Which of the following best describes secondary care?

Secondary care is defined as medical care provided by a specialist who typically sees patients upon referral from a primary care provider. This level of care usually involves more detailed investigations and management of specific conditions that require specialized knowledge and skills. Specialists in secondary care may include cardiologists, dermatologists, or orthopedic surgeons, among others, and their role is to focus on specific health issues that the primary care physician identifies.

While basic care from a primary healthcare provider is indicative of primary care, and highly specialized and advanced medical care is more reflective of tertiary care, secondary care sits in between by addressing more complex health issues that primary care does not handle directly. Emergency medical services are crucial for immediate life-threatening conditions but do not operate within the secondary care framework since they provide immediate response rather than ongoing specialized management.