OptumMD

OptumMD OptumMD is a concierge medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia. We have offices in Buckhead and Alpharetta.

We focus on evidence based medicine, preventive medicine, functional medicine, healthspan and lifespan. OptumMD is a primary care medical practice in Atlanta that delivers personalized, attentive, quality medical care, with personal physician access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You’re eating well, hitting the gym, and feeling generally good, so a fifteen minute "check the box" physical can feel a...
04/27/2026

You’re eating well, hitting the gym, and feeling generally good, so a fifteen minute "check the box" physical can feel a bit like a waste of time. The current medical system is essentially a safety net designed to catch you once you fall. It is not built to help a healthy person identify the invisible drag on their energy or the subtle risks in their cardiovascular profile.

We keep our practice small so we can focus on the decade before a diagnosis ever happens. We look for the nuances in your labs that show how your body is actually processing energy and handling stress right now. Our goal is to move beyond "not sick" and into a space where your health is a reliable asset for the long term.

We believe that the best time to focus on your health is while you still have it. You can learn more about our physician led approach through the link in our page intro.

What a treat to shower one of our wonderful nurses, Nikki and her sweet baby today. 🎀 We are so excited for you and your...
04/16/2026

What a treat to shower one of our wonderful nurses, Nikki and her sweet baby today. 🎀 We are so excited for you and your growing family. ❤️

"You checked my insulin? I thought that was just for diabetes."Hear that a lot.Here is why we check it. Insulin resistan...
04/16/2026

"You checked my insulin? I thought that was just for diabetes."

Hear that a lot.

Here is why we check it. Insulin resistance starts quietly. Years before blood sugar moves. Years before any symptoms show up. By the time fasting glucose looks concerning, the metabolic problem has been there for a decade.

Fasting insulin tells you if your body is working too hard to keep your blood sugar normal.

We check it on every new patient. Not because we think everyone has a problem. Because we want to know if something is brewing before it becomes a problem.

A patient came in last year. Late forties. Healthy weight. Exercised regularly. Ate well. But he kept telling us somethi...
04/15/2026

A patient came in last year. Late forties. Healthy weight. Exercised regularly. Ate well. But he kept telling us something felt off. Not sick. Just off.

We ran our standard new patient panel. Not the basic one. The deep one. His fasting insulin was elevated. His ApoB was high. His visceral fat percentage was double what it should be for someone his size. None of those would have shown up on a routine physical.

We spent the next six months working on insulin sensitivity, lipid management, and body composition. Not with dramatic interventions. Just consistent, data driven changes.

His energy came back. His numbers normalized. And he told us he forgot what it felt like to feel actually good.

That is what the system is built for. Catching things before they become problems.

That feeling of being rushed through an exam room makes it nearly impossible to remember every concern you wanted to dis...
04/13/2026

That feeling of being rushed through an exam room makes it nearly impossible to remember every concern you wanted to discuss. It is a common frustration because the current healthcare system is essentially a volume business. Most doctors are forced to move so quickly that the appointment becomes a series of checkboxes instead of a collaboration.

We decided to keep our patient panel small so we can provide a higher level of attention. This allows us the space to hear the details that usually get skipped in a standard fifteen minute visit. We believe your health deserves more than a quick glance at a chart.

You can learn more about how we structure our care through the link in our page intro.

It is a strange feeling to walk out of a doctor’s office with a clean bill of health while knowing, deep down, that you ...
04/09/2026

It is a strange feeling to walk out of a doctor’s office with a clean bill of health while knowing, deep down, that you don’t actually feel healthy. We hear this from people constantly.

They have been told their labs are normal and their symptoms are just a byproduct of getting older, but they are still struggling with brain fog or a lack of physical stamina that they can't quite explain.

The issue is that most medical models are designed to find a fire once it is already burning. They are excellent at treating a crisis, but they often ignore the smoldering phase where your body is sending out subtle signals that something is shifting. In our practice, we don't just look for a diagnosis; we look for the gap between "not sick" and truly thriving.

By the time a lab result turns red, a problem has usually been developing for years. We prefer to look at the intersection of your metabolic, cardiovascular, and hormonal health right now, while there is still time to change the trajectory. It is a more meticulous way to practice, but it is the only way to protect your vitality for the next twenty or thirty years.

If you’ve been thinking about a more proactive, relationship-based approach to your health, you can explore more through the link in our intro.

Your lab results say you're "normal," but you still feel like you're running on a 30% battery. We see this specific disc...
04/07/2026

Your lab results say you're "normal," but you still feel like you're running on a 30% battery.

We see this specific disconnect every week—the "perfect" blood panel that doesn't explain the heavy fatigue or the fact that your metabolism feels like it’s hit a wall. The reality is that standard liver enzymes are often a lagging indicator; they tell us when there is actual damage, but they stay quiet while the system is simply struggling to keep up.

When your liver is overtasked by a high-stress lifestyle or inflammatory triggers, it doesn't always scream for help on a basic screening. Instead, it quietly de-prioritizes things like hormone conversion and glucose regulation. You don’t get a "red flag" on your labs; you just get a persistent sluggishness that sleep can’t seem to fix.

We look for the nuance in these markers because "not sick" is not the same thing as being healthy. It’s about catching the struggle before it becomes a clinical diagnosis.

If your labs and your energy levels aren't telling the same story, it’s worth a deeper look. More information about our diagnostic approach is available on our website.

Most people don’t realize how much alcohol shifts what their body is doing behind the scenes.We often see this in patien...
04/06/2026

Most people don’t realize how much alcohol shifts what their body is doing behind the scenes.

We often see this in patients who feel like they’re doing everything right. They’re consistent with their routine, mindful about what they eat, staying active. But something feels off. Sleep is lighter. Energy isn’t steady. Progress feels slower than it should.

When alcohol is in your system, your body changes priorities. It focuses on processing that first, which means things like fat metabolism and blood sugar balance take a back seat for a period of time.

It’s not always obvious in the moment. It tends to show up later in ways that are easy to overlook.

This is something we talk through often because understanding the trade-offs helps people make decisions that actually match how they want to feel day to day.

If this has been on your mind, it may be worth taking a closer look.

Food is one of the most significant daily influencers of systemic inflammatory signaling. While symptoms like joint stif...
04/02/2026

Food is one of the most significant daily influencers of systemic inflammatory signaling. While symptoms like joint stiffness, brain fog, and seasonal allergies are often addressed with medication, the underlying cause is frequently linked to modern eating patterns. Diets heavy in ultra-processed ingredients and refined sugars can inadvertently prime the immune system for a higher state of reactivity.

Shifting toward a lower inflammation state does not require an extreme overhaul of your lifestyle. Prioritizing deep colored fruits, omega 3 rich fats, and high fiber plants provides the necessary substrate for a healthy gut microbiome. These nutritional choices help regulate your body's immune response and support more stable metabolic function over time.

Small, consistent adjustments to your daily habits often yield the most substantial results for your long-term vitality. By focusing on these foundations, we can help the body remain more resilient against environmental and biological stressors.

You can learn more about our physicians and our approach to care through the information in our page intro.

Every spring in Atlanta, we see the same pattern.�Patients feel more tired, more congested, and not quite as clear menta...
04/01/2026

Every spring in Atlanta, we see the same pattern.�Patients feel more tired, more congested, and not quite as clear mentally, even if they don’t think of themselves as having bad allergies.

High pollen counts don’t just affect the nose and eyes.�They can trigger a broader inflammatory response in the body that may lead to�
• brain fog�
• poor sleep�
• fatigue�
• decreased focus during the day
Instead of waiting for symptoms to flare, we take a more preventive approach.

That often means supporting the systems that influence immune response, including gut health, inflammation levels, and overall metabolic balance.

When those areas are optimized, the body tends to be more resilient, even during heavy allergy season.

Preventive care isn’t only about major illness.�
Sometimes it’s about helping you feel and function at your best, even when the environment is working against you.

To learn more about our physician-led approach to preventive care, visit our website via our intro.

On National Doctors’ Day, we’re taking a moment to recognize the people at the center of everything we do at OptumMD, ou...
03/31/2026

On National Doctors’ Day, we’re taking a moment to recognize the people at the center of everything we do at OptumMD, our physicians!

Truly personalized, preventive care starts with the team guiding it.

Dr. Edward Espinosa, DO, MPH, brings over two decades of experience in internal medicine, with a background in epidemiology that shapes how he thinks about risk, often identifying patterns and long-term health trends before they become problems.

Dr. Valerie Pershad, MD, IFMCP, combines traditional internal medicine with a functional medicine framework, taking a deeper, root-cause approach to how lifestyle, nutrition, and physiology influence both immediate health and long-term outcomes.

Dr. Diana Rodgers, MD, provides a strong foundation in family medicine, with a focus on preventative care and metabolic resilience.

What makes our practice different isn’t just experience, it’s how we work together.

We take a collaborative, physician-led approach that goes beyond traditional care, with a shared focus on helping patients maintain energy, clarity, and strength over time.

Because health isn’t just about treating illness.
It’s about supporting how you live, now and in the years ahead.

To learn more about our physician team inclusive of their credentials and clinical philosophies visit us at https://optummd.com

Body composition often tells a much more significant story than the number on a scale. As physicians, we are moving away...
03/26/2026

Body composition often tells a much more significant story than the number on a scale. As physicians, we are moving away from relying on BMI alone to assess health, as it frequently fails to capture the physiological reality of what is happening inside the body.

What matters more is the specific makeup of your weight, particularly the amount of functional muscle you have compared to the visceral fat surrounding your organs. These two factors are strongly linked to future risks for diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline.

For many adults balancing demanding careers and busy lives, maintaining muscle mass is one of the most important predictors of long-term vitality. By utilizing advanced body composition analysis, we can detect subtle changes early, often before they show up on routine labs or before symptoms develop.

This data allows us to take a more precise, preventive approach so your health continues to support the life you want to live. True prevention is not just about weight, but about preserving the strength and function required for the years ahead.

You can learn more about our approach to metabolic health and diagnostic screening through the link in our page intro.

Address

91 W. Wieuca Road NE, Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA
30342

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14042575585

Website

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Buckhead Medicine is a primary care practice in Atlanta that delivers personalized, attentive, quality medical care in a low patient volume setting, with personal physician access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.