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Why A Primary Care Physician is Critical to Overall Health & Wellness Coordination

Recorded on 9/11/2008

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Maintaining a relationship with a primary care physician is critical to your overall health and wellness. Your primary care physician is the gatekeeper for you, the patient, to help track and coordinate the best health decisions for you. On this Patient Power program, host Andrew Schorr is joined by Dr. Sarah Simpson, a clinical assistant professor in internal medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She also has practiced as a primary care physician for over 20 years and is now at one of the UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics.

How regularly should you go to the doctor? What should be considered in choosing a primary care physician? Are there things you can keep track of at home to help your doctor take better care of you? These are just a few of the questions Dr. Simpson addresses. She describes the role of a primary care physician and the benefit that comes from seeing one associated with a leading medical center. Dr. Simpson offers tips about when to call your doctor and how to make your appointments most efficient. Activities like writing down a list of concerns or ordering blood tests before your appointment can save you time and money.

At the end of the day, the most important aspect is that the relationship you have with your primary care physician facilitates communication. Online programs are making it easier to receive test results and reach your doctor directly. The key is that your doctor knows what is going on with you and what you are putting in your body. Dr. Simpson encourages patients to be open with your doctor about any concerns you have, no matter how irrational you think they are, because most times the doctor can assuage your fears. She offers advice about questions and systems that can be put into place to help adult children monitor the health of their parents over time. For those of us who lead busy lives while trying to keep up with our health, and perhaps the health of our family, this program is not to be missed.

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EXPERTS & GUESTS:
Sarah Simpson, M.D. Sarah Simpson, M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics
Sarah Simpson, M.D., completed her undergraduate degree at Seattle Pacific University. She received her medical degree from Rush University, Chicago and completed her residency at Albany Medical Center and the University of Iowa. She has enjoyed teaching student doctors at both the University of Iowa and Yale, and is now at the UW Medicine Shoreline Clinic. Her specialty is internal... more >

TRANSCRIPT:

  1. Introduction LISTEN
  2. Selecting a Primary Care Doctor LISTEN
  3. Getting the Most out of Your Office Visit LISTEN
  4. Helping Elderly Parents with Medical Care LISTEN
  5. UW Neighborhood Clinics LISTEN

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