General medicine (general internal medicine)

Assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management for a broad range of acute and long-term medical conditions

Private general medical care with Circle Health Group

If you are living with an acute or long-term illness, or ongoing symptoms that are impacting your quality of life, our team of specialists are here to help. Private general medical consultants offer assessment and diagnosis for a broad range of conditions and symptoms, and possess a breadth of medical knowledge with which to help you. Whether you need a specific course of treatment or ongoing medical management, our specialist team is here to support you.

Many patients come to us with complex symptoms or distressing ongoing health concerns that may span various medical specialities. Our general medicine team work closely with specialists across all our departments to coordinate a personalised care plan for each person we see.

If you would like to learn more about how our general medicine team can help you, call or book online today.

What is general medicine?

General medicine, often called internal medicine or general internal medicine, is a broad speciality that covers the diagnosis, management and treatment of complex and chronic conditions in adults. At Circle Health Group, your general medical care will usually be led by a consultant physician or a general medicine consultant.

General medicine specialists treat a wide array of symptoms and conditions, from heart problems to digestive issues, chronic illnesses to fatigue. Our specialists have a broad medical knowledge that overlaps with many other specialities, which helps them to take a holistic approach to your care. They will take a view of your overall health, and can arrange tests and scans as needed, prescribe medicine, carry out a range of treatments, and refer you on to other specialists and departments as necessary.

If you are living with a complex condition or multiple conditions concurrently, a general physician can help you manage them. If you have unexplained symptoms that have been going on for some time, for example chronic fatigue or unexplained weight loss, they can help you to identify the cause and identify the right treatment for you.

General physicians can also offer a medication review. If you are taking multiple medications, a general physician can review the full list and give advice on any specific concerns you have or any side effects you are experiencing. They are also able to help you review and interpret the results of various tests and health checks.

Paying for general medical care

General medicine is a broad speciality covering many different treatments. The cost of your care with Circle Health Group will depend on your symptoms, diagnosis and recommended treatments. Prices also differ between hospitals and consultants.

If you’re paying for your own treatment, you will always be told the full cost of any treatment before you agree to it, and we offer fixed-price packages so you know exactly what you’ll be paying for. You can also take advantage of our flexible payment options, allowing you to spread the cost of treatment over a time that suits you.

If you have private medical insurance, general medical care may be covered by your policy. It’s best to speak directly to your provider to find out, as every policy is different.

Common symptoms that can be investigated by a general medicine specialist

Patients commonly come to our general medicine specialists with symptoms including:

Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue
Atypical chest pain or breathlessness
Malaise
Syncope/blackout
Persistent pain
Unexplained abnormal blood results or other test results or scans
Recurrent infections
Other unexplained symptoms, for example leg swelling or pain

These types of symptoms are not always easy to diagnose, as they aren’t clearly related to a single organ or system in your body, so you may not know which specialist you need to see. In this instance, a general medical specialist can help you.

Common conditions treated under general medicine

General physicians tend to focus on the early investigation of symptoms that are ongoing or hard to diagnose. Our specialists work to quickly diagnose the root cause, offering treatment and management as well as onward referrals to other specialists across Circle Health Group.

Some of the most common concerns our general medical practitioners treat include:

Heart problems

Things like high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, thrombosis and high cholesterol can be treated under general medicine. Many general medical specialists will have a dual focus on cardiology.

Digestive issues

General medicine supports people with unexplained and acute digestive symptoms as well as the ongoing management of conditions of the digestive tract. This might include chronic acid reflux or indigestion, bowel disorders or chronic abdominal pain.

Respiratory conditions

Conditions including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma, which require ongoing management and medication, may fall under the care of a consultant general physician.

Care of the elderly (geriatric medicine)

Geriatric medicine is the treatment and management of medical problems in elderly patients (those over 65). Elderly patients may have multiple medical conditions and be on a variety of different medications, which can necessitate specialist support. Many of our consultant general physicians also specialise in care of the elderly.

Cancer

Cancer can cause a variety of ‘nonspecific’ symptoms (weight loss, fatigue, pain, swelling, change in bowel habits) and it can be difficult to know which specialist to go to. As fast diagnosis can lead to better outcomes, our general medical specialists can support patients with suspected cancer symptoms to get answers fast, and can arrange for onward referral to our multidisciplinary teams across various medical specialities.

General health

If you want support to improve your general health, a diagnosis for niggling or unexplained symptoms, or help getting back to normal after a diagnosis for a chronic condition, our general medical specialists could help you. We offer general health assessments as well as a wide variety of diagnostics to help you take control of your own health.

How to book general medical treatment

If you need help identifying the cause of unexplained persistent symptoms, or have a chronic condition that requires ongoing specialist management, arranging a consultation with one of our consultant general physicians or other general medical specialists is usually the first step.

You can do this by calling our dedicated team of friendly advisors, or by taking advantage of our easy online booking system.

Why choose Circle Health Group for general medical treatment?

When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:

Flexible appointment times and locations to fit your routine
The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs
Comfortable and safe private facilities maintained by expert multidisciplinary teams
Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost of your care

If you would like to learn more about general medical care at Circle, book your appointment online today or call a member of our team directly.