Secondary care

Secondary Care is a level of health care services provided by medical specialists and other health professionals who generally do not have first contact with patients. It includes hospitalization, ambulatory care, and specialized treatment.

Overview

Secondary care, also known as hospital care, is the health care services provided by medical specialists and other health professionals who generally do not have first contact with patients. Unlike primary care, which is the first point of consultation for all patients, secondary care is usually a second step type of care, usually for short term, and requires a referral from a primary care provider.

Secondary care services are provided by medical specialists in their offices or clinics or at local community hospitals for a patient referred by a primary care provider who first diagnosed or treated the patient. Referrals are made for those patients who required the expertise or procedures performed by specialists. These include both ambulatory care and inpatient services, at hospitals, medical clinics, or other organized medical care facilities.

Types of Secondary Care

Secondary care includes acute care: necessary treatment for a short period of time for a brief but serious illness, injury or other health condition, such as in a hospital emergency department. It also includes skilled attendance during childbirth, intensive care, and medical imaging services.

The types of secondary care include:

• Cardiology
• Dermatology
• Emergency medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Ophthalmology
• Pathology
• Psychiatry
• Radiology
• Surgery

See Also

• Primary care
• Tertiary care
• Quaternary care
• Health care system
• Healthcare provider

References

Secondary care Resources
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