Health Access for Independent Living (HAIL) Fact Sheet: Working with Your Health Care Provider

Who Is a Health Care Provider?

When we talk about a health care provider, we are usually referring to a doctor (also called a physician) who has a medical degree. Other health care providers you may interact with often are nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
This term also includes other health care professionals who provide specific types of care. These providers are dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, X-ray technicians, and others.