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Open for you: Make primary care a priority, even during the pandemic

Daniel Miller

Open for you: Make primary care a priority, even during the pandemic

By Tyrel Linkhorn

It can be all too easy to put off seeing your primary care physician even during normal times. We feel fine, and we’re busy with work, school and family responsibilities.

But the COVID-19 pandemic added another complication. As Americans hunkered down at home, many were hesitant to see their doctor or visit a clinical setting over fears of contracting the virus.

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Dr. Rashmi Goyal, an internal medicine specialist with The University of Toledo Medical Center’s South Toledo Internists, understands those concerns but said people may be creating new risks to their health by avoiding the doctor’s office.

“I know people have been reluctant to come in because of COVID, but the earlier problems are diagnosed, the better the outcomes and the more options we have for treatment,” Goyal said. “The risk of contracting COVID-19 by coming into your doctor’s office is low. I worry more about people ignoring signs and symptoms and allowing something to progress to the point it can’t be handled on an outpatient basis.”

The internal medicine doctors at UTMC provide expert diagnosis and management of both acute illnesses and chronic conditions.

Everyone of all ages can benefit from regular visits with their primary care physician — even those who are in good health.

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“Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetes can go undiagnosed for years because they’re generally painless and don’t cause symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to get regular checkups, including bloodwork,” she said. “You don’t want to wait until you’re 30 to figure out you’ve had 10 years of high cholesterol or high blood pressure.”

Because of the pandemic, however, even patients with chronic health conditions have put off regular checkups.

One study from Johns Hopkins University found the number of blood pressure checks conducted by primary care physicians declined by 50 percent in last year’s second quarter compared to averages from 2018 and 2019. Cholesterol assessments fell by 37 percent over the same period.

“Not only do we want to diagnose things early, we want to stay on top of those conditions before they become more difficult to treat,” Goyal said. “We also know that some of the more common chronic conditions, like diabetes, obesity and uncontrolled high blood pressure, are risk factors for COVID and go hand in hand with more complicated recoveries.”

Most offices — including South Toledo Internists — are screening patients for respiratory illnesses and other potential COVID-19 symptoms prior to their appointments and asking those who are exhibiting symptoms to opt for telehealth visits rather than coming in person.

“The sooner we can see you and get you started on therapies or treatment, the better,” Goyal said. “It really comes back to the fact that it’s always better to catch something early before it can progress to a more serious problem.”

In many cases, patients are able to be seen by a UTMC primary care physician within 24 hours.

“We can usually get somebody in very quickly to be seen,” Goyal said. “That’s part of what sets us apart as a practice. If you’re having a problem, you can contact us and get in fairly quickly to receive appropriate care.”

For conditions that need specialized treatment, UTMC’s wide network of specialists also makes referrals easy, Goyal said.

“We all know each other. If you need to see a specialist, it’s really easy for us to pick up the phone and help you get in quickly.”

 

First Published April 19, 2021, 4:00 a.m.

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