When you visit a clinic, hospital, lab or any other medical building, you are going to run into all different types of healthcare professionals. At Intermountain Health and Intermountain Children's Health, each person has dedicated their work to making sure you can live your healthiest life possible.
Your care team and support
Get to know your care team and their roles, because together your healthiest life is possible.
Meet and greet with your care team
Knowing the names of the people on your care team will be beneficial. Get to know what they do for you, that way, when or if you move to a new care team you can make sure you are still getting the care you need.
At your next visit, start asking people who they are, what their role is, and what they do to help you and your health.
Below, we’ve provided basic definitions to the care roles you will likely hear the most.
- MD: Doctor of medicine is a licensed physician with a degree in medicine.
- DO: Doctor of osteopathy is a licensed physician with a degree in medicine.
- Both MD and DO are knowledgeable and well-educated doctors, the difference is in the training they received.
- APRN or NP: are providers who have a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing and are licensed as a nurse practitioner. APRN stands for advanced practice registered nurse, and NP stands for nurse practitioner.
- PA: is a provider who has a master’s degree in physician assistant studies and is licensed as a physician assistant.
The care providers above are likely to be your primary care providers, and you will hear any of them referred to as 'provider". The care team members listed below usually assist providers in your care.
- RN: is a registered nurse with an associate, bachelors, master’s, or doctoral degree in nursing, and is a licensed nurse.
- LPN: is a licensed practical nurse who works closely with you and your care team.
- CNA: is a certified nursing assistant, often these care partners are found in a hospital.
- MA: is a medical assistant, these care partners are usually found in clinical or urgent care settings.
- PT: is a physical therapist with a doctoral degree in physical therapy and is licensed as a physical therapist. These care partners will assist you with your range of motion and mobility, if needed.
- OT: is an occupational therapist with a master’s degree in occupational therapy and is licensed as an occupational therapist. They work with you on your ability to perform daily activities and tasks, if needed.
- SLP: is a speech and language pathologist, they will have a master’s degree in speech and language pathology and are licensed as a speech therapist. They can help with speech related needs, such as pronunciation, strengthening the muscles used to speak, memory, and swallowing.
Choosing your care team
As an adult you can choose who you want to be part of your care team. This means when choosing a provider, you will want to consider your preference in age and gender. It’s important to find someone you feel comfortable with, who meets your healthcare needs, and is considered in-network with your insurance. Read more about in-network under our insurance and navigating the health system section.
In addition to your care team, it’s important to choose one or two people that might help you make decisions related to your health and future. This can be a family member, friend, or someone else. You will want to make sure that they understand your priorities and your values when it comes to your care.
Know the care you need
Just like there are different types of people on your care team, there are also different types of care. Depending on your location, time, availability, access, and insurance, it’s important to know what types of care are available to you and when. Read below to understand the type of care you might need.
- Emergency care: Emergency care is used when you think your life or someone else’s in danger. You can access emergency care by calling 911 or visiting the closest emergency room. This care is available at any day, any time. Talk to your provider about the reasons or situations where you may need to seek emergency care.
- Urgent care: Urgent care is when you need care right away, but it is not an emergency and the office you usually go to is closed or does not have an appointment available immediately.
- Specialty care: Specialty care is when you meet with specialty care providers or professionals to help you manage your medical condition or symptoms. Specialty care providers might be used for long-term care, such as diabetes, or short-term care like a broken bone.
- Primary care: Primary care providers help you stay healthy overall. This is who you see for checkups and vaccines or if you have an illness (such as the flu or an infection). Primary care providers also help manage your care with other specialist or help you access the care you need.
- Inpatient care: Inpatient care is the care you receive when you are admitted to the hospital.
- Outpatient care: Outpatient care is the care you receive at a clinic visit, procedure, or in an urgent care setting with a primary or specialty care provider.
Resources
Building a support system:
Taking care of your health while away at college: