Family medicine and internal medicine are two areas of primary healthcare that have a lot in common to some degree but are completely different in patient care. Each of these professions specializes in caring for patients, but they do so from a different type and level of practice. These factors are important for patients and practitioners alike in determining which approach to various medical conditions is the most appropriate.
Letโs explore in this article what is the difference between internal and external medicine and what you need to learn about it.
Internal Medicine: Adults and Niche Specialists
Internists are sometimes called adult medicine specialists specializing in adult diseases in terms of prevention, evaluation, and treatment. Internists are trained to treat chronic, multi-faceted problems and typically offer niche services in the treatment of many adult disorders including, but not limited to, diabetes and pulmonary diseases. Family medicine can also treat little kids, but internal medicine treats only adults.
Internists must prepare themselves to tackle certain illnesses that may necessitate a definite level of expertise in certain fields such as cardiology, endocrinology, or gastroenterology. They usually spend a couple of years in medical school and residencies that are centered on adult illnesses which enables them an extensive grasp of adult-related ailments.
Also, internists help in the coordination of care together with the specialists of patients who have complex cases, and often patients suffering from multi-system diseases are more willing to consult an internist due to their expertise in this field.
Claim submission associated with the treatment of adult-specific conditions is usually covered by internal medicine billing which falls under the wide range of internal medicine practice. Billing is a crucial element related to the coding of diseases like hypertension and diabetes, respiratory diseases so that services offered are paid for.
Family Medicine: The Discipline that Addresses Both Old and Young
Family medicine is another important specialty in primary care similar to pediatrics, however, it takes into account the health care for patients of all ages right from newborn babies to geriatrics. Family practitioners, also known as family physicians in some countries, are specially educated to manage the medical care of people at all stages in life. This kind of care provides a wide range of services from diagnosis and treatment of common diseases to midwifery care, education about health, and therapy.
Family medicine practitioners have a much wider practice than internists. They incorporate acute as well chronic illness as well as mental health treatment within the continuum of care of a person, along their lifetime. For example, a mother would take her child with an ear infection; a middle-aged diabetic gentleman; or an old lady with raised blood pressure, all to the same family physician. That kind of flexibility of service is what differentiates family medicine from internal medicine specialties which are applicable to adult patients only.
Family physicians conduct simple surgical procedures, administer immunizations, perform normal examinations and other diagnostics, screen for cancer and cardiovascular disease, and give annual checkups among other functions. Thus, family medicine often forms the first contact a patient has with the health system and is therefore considered to be the primary building block of primary health care.
Fundamental Distinctions in Education and Experience
The two fields differ in their training with internal medicine being a physician specialty and Family medicine being an area of primary care that encompasses all ages. A more detailed analysis highlights further distinctions in scope.
An internist is required to undergo a three-year residency specific to adult medicine focusing on a specialty. This type of segregation within the field makes internists specialists as they are well-discovered and equipped with the knowledge required to master diseases of single organ systems. Internists are great experts in the management of multi-organ and multi-system diseases because they have a well-defined focus on treating complex diseases.
Unlike internists, who solely focus on adult medicine, family physicians are trained for three years in pediatrics, adult medicine, geriatrics, obstetrics, and even minor surgical procedures. All of which enable them to practice medicine for patients of every age. They are also required to renew their knowledge of the field constantly to stay up to date with current developments and practices of contemporary medicine in this variety.
Patient-Centered Care and Continuity of Care With Special Analogies
Patient-centered care as well as continuity of care are not only common features for family medicine and internal medicine, but they are sometimes carried out differently. Medicine based on family structure and context has a strong case for strengthening long-term relationships with patients who belong to three generations. In other words, these relationships ensure that family physicians are always able to see the family in a continuity setting and can identify across the lifespan any emerging or existing health issues so that intervention can be provided at the earliest.
At the same time, it is true that Internists build relationships with their adult patients over time, however, they do not see overall health but rather deal with specific physical problems only that the patient may have. Internists often confine themselves to specific fields such as internal medicine, with an emphasis on consulting in the field of adult health and other complex conditions.
Focusing On Specialization and Referrals
A further important variation is that in family medicine both these doctors provide the primary care but with the caveat that family medicine doctors are more likely to practice as primary care physicians being able to treat a wide range of conditions but excluding an orientation toward a specific area of the body. This sometimes implies that family physicians will send patients for other kinds of care to other doctors who specialize in their treatment.
Internists have broader training which means they may hold primary responsibility for certain chronic illnesses, they might also have a smaller area of practice such as managing diabetes or treating patients with hypertension. Advanced or complicated patients may require referrals to specialists, but these patients are more likely to require internists to manage their care.
When Should You Decide Between Internal Medicine vs Family Medicine?
It mostly depends on the healthcare needs of the patient when it comes to the choice between internists and family medicine doctors. For instance, if a person is an adult with a health issue involving multiple systems or has a history of chronic illnesses requiring specialists, internists will probably be the optimal option. This is because internists are specialists in complicated health issues and provide consultation services to other specialists.
In contrast, a family doctor is a better fit for a patient who requires holistic care of the entire family or requires care over the different stages of life. For people who want a healthcare provider who will take care of all members of the family from babies to grandparents and who want to build a long-term relationship and focus on preventive care, family medicine is the right one for you.
Final Reflection
To conclude, internal medicine and family medicine practice diversification in the field of health, yet it has traces of similarity. Internal medicine deals with adultsโ health and chronic or more complex health issues. Family medicine, however, looks into the bigger picture. It provides care to all age groups with the familyโs well-being in mind. This means that both branches of medicine are important towards a healthy society and the preference between the two is dependent upon the life cycle of the patient.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
American College of Physicians. (2021). What is Internal Medicine? Retrieved from
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2022). What is Family Medicine? Retrieved from www.aafp.org
Van Pelt, J. (2019). The Scope of Practice for Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. Journal of Primary Care, 12(3), 112-118.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25748768
Blevins, M. L., & Smith, T. S. (2020). Understanding Internal Medicine Billing Practices. Medical Billing Journal, 45(2), 98-105.
