Novant Health Infectious Disease Specialists

Infectious Disease Medicine

Novant Health Infectious Disease Specialists is an Infectious Disease Medicine practice in Winston-Salem, NC with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in detecting and treating bacterial, viral, fungal, and tropical infections. Infectious Disease Doctors at Novant Health Infectious Disease Specialists 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.

Physician Assisting

A physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and is practicing within the scope of that license. Physician assistants are formally trained to perform many of the routine, time-consuming tasks a physician can do. In some states, they may prescribe medications. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, order lab tests and x-rays, and give inoculations. Most states require that they work under the supervision of a physician.

Nurse Practitioner

A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision making and direct accountability for clinical judgment across the health care continuum or in a certified specialty. (2) A registered nurse who has completed additional training beyond basic nursing education and who provides primary health care services in accordance with state nurse practice laws or statutes. Tasks performed by nurse practitioners vary with practice requirements mandated by geographic, political, economic, and social factors. Nurse practitioner specialists include, but are not limited to, family nurse practitioners, gerontological nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, obstetric-gynecologic nurse practitioners, and school nurse practitioners.