definition
strict definition
general medicine
Clinical space where doctors treat patients for a full variety of ailments and conditions.
General medicine clinics are places where patients of any age or sex can see doctors for virtually any sort of medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment, other than major surgeries and emergency treatments. Often a general medicine clinic will be a patient's gateway to further medical treatment, as the general practitioner refers the patient to a specialist.
The clinic provides broad medical consultation across ages and conditions. It is not restricted to one organ system or one patient age group.
Referral to a specialist can be part of the service. Major surgery and emergency treatment remain outside the general-clinic scope described here.
