The Village Doctor at Cherry Hill

05/06/2026

Wednesdays "Pearls for Prevention"
Screening for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the US, with nearly 2 million cases of chlamydia and more than 1/2 million cases of gonorrhea diagnosed annually. The majority of these cases are in young people. In women, these infections usually don't show any signs or symptoms, but they can lead to scaring in the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing infertility. To prevent fertility problems, all sexually active women 24 year of age and younger should be screened for these infections annually. Women 25 and over who are at increased risk should continue to be screened annually. In the past, this screening involved a pelvic examination, but now it can be done with a simple urine test, making it much easier for you to get screened. If you are a woman under the age 25 and you are sexually active, please talk to your Primary Care Doctor about this important screening test. If you need a Primary Care Doctor, please visit is on the web (www.thevillagedoctor.net), call us at 734-879-1068, or email us at info@thevillagedoctor.net

Final Recommendation Statement Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Screening September 14, 2021 Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and....

04/29/2026

Wednesday's Pearls for Prevention: Osteoporosis (low bone denisty)
As we age, bone density decreases. This can lead to "fragility fractures," commonly in the spine, the wrist, and the hip. Nearly 2 million of these fracture occur annually in the United States, leading to significant debility, and even death. A patient at age 65 or older who sustains a hip fracture has only about a 50% chance of getting back to their "pre-fracture" function. Because of the fall in hormone levels with menopause, women are at particularly high risk. More than one fourth of women at or over 65 have osteoporosis. As a common disease with significant impact on quality and quantity of life, prevention and screening can have big impacts. The best way to reduce your risk of osteoporosis is regular weight-bearing exercise, which decreases the risk of falling and provides protection to the bones. Smoking is a significant risk factor for osteoporosis, and avoiding to***co use is important for prevention, especially for people with other risk factors. Starting at age 65, I recommend that all women have periodic DEXA scans to screen for low bone denisty. I also recommend screening for some women with other risk factors starting at 60. If you are not sure about your own risk, please talk to your Family Doctor. If you are looking for a doctor who will take the time to discuss this (and other screening) with you, please consider the Village Doctor at Cherry Hill. Visit our website (www.thevillagedoctor.net), send us an email (info@thevillagedoctor.net), or call us at 734-879-1068.

Final Recommendation Statement Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: Screening January 14, 2025 Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Hea...

04/25/2026

Doctors, especially those of us in Primary Care, have been working harder and harder for years to enable a broken healthcare system. This article explains it well. Anyone who has questions about why more doctors are opting out, choosing models like Direct Primary Care, or even leaving medicine altogether should read this article. Our system has to change.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/opinion/sunday/hospitals-doctors-nurses-burnout.html?smid=nytcore-android-share&fbclid=IwdGRjcARZpYxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEevrUFORlmIzZurLOIpHQ67C-rZYswkqvi5U6khfZWmQextblcyylkj93_PuI_aem_Ke0vjDjedRFVX8nr2spSdQ

One resource seems infinite and free: the professionalism of caregivers.

04/22/2026

Wednesday's "Pearls for Prevention"
Lung Cancer Screening.
Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US, killing around 135,000 people annually. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer, accounting for around 90% of deaths. While five-year survival rates for advanced (stage 4) lung cancer are only around 20%, up to 90% of people diagnosed earlier (stage 1) survive. If you are/were a smoker (either currently smoking, or quit less than 15 year ago) between the ages of 50 and 80, research shows that being screened annually with a low-dose lung CT scan decreases your chances of dying from Lung Cancer. The most effective way to decrease your risk of lung cancer is to stop smoking! If you are a current or former smoker, please talk to your Family Doctor about being screened. If you are still smoking, ask them what they can do to help you quit. If you don't have a Family Doctor to discuss this with, please visit us at our website (www.thevillagedoctor.net), give us a call (734-879-1068), or send us an email (info@thevillagedoctor.net) to learn about how you can become a member of my Direct Primary Care Family Medicine Practice!

Final Recommendation Statement Lung Cancer: Screening March 09, 2021 Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.....

04/17/2026

Join us on Saturday, May 9th at the Amphitheater in Heritage Park (just west of the Canton Public Library) for our May Walk With a Doc! All are welcome, and all you need is comfortable shoes, and an interest in walking for health! Our topic for May will be Stroke Awareness and Prevention (in honor of National Stroke Awareness Month. Sign up at https://walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/canton-michigan/ or in person at the walk. Hope to see you there!!

04/17/2026

A good summary of why Direct Primary Care works better for patients and doctors! If you have questions about DPC, please visit my website at www.thevillagedoctor.net

It is always good to share hard numbers about DPC. Here is some information you may like: 1.4 million+ active DPC members as of early 2026 data compiled from over 2,700 clinicians (up signific…

04/15/2026

Wednesday's "Pearls of Prevention."
For-profit health screening services: why not to do it!
There several companies in the business of offering "direct to patient" health screening services. For a cost (not covered by insurance), you can be screened with ultrasound (or more advanced imaging) and blood tests for a wide variety of diseases. Screening and Prevention are complex sciences, and the decision to screen for any particular disease in any individual needs to consider many factors, including evidence for potential benefit vs potential harm, presence of risk factors, and personal values/preferences. Many of the services offered by these companies are not recommended based on a lack of known benefit, such as screening for blockages in various arteries. Still other tests, like screening for lung cancer or aoritc aneurysms, may be beneficial for some people, but not for others. Anything related to your health that has not been proven to help you has the potential for harming you. I have had many patients come to me over the years with abnormal results from tests done at screening health fairs that caused fear and anxiety without being helpful or meaningful. My advise to you? Stay away from these for-profit screening services. Your decisions about health screening tests should be made in partnership with an expert in Preventive Services, your Family Doctor! If you need help deciding what screening is right for you, I would be happy to be your expert! Check out my website (www.thevillagedoctor.net), send us an email (info@thevillagedoctor.net), or give us a call (734-879-1068.)

04/08/2026

Wednesday's Pearls of Prevention
Prostate Cancer Screening
The decision about whether to screen an individual person for a specific disease is complex "More" does not always mean "Better." Screening decisions need to be made based on scientific evidence weighing both the potential BENEFIT of screening, and the potential HARMS that screening can cause. Prostate Cancer Screening is particularly complex. The best designed research studies have conflicting results on the benefit of screening. One large study suggests that we may prevent 1 person from dying of prostate cancer by screening 1000 men for 10 years, indicating that the potential benefits of screening are small. There is a significant risk of harm in doing this screening, due to "overdiagnosis" and treatment (finding/treating cancers that would not have actually lead to death if they had been left undiagnosed), and the complications of diagnostic biopsies and cancer treatment. While the lifetime risk of a man developing prostate cancer are high (11%), the risk of dying from this cancer are actually much lower (2.5%.) Up to HALF of men who die over the age of 70 are found to have a prostate cancer that was undiagnosed, and unrelated to their death. The decision to screen for prostate cancer is an individual one that needs to consider each man's personal values and preferences. It should be made only after detailed discussion with your Prevetion Expert; your family doctor. If you don't have a doctor, or if your doctor doesn't take the time to discuss the complexity of your medical care, I would love to show you the benefits of membership in my Direct Primary Care Practice. Please visit my website (www.thevillagedoctor.net), send me an email (info@thevillagedoctor.net), or give me a call at 734-879-1068.

04/03/2026

Help us kick off spring tomorrow morning with our first “Walk With A Doc” event at Heritage Park!

04/01/2026

Wednesday's "Pearls of Prevention"

Screening for Diabetes

Adult Onset (or Type 2) Diabetes is very common, with and estimated 13% of the US adult population having this disease. One in five people with Diabetes do not know they have it! Prediabetes, a mild elevation of blood sugar that increases the risk of developing Diabetes is present in more than 1/3 of US adults!

Diabetes is the leading cause of End Stage Kidney Disease (requiring dialysis) and of blindness in the US. It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke), and it is estimated to be the 7th leading cause of death among US adults.

The most common risk factor for diabetes is overweight (a BMI between 25 and 29) and obesity (a BMI equal to or greater than 30). The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screen all adults between the ages of 35 and 70 with a BMI of 25 or higher for diabetes every three years. This screening can be done with a simple blood test.

As a Family Doctor, I recognize the benefit of preventing diabetes and its complications, rather than just treating it once it develops. If you are at risk, please make sure you are screened for high blood sugar. If you have questions, about diabetes or you are interested in becoming a member in my Direct Primary Care practice, feel free to contact me at www.thevillagedoctor.net , send an email to info@thevillagedoctor.net, or call us at 734-879-1068.

03/25/2026

Wednesday "Pearls of Prevention"

Breast Cancer Screening

Breast Cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in US women (240,000 diagnoses per year), and second only to Lung Cancer in deaths per year (a bit over 43,000.) The lifetime risk of breast cancer in US women is now 1 in 8. Early detection and treatment significantly increases the chances of surviving breast cancer from around 30% for Stage 4, down to 90% for Stages 1-3. Mammograms have long been known to decrease the risk of dying from this disease. The United States Preventive Services Task Force updated their recommendations in 2024. The current best evidence we have tells us:
1) All women from age 40-74 can benefit from a mammogram every two years
--while annual screening is often done, this increases the risks (false-positive results requiring additional imaging, and the risk of biopsy and over-treatment) without increasing the benefits.
--women 75 and older have higher risk of both getting and dying from breast cancer than younger women, but the research did not include women in this age range, and so we have no proof of benefit over harm.
2) There is no research evidence showing a benefit to monthly Self Breast Exams, and they are no longer recommended. (That doesn't mean women should ignore lumps that they happen to find!)
3) These recommendations are for women at "average" risk and do not apply to women who are at significantly higher risk (e.g. BRCA1/2 genetic mutation or history of chest radiation therapy).

As with all screening recommendation, it's important for women to talk with their primary care physicians about how the guidelines apply to them individually. That is why it's important to have a relationship with a Family Doctor, your own personal "Preventive Medicine Expert!"

If you don't have a Family Doctor, please visit my website (www.thevillagedoctor.net) to learn how to become a member of my practice in Canton!