More Than Just Check-Ups: General Medicine For Specialised Healthcare

September 23, 2025

Dr. Nithin M S
MBBS, MD Internal Medicine | Consultant General Physician

General Medicine, also known as Internal Medicine, is the backbone of our healthcare system. A General Physician or GP is the first in line for our healthcare consultation journey. They are the ones we visit in an OPD (Outpatient Department) as a first contact. As a primary care medical consultant, a general physician usually manages and treats common conditions like cold, cough and fever. They work with other doctors in case patients need more extensive care.

Consulting general medicine doctors at multi-speciality hospitals helps get quick, efficient, and sometimes life-saving medical treatment that might otherwise take a lot of time and even more effort.

A general physician usually does not perform any surgery. They prescribe tablets, recommend lifestyle changes and offer counselling to help manage healthcare needs. They often end up taking the role of family doctors.

Why You Should Consult a General Medicine Specialist?

A General Practitioner or a General Medicine Specialist, also called an internal medicine doctor, is trained to look after a patient’s overall health. Here is why they matter:

Comprehensive care
A GP is trained to focus on overall health, which includes respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, endocrine, and infectious diseases. They undertake the diagnosis and treatment of a patient in a holistic manner, keeping in consideration the symptoms present in the overall context of the body’s condition.

Chronic disease management
They help manage long-term conditions like asthma, diabetes, hypertension and thyroid that require regular monitoring and adjustments in treatment.

Preventive healthcare
They guide you on diet, exercise, and regular check-ups in the spirit of prevention is better than cure. GPs assess and identify risk factors in patients so that they can take preemptive measures, such as lifestyle changes, to prevent disease even before it occurs.

Referrals
As General Physicians are the first to come in contact with a patient either before or during symptoms of illnesses, they connnect the patient to the right doctor in case there is a need for focused treatment. This network of doctors is especially important for a combined and continuous treatment plan.

When You Should Consult a General Medicine Specialist

Consulting a general physician ensures accurate, timely, and comprehensive healthcare management. Any non-surgical intervention required is handled by general medicine specialists. 

See a general physician in case of:

1. Symptoms for illnesses like fever, cough, body aches, or infections, that are persistent and do not seem to have a singular cause. 
2. Multiple symptoms affecting several parts of the body. A GP can investigate and help with prescribing the right tests or connecting with the right specialist.
3. Preventive checkups to ensure good health. Regular check-ups are as important as consulting doctors when something is wrong. Visiting a doctor every 6 months can help detect problems early and prevent diseases before they surface.
4. Follow-up after specialist care. This helps continuous monitoring of overall health and managing medication side effects, if any.

Why Finding a Good Specialist Matters

A good general physician is more than just someone who prescribes medicines. They become a partner in your healthcare journey.

A good General Medicine Specialist will:

1. Provide accurate diagnosis: A GP who has good qualifications will have in-depth knowledge of conditions that ail their patients. They will be able to narrow down on the illness swiftly and accurately to take the best course of action.
2. Provide advanced treatment: GPs in hospitals like Nanjappa Multi-Speciality Hospital have access to and are up-to-date with the latest developments in the medical field. They can provide personalised and the latest treatment to their patients.
3. Reduce risk: Especially in cases where there is no clarity on diagnosis, internal medicine doctors can provide insight that is timely, for a variety of symptoms and ensure there are no delays in diagnosis or treatment.
4. Ensure better outcomes: Due to their expertise, GPs can ensure patients get comprehensive healthcare, especially in conjecture with other specialists. They can ensure the best results by working together as a team to ensure a patient’s well-being.

Before settling on a General Medicine Specialist, it is important to consider if they are good listeners and explain their observations clearly, so that it is easy to understand. They also need to ensure thorough examination and have up-to-date knowledge.

A General Medicine Specialist will help their patients stay calm and relaxed, and ensure all questions are answered. They will also work together with the patient’s family members to make sure they can take care of each other.

What Makes an OPD the Best OPD?

The OPD or Outpatient Department is where a general physician practices. While many have their own clinics, many are also attached to a hospital.

A good OPD, especially when it is at a multi-speciality hospital like Nanjappa Hospital, can make a big difference. Here’s why:

1. Short waiting times: There will be more than just one general physician available to provide consultations, making a patient’s wait time short. Some hospitals, like Nanjappa Hospital, have 24/7 general physicians available.
2. Easy access to tests: Lab and imaging services are available at the hospital, and there will be no need to go elsewhere for tests.
3. Supportive staff: Nurses and assistants are always available to assist the GP whenever necessary for a smooth consultation.
4. Follow-up support: A bigger team will be able to set up follow-up visits to ensure comprehensive end-to-end healthcare support.

A Short History of General Medicine

In ancient times, all doctors were generalists and treated every kind of illness since speciality medical treatments were still undeveloped. Taking root in 1800s Germany was a group of medical practitioners who focused on what happened inside their patients, beyond the surface-level symptoms. They looked at the whole person and make sure all treatments work together. Eventually, this became a field of speciality that is now known as Internal Medicine.

In India, this speciality has become the first stop for patients in most hospitals and clinics, ensuring that the best care is delivered and managed.

Growth of General Medicine in India

Over the last few decades, general medicine has grown rapidly. There has been an expansion in medical training and education, and more and more medical students are opting for general medicine. This helps pave their way for future specialisation. As such, they are also helping fill gaps in India’s primary healthcare.

With a rise in diabetes and hypertension, growth in general medicine helps provide care for such chronic health conditions. Healthcare has also become more accessible. More hospitals and doctors work together now to ensure patients get the best possible healthcare. This is definitely the foundation of Nanjappa Multi-Speciality Hospital. Medical teams work closely with patients to ensure full, holistic care.

Today, general physicians are often the first point of contact for all healthcare. They combine the latest diagnostic technology with personal, long-term patient relationships, something no scan or test can replace. Come to Nanjappa Hospitals for the best-in-class general medicine consultation.

The Bottom Line

General Medicine is about having a trusted medical guide for life, someone who can help you through both small issues and major health challenges.

Nanjappa Life Care is launching this service, making world-class consultations and care available closer to home.

Book an appointment with our experts today.