Who Can Treat Hepatitis?
Updated June 26, 2014.
While these can be managed at the primary care level, often hepatitis treatment is best served at the subspecialty level, especially treatment for viral hepatitis.
If the physician is only interested in treating adults, the doctor will complete a residency program in internal medicine. Afterwards, he or she can also sub-specialize in a particular type of medicine.
Though it's easy to think that children are just "little adults" when it comes to medical care, this is not really true. Since children have specific medical concerns and require different medical treatments, it's always a good idea for children or teenagers to see a pediatric specialist. Unfortunately, this level of care may not be available in all places, especially in smaller cities or rural areas.
Sources:
American Academy of Family Physicians. http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/p/primarycare.html
Bureau of Labor Statistics Registered Nurses. December, 2007. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
The Gastroenterology Core Curriculum, pages 29-31. May, 2007. http://www.acg.gi.org/physicians/trainees/pdfs/GICoreCurriculum.pdf
Which Specialist Do I Choose?
Treating hepatitis, whether it be from viral, chronic autoimmune disease or another source, often requires a multi-specialty approach. This means that several types of physicians come together to provide expert care. It may be that in your care, you will be treated by several different sub-specialists physicians. For example, one specialist might perform a liver biopsy but another will manage the long-term therapy with drugs that have significant side-effects.While these can be managed at the primary care level, often hepatitis treatment is best served at the subspecialty level, especially treatment for viral hepatitis.
Internists or Pediatricians
Each of the specialists described above can focus on either adults or children. For example, a physician could be an adult gastroenterologist or a pediatric gastroenterologist. The difference in focus comes from the choice of residency after medical school. Usually, a physician enters a residency program immediately after graduating from medical school. If the physician is interested in treating only children and teenagers, he or she will complete a pediatric residency program, which is three years of supervised medical practice. After this program, the physician can sub-specialize in a particular type of medicine, such as gastroenterology.If the physician is only interested in treating adults, the doctor will complete a residency program in internal medicine. Afterwards, he or she can also sub-specialize in a particular type of medicine.
Though it's easy to think that children are just "little adults" when it comes to medical care, this is not really true. Since children have specific medical concerns and require different medical treatments, it's always a good idea for children or teenagers to see a pediatric specialist. Unfortunately, this level of care may not be available in all places, especially in smaller cities or rural areas.
Sources:
American Academy of Family Physicians. http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/p/primarycare.html
Bureau of Labor Statistics Registered Nurses. December, 2007. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
The Gastroenterology Core Curriculum, pages 29-31. May, 2007. http://www.acg.gi.org/physicians/trainees/pdfs/GICoreCurriculum.pdf