The Who and Why behind Thrive2BeWell
Hello. Thanks for visiting. Healthcare is personal - especially hormonal health- so let me share with you some background information that will hopefully make you more comfortable in sharing your personal healthcare details with me.
First the basics: I graduated from the OU Physician Associate Program in 2000 and began working immediately in Internal Medicine. I joined a seasoned physician with a 15 year old practice where management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, high cholesterol, etc are the mainstay of care. As the years progressed I had the privilege of a first row seat to outcomes for individuals health , often differing between those who actively participated in their care and those that did not. I also have had a seat at the table in the transition in the kind of care being provided. Combining these two observations was a motivating factor in starting Thrive2BeWell.
Years ago, as my own hormones betrayed me, I became a student of hormone management for my own survival. Having experienced infertility due to premature ovarian failure it was no surprise to me when I was in my late 30's experiencing what seemed to be perimenopausal symptoms. Unfortunately, my healthcare providers discounted my symptoms and told me I was too young for hormone replacement. Thankfully, one of my fellow friends and P.A. colleagues who had been practicing hormone management for several years previously, validated my symptoms and encouraged me to do some testing and start on some bioidentical hormone replacement.... and so the journey began. What started as an education for myself became a mainstay in my traditional medical practice for existing patients as they were aging too. Before I knew it, I was receiving referrals from those patients of their friends who were experiencing hormonal changes as well and bioidentical hormone management turned into a large part of my routine practice.
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When I first started practicing we had paper charts, could write orders and prescriptions quickly and hand off to be executed by staff. Sitting and talking with patients was a key element of deciphering symptoms, planning care, and determining what workup needed to be pursued. Fast forward to current day practice and we have electronic medical records requiring providers to not only evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients, but also to be the data entry person, the coding person, and make sure all the "boxes" are checked for quality metrics. This evolution has decreased the quantity and quality of time with patients while system demands increase the needs of meeting reimbursement metrics, seeing more patients due to shortage of providers and ultimately resulting in less time focusing on what matters most- patient needs. In addition to the practice paradigm shift, who we care for changed with us modifying our access to only seeing established patients and no longer taking on additional new patients.
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So... why did I begin Thrive2BeWell? Simply put, my passion lies in empowering individuals health to thrive, working with individuals that are motivated in their own wellness, and doing it in an environment that is unrushed. Additionally, with the evolving landscape in healthcare, there is a scarcity of providers in general and certainly limited availability of those providing bioidentical hormone management due to time limitations. Comprehensive hormone management takes time to listen to your concerns, consider all possible sources/etiologies of symptoms and discuss management options and plans. Comprehensive hormone management also involves knowing the difference in when symptoms are hormonal and when symptoms could potentially be an alternative health issue. Years of internal medicine has taught me both and when done well... patients THRIVE, are healthier longer and THAT's why Thrive2BeWell exists.
Wishing You Abundant Health,
Audra McCall, P.A.-C.
