiologist, Cardiac Electrophysiologist – a cardiologist specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels; an interventional cardiologist uses guided imaging to diagnose and treat those diseases; a cardiac electrophysiologist specializes in treating irregular heart rhythms caused by electrical problems in the heart
Cardiovascular Surgeon, Cardiothoracic Surgeon – a cardiovascular surgeon specializes in the surgical management of blood vessel and heart disorders; a cardiothoracic surgeon specializes in pathological conditions within the chest
Endocrinologist – diagnoses and treats diabetes, hormone imbalances, thyroid disease and other disorders of the endocrine system
Gastroenterologist – specializes in diseases of the digestive system
Geriatrician (Geriatric Medicine) – general practice physician who specializes in caring for older adults
Hematologist – a hematologist specializes in diseases of the blood and bone marrow
Hepatologist – specializes in diseases of the liver
Hospitalist – internal medicine physician whose practice is limited to hospital inpatients
Intensivist – hospital-based critical care medicine specialist who treats patients in intensive care settings
Medical Geneticist – provides testing, counseling and therapy for genetic diseases
Medical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist – a medical oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of cancers and tumors; a radiation oncologist specializes in the application of radiation to manage disease
Neonatologist – cares for premature and critically ill newborns
Nephrologist – specializes in diseases of the kidneys
Neurologist, Neurosurgeon – a neurologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of disease and functions of the brain, spine, peripheral nerves, muscles and nervous system; a neurosurgeon provides surgical management of those disorders
Neurophysiologist – a neurologist who diagnoses disorders of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems through clinical evaluations and electrophysiologic testing
Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Urogynecologist – an obstetrician/gynecologist specializes in the medical and surgical care of the female reproductive system and its associated disorders; a urogynecologist specializes in female urological problems
Ophthalmologist, Optometrist – an ophthalmologist provides comprehensive eye and vision care, including medically or surgically treating visual disorders; an optometrist specializes in diagnosing diseases of the eye and correcting vision
Orthopaedic Surgeon – also known as an orthopod, an orthopaedist is a surgeon who treats diseases, disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system
Otolaryngologist – the technical name for an ear, nose and throat physician
Pathologist – usually works behind the scenes to diagnose disease by studying tissues, body fluids and organs
Perinatologist – specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies
Physiatrist – specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation
Pulmonologist – specializes in lung disease
Radiologist, Interventional Radiologist – radiologists perform and interpret imaging tests; interventional radiologists also perform minimally invasive procedures using imaging guidance, such as embolization, thrombolysis and biopsies
Rheumatologist – specializes in arthritis and diseases of the joints, as well as autoimmune disorders, such as lupus
To learn more about how The Roberts Group can bring a fresh perspective to your marketing communications, e-mail Lori A. Bruss, MEd, CHES, executive vice president, or call (866) 549-6848.
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