ADVERTORIAL I am a Lucky Physician . My Job Allows Me to Take Great Care of My Patients While Having a Life Outside of Work . At CenterWell Senior Primary Care I can do the work I love while finding work-life balance
by TAMEA EVANS , MD , PHYSICIAN , CenterWell Senior Primary Care , Kentucky
At my previous job at a medical practice in Louisville , I was literally killing myself trying to do right by my patients . During office hours , my schedule was filled with dozens of patient visits , and I never had enough time in my day to get my work done even when working late into the night . I was not alone in feeling overworked and unable to give my patients the time they deserved . According to a study from the University of Chicago , physicians would need nearly 27 hours each day just to provide guideline-recommended primary care — obviously an impossibility .
Then came the pandemic , and I knew I needed a change . I needed more of a work-life balance .
I am so grateful to have found a new way to practice medicine at CenterWell Senior Primary Care that helps me be more effective at my job and ensures that I can get all my work done during the day , leave the office at a reasonable hour and be fully present for my family when I ’ m home . What a difference that has made in my life !
You may be asking , how is that possible ? It ’ s achievable with CenterWell ’ s care team approach . Doctors , nurses , resource coordinators , behavioral specialists , clinicians and administrative staff work together to provide comprehensive and personalized care to our seniors . Because of all that support , I ’ m able to have a far smaller patient panel than is typical and , therefore , have more time with my patients – up to 40 minutes a visit . That extended time is critical for building a trusting relationship with my patients and allowing me to address their questions and concerns .
The extra time during visits and the support of other care team specialists is particularly important when caring for the older , often medically-complex patients we treat . For instance , one of my patients is severely diabetic , but because of a serious mental health condition has difficulty complying with her treatment , presenting huge risks including potential kidney failure or a cardiovascular event . Members of our care team check in with her regularly to assess her status and offer support . During a recent appointment , with the help of the behavioral health specialist on staff , we were able to facilitate an inpatient stay at a psychiatric hospital to treat her mental health condition which will also enable better control of her diabetes .
With an integrated team that surrounds the patient with care , we ’ re also able to learn more about the social and economic factors affecting a patient ’ s health and can help address those issues which may include social service needs such as food , housing and transportation assistance . Not many practices have the bandwidth and resources to provide that type of whole-person care .
Collaborating with a care team has made my job so much more rewarding . Among the many benefits of working at CenterWell , these factors stand out to me :
• Mission-driven care : CenterWell believes in the importance of senior-focused primary care and going beyond basic medical care to help seniors stay as healthy as possible and thrive as they age . Our value-based model encourages and rewards the treatment of medically-complex patients ,
32 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE ADVERTORIAL