Medical clinic: what it is, what it does and necessary skills

Clinical medicine is a fundamental area of medical practice, being the starting point for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of health conditions. This area plays a central role in coordinating care, managing chronic diseases, promoting health, and preventing diseases, contributing to the quality of life and well-being of individuals.

In this text, we will explore the principles and importance of clinical medicine in the practice of contemporary medicine, as well as the role of telemedicine in the evolution of clinical medicine.

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What is clinical medicine?

Clinical medicine, also known as internal medicine in some countries, is a medical specialty dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults. Professionals in this area, called general practitioners or internists, have a broad and integrated approach to patient care, considering a holistic view of the individual.

This specialty covers a variety of medical conditions, often complex and interlinked, and seeks to understand the interactions between different body systems. General practitioners are trained to diagnose and manage a wide range of diseases, from the most common to the rarest and most challenging.

The medical clinic plays a crucial role in the healthcare system, being the entry point for many patients seeking medical care.

What does a clinical medical professional do?

The general practitioner's job involves evaluating the patient's symptoms, performing physical examinations, and often requesting complementary tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. In addition, they are responsible for coordinating the patient's ongoing care, referring them to specialists when necessary and ensuring an integrated approach to treatment.

Evaluate history and symptoms

The general practitioner performs detailed patient evaluations, collecting information about medical history, symptoms, lifestyle, and habits. They conduct thorough physical examinations and, based on this information, make accurate diagnoses or refer for specialized examinations.

Recommends and monitors treatment

Based on the diagnoses, general practitioners develop and implement personalized treatment plans for patients. They manage a wide range of medical conditions, from acute to chronic illnesses, prescribing medications, suggesting lifestyle changes, and advising on appropriate care.

Provides care in emergencies and emergencies

The general practitioner is qualified to attend to urgent and emergency situations, offering immediate and appropriate care in critical health situations. They are trained to stabilize patients, make quick decisions, and refer them to specialized treatment when necessary.

It works in preventive medicine

In addition to treating diseases, general practitioners play a significant role in preventive medicine. They advise patients on disease prevention practices, such as a healthy diet, physical exercise, weight control, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, contributing to the reduction of the risk of various health conditions.

Prescribe vaccines

General practitioners are responsible for prescribing and administering vaccines in accordance with public health guidelines and immunization recommendations. They also educate patients about the importance of immunization for individual and collective health to prevent various infectious diseases, protecting the population against serious and potentially fatal infections.

Places where the clinician works

These professionals can work in a variety of environments, providing medical care and managing the health of their patients. The variety of practice location options allows clinicians to adapt their practice according to their preferences and specializations, contributing to a comprehensive approach to health care.

Many clinicians choose to establish their own private practices, offering consultation and treatment to patients in an outpatient setting.

However, the vast majority work in hospitals and emergency rooms, providing care to inpatients and carrying out routine appointments. At these locations, they can also provide initial care and refer patients for specialized treatment when necessary.

Other places where general practitioners may be present are:

• Community Health Centers: general practitioners can work in health centers that serve specific communities, providing comprehensive medical care, including prevention, treatment, and health education.
• Research centers: some clinical medical professionals choose to engage in clinical research, academic teaching, and supervision of residents and medical students at academic institutions.
• Nursing homes and nursing homes: some general practitioners provide care for the elderly, managing their health conditions and ensuring an adequate quality of life.
• telemedicine: general practitioners can provide medical consultation and guidance remotely, expanding their reach to a wider range of patients. We'll talk more about that soon.

What is the difference between medical practice and general practice?

The term “general practice” can be used to refer to general practitioners who have a broad and diverse clinical practice, but who have not necessarily specialized in clinical medicine or internal medicine.

These professionals can address both adult and children's health issues, dealing with a variety of medical conditions in a generalized and non-specialized manner.

In contrast, clinical medicine is, in itself, a medical specialty, which requires medical residency to practice. It is from it that recent graduates become clinicians, able to treat adults comprehensively.

10 fundamental skills of the clinician

Some skills are crucial not only to the clinician's success in clinical practice, but also to the well-being and satisfaction of patients, promoting a better quality of life and health for the community.

Let's check out the main skills of the medical clinic:

Good communication

The ability to communicate clearly and empathetically with patients, their families, and other members of the healthcare team is essential for a medical practice professional. After all, this is how mutual understanding is guaranteed and a relationship of trust is established.

Clinical competence and professional updating

In-depth and up-to-date knowledge of general medicine, diagnosis, treatment, and management of a wide variety of medical conditions is needed. In fact, many clinical medical professionals are also involved in clinical research and constant updating on medical advances, therapies, and diagnostic techniques, ensuring that they are always informed about the latest practices and guidelines.

Rational decision-making

In medicine, in general, the ability to critically and rationally analyze information is needed to make informed decisions about diagnoses, treatments, and referrals.

Primarily, it is necessary to remain calm and maintain effective performance even in situations of high pressure and stress.

Active listening ability

Ability to listen closely to patients, understand their concerns, symptoms, and medical history, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan.

Empathy and cultural sensitivity

It is necessary to understand patients' emotions and experiences, considering their cultural, social, and emotional differences to provide sensitive and personalized care.

Teamwork and cooperation

Collaborating effectively with other health professionals, integrating into multidisciplinary teams, is one of the best ways to provide the best possible care to patients.

Time management and organization

Competence to manage time effectively, balancing appointments, exams, documentation, and other professional responsibilities in an organized manner.

Teaching capacity and knowledge transfer

It is important for a clinician to educate patients about their health conditions, treatments, and disease prevention, allowing them to make informed decisions and adopt healthy lifestyle habits.

Problem solving and adaptability

Ability to solve problems effectively, being flexible and adapting to unexpected situations in the clinical environment.

Leadership and initiative taking

A clinician can lead and influence healthcare teams, demonstrating leadership skills in clinical and strategic situations. In addition, it is important to take the initiative to propose improvements in clinical processes and practices to optimize patient care.

Online medical clinic with telemedicine

Faced with the demand for digital innovation and the implementation of technologies in health, telemedicine emerges as a modern and convenient form of providing medical care.

In practice, it integrates technology and clinical reality to provide remote medical appointments, diagnoses, treatments, and patient monitoring through digital platforms.

Some of the advantages of adopting telemedicine in the medical clinic are:

• Access to medical care from any location, eliminating geographical barriers;
• Convenience and flexibility for patients, who can consult each other from the comfort of their homes;
• Immediate appointments, reducing waiting time in hospitals and emergency rooms, especially for non-urgent issues;
• Reduction of costs such as travel, parking and other expenses related to face-to-face appointments.

Digital signature at the online medical clinic

When we talk about telemedicine, it is essential that we pay attention to the convergence between efficiency, security and accessibility, in order to adopt processes that, in addition to being practical, are also in compliance with the privacy and protection of patient data.

In this sense, digital signature plays a crucial role in the validation and authenticity of medical documents, prescriptions, prescriptions, and consultation records.

In the online medical clinic, it is a secure way to electronically certify that the information is authentic, has not been changed, and has the approval of the health professional.

Do you want to understand more about how digital signatures can help with the agility and reduction of bureaucratization of health processes? Discover Clicksign's solutions!