Residents of Durham have access to some of North Carolina’s best healthcare facilities, including Duke University Hospital. The nearest children’s healthcare facilities are Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center and North Carolina Children’s Hospital and UNC, both nationally ranked for pediatric care excellence. Veterans can receive care at Durham VA Medical Center or one of 10 community-based outpatient clinics in the region.
U.S. News ranks Duke University Hospital as the #1 healthcare facility in Raleigh and Durham. Duke University Hospital has 957 inpatient beds and ranks nationally in 11 adult specialties and nine children’s specialties, including:
U.S. News ranks University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals #2 in Raleigh and Durham. UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill has over 950 beds and includes a women’s and children’s hospital, N.C. Memorial Hospital, and N.C. Neurosciences Hospital. UNC Hospitals nationally rank in four adult specialties and eight children’s specialties, including:
A geriatrician is a primary care physician who cares for older adults, especially people 65 and older. Geriatricians have the additional training and experience needed to care for older adults, who often begin to experience more complex health issues as they age.
What conditions do geriatricians treat?
There are many conditions that geriatricians treat in older adults, including:
What procedures do geriatricians perform?
There are five areas geriatricians use to categorize an older adult’s care, including:
Some of the most common procedures geriatricians perform include:
When should I go to a geriatrician?
The age at which you start seeing a geriatrician depends on many factors, including your lifestyle, chronic conditions, medications, and more.
You may want to visit a geriatrician if you:
What can I expect from my first geriatrician appointment?
Your first appointment with a geriatrician will be similar to starting a new relationship with a primary care physician. Expect your doctor to ask about your medical history, medications you take, conditions you’re living with, or any symptoms you’re experiencing.
Your geriatrician will also conduct a physical exam, may recommend blood work or other diagnostic tests, and will likely provide counsel about lifestyle changes you can make to improve your quality of life.
What questions should I ask my geriatrician?
It’s important that you prepare for your appointment with a geriatrician. To help you get started, we’ve created a list of good questions to ask your doctor:
You can use these questions as a starting point, but feel free to add your own. A good practice is to also ask for additional information and take notes during your appointment.