Internal medicine

Health care is about prevention as much as treatment for illnesses or injuries. At Aurora Health Care, our internal medicine doctors provide complete primary care for all adults. As your first point of contact for health care, we help you stay healthy and provide treatment when you need it.

What is internal medicine?

Internal medicine doctors, also called internists, provide comprehensive care for young adults through seniors. Internists see only adults and diagnose, treat and help prevent a wide range of conditions, illnesses and injuries. They have special skills and experience in managing care for people who have a complex combination of health conditions.

With board certifications in internal medicine, our internists have completed advanced training in multiple medical fields, including:

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

At Aurora, your internal medicine doctor becomes your trusted health partner by developing a long-term relationship with you. They monitor your health over time, getting to know you and your medical history, so they can catch problems as early as possible.

Internal medicine treatments and services

Your Aurora internist focuses on your long-term health and well-being with a variety of services and treatments, including:

• Preventive care: We do annual exams and provide counseling on disease prevention and wellness to help you stay healthy. Our preventive care includes health screenings, vaccinations and health risk assessments to find problems early and reduce your risk of disease.
• Diagnosis of new conditions: We’re your first call when you notice new or unusual symptoms. We do a thorough evaluation to find the causes and to confirm a diagnosis using imaging and other tests, when needed.
• Complex disease management: With an internist, you receive ongoing, personalized care to treat chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. If you have more than one condition, we closely monitor your health and treatment plan. We help you manage your medications and adjust therapies as needed.
• Care for acute injuries and illnesses: We prescribe medications and therapies to treat acute (sudden, short-term) conditions and injuries such as flu, infections or back pain. For minor injuries such as burns and deep cuts, you can see us – rather than going to urgent care.
• In-office procedures: Your internist performs minor procedures, such as joint injections and skin biopsies, in the office. You receive care where it’s convenient for you, without the need to see a specialist.
• Coordinated care for referrals: If you need more advanced care, your internist can refer you to the right specialist. At Aurora, you have access to exceptional care from experts in every specialty. Using the same electronic health record system as your specialist to stay involved and informed, your internist continues to manage your overall health.

Internal medicine: Conditions we treat

Our internists have experience in identifying and managing both common and complex conditions. We have special expertise in managing care for people who have multiple chronic (long-term) conditions.

Some conditions we frequently see include:

• Arthritis, lupus and other rheumatologic conditions
• Chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Endocrine (gland) disorders such as diabetes and thyroid disease
• Heart disease and stroke
• Infectious diseases such as flu, pneumonia, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Injuries, from sprains and cuts to broken bones
• Skin conditions such as growths, rashes and skin cancers