When Should You See a Medical Specialist?

By Chandra Graves and LL Locker, OHM Staff

Typically you visit your doctor when you are not feeling well and after examining you, he or she determines the cause and treats the illness. That works fine most of the time however there are those times when you might have an illness that just won't respond to treatment. Or maybe a test points to the possibility of a serious condition such as cancer or heart disease. This is the time when your doctor will recommend a medical specialist.

A medical specialist is a physician who has received additional training to become an expert in a "specialized" medical field, such as an oncologist (who treats cancer) or a cardiologist (who treats heart disease).

If your doctor determines that you should see a specialist, he will give you a referral which is, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a request from one physician to another to take over the management of a specific set of health problems.

Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center offers many services on site, however there are still occasions when a patient must be referred to a specialist. When discussing situations when patients are referred to medical specialists Sangeeta Dalal, MD a pediatrician at the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center downtown location said "Basically there are two types Ñ acute need and those who have time to schedule an appointment. For those with an acute [immediate] need, we send them to the hospital emergency room. In other situations where we have time to make an appointment, I will call to schedule an appointment."

Sometimes, Dr. Dalal talks with the other physician "doctor-to-doctor" to convey her concerns directly. After the patient has seen the specialist, Dr. Dalal as the referring physician, will receive a report about what the specialist has found. In some cases that includes requests from the specialist to Dr. Dalal as the primary care physician, regarding follow up care. This referral system is standard. Often medical specialists will not see new patients without a doctor's referral. Also, it is a good practice to check your insurance plan to see if the policy requires any pre-approval before seeing a specialist; especially since specialist's fees are higher. However, if you don't care for the medical specialist your doctor chose, you are not stuck; you can always ask for a second opinion and you can visit another specialist in the same field.

If you would like to know more about medical specialists or would like to know if the specialists you are seeing is board certified, you may contact the American Board of Medical Specialties, 222 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60601, or call 312-436-2600.

Other information on this topic :

TLC Family "How to Choose a Medical Specialist: Tips"
If your family doctor refers you to a medical specialist, or if you seek one on your own, you should learn what each specialty consists of and what to expect when you see a specialist. Knowledge, after all, is a  key tool when seeking a medical specialist.

America Academy of Family Physicians

Consultations, Referrals, and Transfers of Care Differences–


"A consultation is a request from one physician to another for an advisory opinion. The consultant performs the requested service and makes written recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment to the requesting physician. The requesting physician utilizes the consultant’s opinion combined with his own professional judgment and other considerations (e.g. patient preferences, other consultations, family concerns, comorbidities) to provide treatment for the patient. This description is consistent with the meaning of “consultation” as defined in Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) manual.
"A referral is a request from one physician to another to assume responsibility for management of one or more of a patient’s specified problems. This may be for a specified period of time, until the problem(s)’ resolution, or on an ongoing basis. This represents a temporary or partial transfer of care to another physician for a particular condition. It is the responsibility of the physician accepting the referral to maintain appropriate and timely communication with the referring physician and to seek approval from the referring physician for treating or referring the patient for any other condition that is not part of the original referral.
"A transfer of care occurs when one physician turns over responsibility for the comprehensive care of a patient to another physician. The transfer may be initiated by either the patient or by the patient’s physician, and it may be either permanent or for a limited period of time until the patient’s condition improves or resolves. When initiated by the patient’s physician, the transferring physician should explicitly inform the patient of the transfer, and assist the patient with timely transfer of care consistent with local practice." (2007)

thefreedictionary.com – medical specialist – practices one branch of medicine
specialist, some specialists include:
cardiologist - a specialist in cardiology; a specialist in the structure and function and disorders of the heart
podiatrist - a specialist in care for the feet
pathologist - a doctor who specializes in medical diagnosis
otologist - a physician who specializes in the ear and its diseases
endocrinologist - physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the endocrine system
hematologist - a doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs
internist - a specialist in internal medicine
neurologist - a medical specialist in the nervous system and the disorders affecting it
ophthalmologist - a medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye
orthopedist - a specialist in correcting deformities of the skeletal system (especially in children)
proctologist - a doctor specializing in diseases of the rectum and anus
radiologist - a medical specialist who uses radioactive substances and X-rays in the treatment of disease