I’m a wife, a mom, and a doctor in El Dorado, KS. There is a ton of health information floating ar
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Join our important educational community event!
OCTOBER 12, 2023 AT 6:30 pm, at the Civic Center in El DORADO!
FREE NALOXONE VOUCHER when you attend this training. Naloxone is easy to use, but we will teach you how at the event!
HAVE QUESTIONS? Send us a DM or post on the event page, we will get your questions answered.
https://fb.me/e/126mWOpAT
What a fun time at Gold Fest! I really enjoyed seeing so many of you come out and that prize wheel was a way bigger hit than I expected with the kids! 😅 My favorite part? The first thing to run out of were the fruits! As a doc who tries to emphasize lifestyle as a critical part of caring for our bodies I was very curious to see how kids would respond if I included fruit right along size candy and toys. I was not wrong… kids of all ages were so excited to see fruit they chose it over candy the majority of the time! 💚 (Here’s your little reminder to take candy off it’s pedestal and offer it along side other foods so it doesn’t create an extra draw above other options 😉)
In honor of National Physician Su***de Awareness Day let me pull back the curtain a bit for you…
Here’s a glimpse into the American healthcare system and why I founded Hope Family Medicine.
The way I care for my patients is fundamentally here and it’s life-giving for both doctor and patient💚🩺🌱
Hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
ISSUE: Fall 2023 How doctors across the country—fed up, burned-out, and disillusioned—are trying to reclaim the soul of medicine. This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. On a sweltering weekend in July 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri, more than two hundred doctors gath.....
Not my story, but the story of SO MANY docs I know. If you feel your health care in the “traditional” system is declining just know it’s not because the doctors don’t care, and honestly it’s *usually* not because the hospitals don’t care. The system is broken. And it’s affecting EVERYONE.
Not long ago I spoke with a specialist to get their input on where they would admit a family member if they had a choice of any of the hospitals in our region. I was honestly surprised by his answer. He immediately said “nowhere. I do my absolute best to keep everyone out of the hospitals these days. They are all understaffed, over extended, and under resourced.” Something has got to give.
I’m doing my best to take back the field of medicine by providing a different kind of primary care through Hope Family Medicine. It’s a good reminder to realize we still have a long way to go and a lot of health care professionals to save. The answer is NOT more “providers” or “better insurance” or “universal health care”. The answer is going to be found somewhere in prying health care back from under the grip of very moneyed and very powerful outside entities with alllll the lobby power.
It’s true. It matters to us all.
This is a great opportunity if any kiddos need to update their vaccines!
Does your student have all of their required school immunizations?
The Butler County Health Department has partnered to offer $30 Walmart school supply gift cards to all who attend Saturday back to school immunization clinics!
Don't miss out on Butler County Health Department's last clinic on Saturday, September 16th.
Parents can call 316-321-3400 (option-0) to make an appointment.
Unable to make it? Immunizations are available on Mondays at the El Dorado office, but Monday appointments are not eligible for the gift card.
Two of my absolute FAVORITE parts of this job rolled into one today 💙
Today I got to do a home visit for the newest, littlest, most squishy-faced member of Hope Family Medicine 🥰
That first visit is included in the comfort of your home for any local newborns joining the practice, no extra charge. Just a little way of saying I get it and I support you!
What am I seeing in the office these days? Back to school bugs, of course! It almost seems too soon to have these and truthfully this latest wave likely started before school did. What I’m seeing now is mainly viral illness—congestion, sneezing, coughing, irritated eyes. Lots of overlap with allergies, which have also kicked up for some.
Also please please please with this massive heat wave make sure that you’re staying well hydrated AND replenishing your electrolytes (salt mainly) by eating regularly. It’s great to cool off in the pool, but it’s also important to keep fueling your bodies with water and breaks from the heat. And it’s absolutely ok to scale back your physical activity for a few days! Most kids sports teams have heat index rules, but as adults we should be recognizing the increased risks of heat related illness for ourselves and PREVENT these by avoiding exercising in extreme heat.
Need a doc who will gladly answer your questions about topics like these? Come join the family! Hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
Look what my sweet patient brought in during her visit today ❤️ I am so glad my patients are better gardeners than I am! I like to say that I’m better at keeping things with heartbeats alive 😂
Some days it’s hard. Being a doctor can be mental, physically, and emotionally draining. Ditto that for running a business and for being a wife and mother. Some days I wonder if I’m doing the right thing…
then I get a text like this.
Helping a patient through a rough patch with some adjustments needed to get him back on track. These little “thank you’s” always seem to come when I need them the most.
So worth it 🤍
Important info if you have diabetes!
🚨 Have you heard of the latest study findings on probiotics and type 2 diabetes?
Experts have found that certain probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium and food-type probiotics, have a remarkable impact on lowering blood glucose levels - making them a promising adjuvant therapy! 🙌
The cherry on top? Science has shown that probiotic intervention is particularly beneficial for patients with a higher BMI when it comes to glycemic control. 🏃
While more research is needed, it is exciting to see the potential benefits of probiotics for those with T2DM. So, if you're living with T2DM, see your healthcare provider, and discuss whether probiotics could be a beneficial addition to your care plan.
👉 Hit that 'follow' button and stay in the know!
👉 Trying out direct care practice might be the way to go! Enroll at ✨montanadiabetes.com✨
Article: https://medicaldialogues.in/diabetes-endocrinology/news/probiotics-supplementation-promising-adjuvant-therapy-for-patients-with-type-2-diabetes-114210
Wishing you all a safe and joyful day of celebrating our great nation 🇺🇸
Thankful for so much, including this small town USA 💙🤍❤️
July 1st is really the physician’s New Years Day because residency (the 3+ year training all medical students must complete after their 4 years of medical school training in order to become a full and unrestricted physician) starts on July 1 across the USA.
It’s also the day Hope Family Medicine first opened its doors! So it seems fitting to spend a bit of time reflecting on the very, very long journey I took from “what will I do with my life?” to where I am today.
17 years ago I had recently graduated college, was living in Boston, and still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life (but it definitely wasn’t being a doctor!) 16 years ago I was prepping to apply to medical school. 15 years ago I was moving to Long Island, about to start medical school. 11 years ago I graduated medical school and moved to Wichita (for absolutely not more than 3 years in the Midwest 😄) for residency. The rest you can read above!
I’m proud of the steps I’ve taken the past 17 years, but especially in the past 3 years with HOPE. I entered med school determined to provide a different kind of whole-person care that encompassed more than just the disease-oriented treatment so prevalent in the US today. I wasn’t sure exactly how to make that happen, but truly love how I am doing just that at Hope Family Medicine.
Local? Come join the family!
Heads up!
‼️ Attention KanCare Members ‼️
We have been notified that KanCare is doing a major renewal process. We want you to be aware to watch for your renewals so that your coverage is not interrupted.
Here is what you need to do:
1. Make sure your contact information is updated with KanCare. Contact information can be updated by clicking the red chat bubble in the lower right corner of the KanCare.ks.gov homepage. You can also call the Clearinghouse at 1-800-7923-4884.
2. Read and respond quickly to any mail received from Kancare.
So far, KanCare has sent out 207,273 renewals, with only 22,465 members being renewed and 5,667 being discontinued. Most members are either in the response window or in the 90-day grace period allowed in the process. To maintain coverage, KanCare members must respond to their renewal requests.
*Bursting* with excitement here! We are exactly 1 week away from the where I have the total honor and privilege of sharing as a presenter! 😁
Sometimes I have an agenda planned, sometimes it’s a kids free for all, and sometimes we go a whole day and I realize we “didn’t play” all day.
I’m a huge fan of incorporating kids into our daily activities and making them fun. They learn a whole lot more that way, they love being around us (at least they do right now… we’ll see what the teen years bring 😂), and the extra work is really not extra when you consider you’re not doing double duty of trying to figure out what to do with them while also getting your stuff done. Obviously it doesn’t work for everything, but kids can totally do a whole lot more than we often give them credit for. Last night my 2 year old happily diced the zucchini for dinner with a butter knife while I browned the meat and diced the other veggies. (Plus kids are more likely to eat food they had a hand in cooking!)
Parenting is hard work! Let’s share allll the tips for making things a little easier 😉
PSA: NOW is the best time to get your kids in for their sports physicals.
We typically don’t do 1 time visits at Hope Family because we believe so strongly in the power of the long term relationship that helps us truly know our patients. However, we ARE happy to see your kiddo for their sport physical even if they’re not a member (there’s rationale behind this, I promise).
For our Hope Family members It’s as easy as a quick text:
“Hey Doc! ___ needs their sports physical. When can we get that?”
“Sure! How about tomorrow?”
As spring break rolls so quickly into summer break (and back to school and the holidays and….) it can be so easy to catch yourself looking at what some others post on their feeds and subconsciously let that sink into your soul as you compare your day to day with their feature presentation.
This can happen in our social lives, in our parenting, and in our health! Confession: I have to actively disengage l-just like everyone else-when I notice I’m playing that comparison game.
We are all given 1 body and 24 hours a day. We all need to honor or bodies and our time, but what we do with that body and how we use that time can and should look different for each one of us.
So your college roommate went for a jog on the beach before her kids woke up and they merrily spent the rest of the day playing with gobs of friends and family on vacation? Good for them! Meanwhile you slept in to a whopping 8am after being woken up my a toddler with a tummy ache and you’ll count it a victory if everyone is up and dressed before noon? Good for you!
We all need different things at different times and we all have a tendency to paint the prettiest picture for the outside world (plus that weird little streak where we glorify stress, busyness, and chaos). Instead let’s keep things in perspective and remember that “comparison is a thief of joy” (T Roosevelt) and contentment is a choice.
Do you like to learn? With the end of the school year I’ve been thinking a lot about learning in general.
I’ve come to the conclusion that, like most physicians, I love to learn new things! In the medical world we talk about being a “life long learner” and honestly, for most of us docs that’s not a task just to keep board certification—it’s a personality trait!
I saw these embedded in the limestone building on our new property and now am totally inspired to learn about the SHELLFISH that used to live here in the Kansas plains so I can tell my newly dinosaur obsessed toddler alll about them 🦖🐚🪨!
Guess what?? I’m learning some new medical skills, too, and I can’t wait to implement them! Stay tuned to learn more, and even better… join the family! Hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
Happy Monday!
11 years as a physician! (+ all those years of training leading up to this day)
I can honestly say the type of physician I am at Hope Family Medicine is exactly the kind of doctor I would want for myself and my family. It’s taken a while to get here, but gosh, it was worth all that work.
Training+Experience+Heart=Hope Family Medicine
Join the family! —> hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
Happy Mother’s Day! 💐💚🤍💙💐
I feel a lot lighter! Like 1 foot of hair lighter! Anyone have recommendations on a good organization to donate hair? I’ve used one in the past, but am open to new suggestions. Hair donation really is a personal gift… it takes a looooong time!
We talk a LOT about weight around here. It’s not something I try to put too much emphasis on most of the time, but UGH the societal pressures are REAL.
Don’t get me wrong— obesity is a huge health issue and the rates of obesity in America continue to skyrocket. However, I think the mindset of “weight loss” can be unhealthy on many levels.
When you come here we spend our time focusing on how to achieve a healthier lifestyle. We might talk about nutrition, exercise, medical conditions, social stress, mental health, and more. I’d LOVE for patients to achieve their optimal weight, but what’s more important to me is all the stuff I just mentioned. If weight loss comes around as a result of an overall healthier lifestyle then GREAT! But it’s not the primary focus.
This is actually sad, scary, and true. I’m perpetually surprised at each new level of disconnect corporate medicine takes from actual care of real human beings. Sorry to be blunt, but I want to be clear! These “innovations” that insert more and more layers between doctor and patient just decrease the likelihood that your needs are met.
A pilot at three large health systems will use generative AI to help doctors respond to patients’ questions in online portals.
This Saturday! 10-2… tickets available through the chamber for this yummy fundraiser!
I’m looking forward to sharing a fun treat with you all!
To all you soccer/softball/baseball/football/hockey/etc,etc,etc, moms and dads out there. Hang in there. Your kids will sort of appreciate it when they’re older. And then they’ll really appreciate it in 25 years when they’re moms and dads freezing on the sidelines of their own kids’ game.
Ps—don’t worry, in like 2 weeks it’ll probably be 120 degrees 😂
Pps— kids sports are great for building character, social skills, physical fitness, and tons more… but i do NOT live by the phrase “Soccer is life” [or insert whatever sport] There is soooo much to life than sports and sports burn out and overuse injuries are real things. Just sayin’.
I’m super excited to be a part of this fun event ♥️🍫💝
Come out on the 22nd (tickets just $10) and see me!
I looked it up so you don’t have to 😉
While unwashed backyard fresh eggs can last weeks on the counter and up to a couple months (!!) in the fridge, washed eggs shouldn’t be left out more than a few hours and a few weeks in the fridge.
Hard boiled eggs don’t last as long (before I started raising chickens myself I always assumed they lasted longer!) They shouldn’t be left out more than few hours, but can last up to about a week in the fridge.
Looks like we’re all going to be eating a lot of eggs this week 🍳😋
Now that we’ve cleared that up, you’ve got some extra time for your next search… hard boiled egg recipes!
With last week’s grassfire as well as the recent controlled burns now is a great time for a few reminders:
—change your central air filter. It’s recommended to change them every 3 months, and that’s especially important if you have allergies or asthma. Consider one with a stronger filtration rate. A good central filter is often just as good as a stand alone air purifier, but those are a great addition as well
—Now is also a good time to check your smoke detectors AND carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke detectors should be placed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on each level of the home including the basement
—Consider signing up for the Butler County Reverse 911 to get emergency notifications sent directly to your phone (bucoks.com for more info)
Stay safe, friends!
I know, I know. This weather has been nuts. In between Mother Natures mood swings (seriously, another frost warning tonight when we just started pulling some shorts out of the back of the closet??) there have been a few moment of sheer outdoor bliss!
Let this serve as a remind/encouragement/prodding that the weather does NOT need to be perfect to get outside. There are HUGE health benefits to getting outside, soaking up a bit of Vitamin D straight from the source, getting fresh air, boosting your endorphins, detaching yourself from screens, and moving your body. I’m the first to admit I can find a million excuses to put off doing good things for my health. Let’s not let this wacky weather hold us back!
Spring Sale!
Been thinking about getting your child or your ears pierced? Now is great time! $10 off all month. Open to the community—membership not required!
*we use the blomdahl system. There are strong opinions about the “best” way to pierce ears. What matters in my book isis a sterile, non-allergenic system and a safe, comfy space. We’ve got that covered! ✅✅Check out our website and their website if you’d like to learn more.
Love this! It gets at the heart of what we’re trying to do differently around here.
The direct primary care (DPC) model—where patients pay a small monthly fee to cover their care—makes it possible to be the kind of doctor I aspired to be.
Since I’m not trying to pack my days full to combat ever dwindling insurance reimbursements I can spend more time actually listening to my patients. And since costs aren’t eaten up by that hungry middleman mentioned above, we can keep things affordable.
It’s modern medicine with old fashioned care.
I wouldn't be the doctor I've become without all of you 🤍🩺🩹
Thankful I get to work with my patients so WE decide the best steps, not being dictated by the government or an insurance company. And I’m thankful that my incentive can remain true—to help my patients achieve their best health, not being motivated by reimburse tiers based on whether or not I prescribe certain drugs or treatments!
This was a fun one! We recently had a short notice family gathering and one of the kiddos and I put this together. I love that it has a little something for everything (full disclosure: there was pizza 🍕 too 😆)
I want to point out something though… as “healthy” as this looks there are actually a LOT of food triggers in this photo.
—Deli meats have nitrates and nitrites (even if ‘no added nitrites and nitrates’) which can trigger migraines in some
—Cheese can trigger migraines in some, too
—Bell Pepper can trigger heart burn and is an IBS trigger for some
—Pita has gluten
So… switch to living off lettuce and cardboard??? No! Just know that “healthy” isn’t one thing and isn’t the same for all of us. What nourishes your body might not work for someone else.
Now go eat something delicious!
I love being able to communicate so easily with my patients!
Who here has experienced getting ill on a Friday and panicking about whether you could get in to see your own doctor before the weekend or face an urgent care visit (and whopping bill)? 🙋♀️
You might have noticed we rest pretty heavily on the word HOPE around here. This mug actually pre-dates Hope Family Medicine and is a much cherished gift from a dear family member.
In February 2016 we first announced we were expecting a little one on the way, with plans to announce to everyone once we knew the gender. It was a long, tough pregnancy that ended with me becoming very sick in intensive care and our little girl, Hope, being born straight into heaven.
So why did we name her and this practice Hope? I’ve been reading through the Bible again this year and one of the common themes is that names have meaning. We named her Hope when we knew she was at risk, but didn’t know if we’d lose because we knew that absolutely no matter what we could have hope that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Naming her Hope was speaking out loud and claiming a truth we knew to be true.
Losing a baby is hard. So is: being a parent, being a child, being a spouse, being single, being a friend, owning a business, being employed, being a doctor, walking through illness, walking a loved one through illness, financial strain, the list goes on and on.
We keep a positive perspective around here because we know that even the hard things can turn out for good. The loss of our daughter gave us SO much, including the knowledge we needed to bring her younger sister and brother into the world. It’s hard to explain, but it made us all better people with better relationships, more understanding, and more courage to face hard things… like opening up Hope Family Medicine! It may be hard, but man… if we stick with it it’s soooo worth it.
Hope Family Medicine is growing and we want you to grow with us… hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
Come get you or your little one’s ears pierced before Valentines Day ❤️❤️❤️ It’s so much nicer than a drive to Wichita to sit in the hallway of a crowded mall with gawkers watching you develop a nickel allergy due to piercing with an allergenic, no sterile product 😆
Hope Family Medicine patient’s get a discount, but at $85 for non-members including the piercing, earrings, and after care it’s a great deal no matter what!
Call or check out the website for more info… see ya soon! 316-323-4436 hopefamilymedicinedpc.com
119 N Vine
El Dorado, KS
67042
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Friday musings on why we need to #supportlocal even (especially!) in healthcare #familydoctor #directprimarycare #doctorlocal
Sharing a bit of #eldoks and #bucoks love
We talk about saving money with a Hope Family Medicine membership, but what does that really look like? And what if you have insurance? Here’s an actual example of how one patient saved a TON of money even with their traditional insurance! #hopefamilymedicinedpc #healthinsurance #healthcarecosts #directprimarycare #dpc #kneeinjection #familydoctor #primarycare
Paige Christy-Certified Personal Trainer and
North Main
El Dorado Care & Rehabilitation Center
Country Club
Interim Healthcare - El Dorado, KS
W Central Avenue
Still Waters Celebrate Recovery
Oil Hill Road
Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital
W Central Avenue
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