Secondary Healthcare System

Secondary healthcare is specialty care offered by a specialist, generally in hospitals or clinics, for patients referred by primary healthcare providers for specific expert care.

It supports patients with complicated or severe health conditions.

Secondary care demands advanced or specialized knowledge, and skills, and equipment like ultrasonography or X-ray machines.

In addition, secondary care offers comprehensive specialty treatment involving specialized healthcare professionals such as cardiologists, nephrologists, and psychiatrists.

Some of the services offered under secondary healthcare include hospital emergency care, acute medical-surgical care, and radiological procedures.

For example, a patient diagnosed with osteoarthritis— a condition in which there is degeneration of cartilage, seeks an orthopedist on referral by the primary care provider. Here, the patient is advised to undergo radiological investigations, after which the patient is prescribed medication to reduce inflammation and pain.