Mid-Columbia Medical Associates

Infectious Disease Medicine

Mid-Columbia Medical Associates is an Infectious Disease Medicine practice in Kennewick, WA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in detecting and treating bacterial, viral, fungal, and tropical infections. Infectious Disease Doctors at Mid-Columbia Medical Associates perform blood tests, microscopies, blood sensitivity cultures, sputum, urine, stool, joint fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid testing as well as X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI scans. Infectious Disease Medicine is a medical specialty that diagnoses, controls and treats both nosocomial (hospital-acquired) and out-patient based infections. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Infectious Disease Medicine practices include antibiotic-resistant infections, difficult to diagnose infections, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Infectious Disease Medicine practices include examining rashes, lymph nodes, chest, abdomen and genital areas; testing blood, urine, stool, joint fluid and crebrospinal fluid and examining X-ray, CT, ultrasound, and MRI imaging; prescribing antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, anti-parasitics, or botanic medicine to fight detected infections.

An internist who deals with infectious diseases of all types and in all organ systems. Conditions requiring selective use of antibiotics call for this special skill. This physician often diagnoses and treats AIDS patients and patients with fevers which have not been explained. Infectious disease specialists may also have expertise in preventive medicine and travel medicine.

Nephrology / Renal Medicine

Mid-Columbia Medical Associates is a Nephrology / Renal Medicine practice in Kennewick, WA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in diagnosing and treating diseases of the kidney. Nephrologist / Renal Doctors at Mid-Columbia Medical Associates perform kidney maintenance and treatment of kidney dysfunctions. Nephrology / Renal Medicine is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that studies, diagnoses, and treats kidney dysfunction while preserving optimal kidney health. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Nephrology / Renal Medicine practices include acid-base disturbances, glomerular diseases (such as glomerulonephritis or the nephrotic syndrome), tubulointerstitial kidney diseases, tubular defects, vasculitis, autoimmune disease, and the effects of toxins on the kidney. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Nephrology / Renal Medicine practices include managing hypertension, managing fluids, electrolyte therapy, renal replacement therapy, dialysis, kidney transplantation, plasma exchange, and immunosuppression. Commonly used agents are prednisone, mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, everolimus, thymoglobulin and sirolimus. Newer, so-called biologic drugs or monoclonal antibodies.

An internist who treats disorders of the kidney, high blood pressure, fluid and mineral balance and dialysis of body wastes when the kidneys do not function. This specialist consults with surgeons about kidney transplantation.

Other Service Specialty

An individual educated and trained in an applied knowledge discipline used in the performance of work at a level requiring knowledge and skills beyond or apart from that provided by a general education or liberal arts degree.