Terms and Meanings
Some terms that we use in this chapter may not be familiar. These terms and their meanings are listed below.
- Primary Care Provider: Your main health care professional who maintains your good health and cares for your basic health needs by giving vaccines, finding disease, and offering medication or treatment for conditions or symptoms.
- Provider: A doctor, nurse, therapist, or another qualified health care professional.
- Referral: A written order from your primary care doctor for you to see a specialist or get certain medical services.
- Specialist: A provider that focuses on a specific area of medicine, or a group of patients, to diagnose, manage, prevent, or treat certain types of symptoms and conditions.
Understanding Specialty Health Care
Specialty health care manages conditions and symptoms that are not common in the average person’s daily life. Specialty health care often involves a less common diagnosis, more frequent care, and higher cost treatments or medications. Examples would be diabetes, cancer, or other diagnoses that require long-term care and treatment. Specialty health care providers, or specialist, help manage your specialty health conditions.
Seeing a Specialist
When your primary care provider cannot offer the care you need, they may send you to a Medicaid enrolled specialist. Your primary care provider will still oversee your routine health care needs.
Getting a Referral to a Specialist
You may need a referral to see a specialist. A referral is an order from your primary care provider saying you need medical treatment in a specialized area of health care. Some specialists may still need a referral from your primary care provider. Your primary care provider will still oversee your routine health care needs.
Finding a Specialist
You can find a specialist near you with our Provider Directory or by calling our Customer Support Center.
Contact Information Mentioned in this Chapter
- Customer Support Center
- Toll-Free: 1-866-614-6005
- Local: 1-701-328-1000
- TTY: 711
- Free translation available upon request
- Email: applyforhelp@nd.gov
- Mail: Customer Support Call Center
- PO Box 5562
- Bismarck, ND 58506