Here are a few of the ways we are innovating and intend to make these increases worthwhile to you:
Scheduling with specialists and for advanced testing has become very difficult, as many of you well know. We will be adding another medical assistant position this fall, giving us increased capacity to aid in communications with specialist clinics and appointment scheduling.
We intend to obtain a limited pharmacy license. This will enable us to dispense common medications like antibiotics through the office. In addition, we will be able to give the full range of immunizations, including those on “Part D” for Medicare that have required you to go to the pharmacy in the past. The timing of this addition will depend on the Oregon Board of Pharmacy and its procedures.
We will be increasing our dermatology services. We recognize that visits to the dermatologist are costly and time consuming. We will be purchasing equipment for closer monitoring of skin lesions, and liquid nitrogen spray canisters for treatment of pre-malignant and benign lesions.
When feasible and when you would like, we will continue to manage medical care via phone calls or remote virtual visits, saving you time and money on office visits.
As the practice continues to evolve, our primary objective remains to provide high-quality, individualized care. Over the next year, we would like to have a thoughtful conversation with each of you about your healthcare goals and preferences. Some of you may be interested in minimizing costs, in which case we are happy to discuss ways to reduce unnecessary services. This may include a thorough medication review to make sure you are paying the best available price for your prescriptions. Alternatively, there are many of you interested in more robust preventive and exploratory testing with the possibility of enhancing your health and the early detection of disease. We are here to help you access the education and services that you seek. Whatever your healthcare goals, we want to understand them and become your partner in achieving them.
Once again, we thank each of you for your trust in us and look forward to a continued partnership in the years to come.
Best,
James Biemer, Julia Jones, Kazumi, Tinh An and Amy