Tertiary Care
Updated: 07 January 2025
What Does Tertiary Care Mean?
Tertiary care refers to specialized consultative healthcare, typically provided to inpatients. It is delivered upon referral from a primary or secondary healthcare professional and involves facilities equipped with advanced medical screening and treatment capabilities.
Insuranceopedia Explains Tertiary Care
Tertiary care is required when a patient needs a level of care that a primary care physician cannot provide. It represents a higher level of specialty care, often necessitating hospitalization or routine screenings. As a result, smaller hospitals and general practices typically cannot offer this level of medical attention and must transfer patients to appropriate facilities.
Examples of tertiary care services include:
- Midwifery services
- Cancer management
- Neurosurgery
- Plastic surgery
- Advanced neonatology services
- Palliative care
