Not every patient encounter is a happy one. Sometimes we have to be strict, or firm.  Sometimes we walk into the room and find out the patient is unhappy with us.  The worst is, when we have to walk into a room and tell someone news they don’t want to hear. In my electronic medical record, I have little ovals at the top of the screen.  They each designate something different.  One is for patient visits, another for patient phone calls, another for refill requests, and then there is the one for labs and imaging.  That one always keeps us the busiest.  I make a point to get it down to zero every week.  I have time set apart in my schedule, where I don’t have patients scheduled in order to get it done.  Most doctors do this.  We call it our “admin time”.  This week I was scrolling through [...]

“The ER told me to follow up with you, but I didn’t see the point if they couldn’t figure it out”  -Judy*, 82 year old patient of mine, who had finally come in for her ER follow up visit.   To be honest, it was a proverbial slap in the face.  It was said very matter of fact, I am sure she had no idea she had bruised my ego whatsoever.  In all likelihood, there are a lot of people with this sentiment. “Why do I need to see my primary care doctor after and ER visit or a hospital stay?”.  We get all kinds of reasons.  Judy’s is just one of many.  For some, it is because they just don’t feel good, and want to rest as home. For others, it’s financial, they don’t want another co-pay, and others just feel fine now and don’t see the point.  Finally, [...]

We all want to know as soon as possible what our test results are.  It is human nature that we worry about these things and want to get the answers as soon as possible.  It can be tempting to ask for those results from the wrong person.  Sometimes the wrong person can seem like the right person at the time.  As a primary care office, it is our job to help you sort out these things. Jenny is a 59-year-old woman who had a mammogram done a few weeks ago.  She has been relatively busy in her life lately, so she didn’t give it much thought.  Her husband was ill, and she was spending a lot of time taking care of him.  It took a couple weeks to get her to return our call that she needs ultrasounds done on both breasts.  She scheduled that and got it done promptly.  [...]

We all know that doctors offices are notorious for running late.  We know it drives you crazy… and it drives us crazy too.  We don’t like it and are constantly brainstorming ways to improve things.  Here are the things you can do to help us achieve that goal.   1. Review your medications prior to coming to the appointment. Feel free to bring the bottles in.  At least write down a list at home, and review it to make sure the dose on your bottle is the same on your list.  How many tabs, (or puffs) are you taking, and is it once a day or twice a day.  Do you need any refills? If so, write them down.   2. Write down all the questions you have. We don’t want to spend precious minutes while you try to think of them.   3. Let the person rooming you know [...]

It was tough heading into work today.  I knew there were seven.  All in various conditions.  I also had 5 routine to see, and then there were about 4 with minor issues.  I knew it was going to be a long night.   I pulled up in the parking lot, and the rain settled in like a mist. Hazy and dewy and gray.  Scattered cars were around, but no one was outside.  The construction crew had been sent away, and the remains of their half-finished work was visible from the parking lot.  I reached into my bag and grabbed my face mask.  It looks like a CPAP mask, thick, heavy, and straps around my head in three places.  I keep my hair in a braid now, and have for the past 18 months, as it is the only way to gain some traction on any of the various masks Ive [...]

  What a loaded question.  But it goes through so many people minds as they try to navigate the diet industry, the Instagram perfection, the looming summer swimsuit season.  Why can’t I lose the weight? Why do I keep sabotaging my diet?  What is wrong with me?   A lot.  A lot is wrong.  But not what you think.   I am going to give you a variety of reasons this isn’t working for you.  I don’t have all the answers, and I haven’t put all the pieces together yet for myself, but I have come to one BIG conclusion for myself, and for all of you.     You are doing your best.     How do I know this?  Because very few people choose to be overweight.  Some do, they are fine with it, they like to overeat, they equate it with bonding time with family, or perhaps [...]

Hello and welcome to our New Blog! I am really excited to share my ramblings with you all on a monthly or perhaps on an even more frequent basis.  It all depends on my mood.  I have labeled it “Oh by the way”, as that is a very common phrase we hear in primary care medicine… or really all medicine.  sometimes there is so much to cover in a primary care office visit, that patients hold back that last question or worry until the very last minute.  More frequently than not, it requires a bit of conversation to answer it…. So this is my chance to have an oh by the way moment with all of you.  Stay tuned!