Internal Medicine & Primary Care Services
Our Internal Medicine practice provides comprehensive primary and preventive healthcare for adults, with select services available for younger patients when appropriate. From routine wellness visits and preventive screenings to cardiovascular testing and chronic disease management, our goal is to provide convenient, personalized medical care focused on prevention, early detection, and long-term health.
Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) Testing
An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a quick, painless, non-invasive test used to evaluate the electrical activity and rhythm of your heart. EKG testing can help your physician identify abnormal heart rhythms and other findings that may require further evaluation.
Your doctor may recommend an EKG if you experience:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Heart palpitations
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Unexplained fainting
- Other symptoms concerning for heart disease
EKG testing may also be performed as part of the evaluation and monitoring of patients with cardiovascular risk factors or known heart conditions.
Holter Cardiac Monitoring
A Holter monitor is a portable device that continuously records your heart’s electrical activity while you perform your normal daily activities. Unlike a standard EKG, which records your heart rhythm for a short period, Holter monitoring provides information over a longer period of time.
Holter cardiac monitoring can be helpful when symptoms occur intermittently and may not be detected during an office EKG.
Your physician may recommend Holter monitoring for symptoms such as:
- Intermittent heart palpitations
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fainting or near-fainting episodes
- Unexplained episodes of weakness
The information collected can help your physician determine whether an abnormal heart rhythm may be contributing to your symptoms.
Influenza (Flu) Vaccinations
Getting an annual influenza vaccination is an important part of preventive healthcare. The flu vaccine can reduce your risk of influenza and help protect against potentially serious flu-related complications.
Annual flu vaccination is particularly important for older adults and individuals with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or lung disease.
Our office offers seasonal influenza vaccinations as part of our preventive and primary care services.
Memory & Cognitive Screening
Changes in memory and thinking can occur for many reasons. Memory and cognitive screening provides a brief assessment of memory, concentration, attention, language, and other thinking abilities.
Your physician may recommend cognitive screening if you or a family member has noticed:
- Increasing forgetfulness
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Changes in judgment or decision-making
- Other noticeable changes in memory or thinking
Early evaluation can help identify possible cognitive impairment as well as medical conditions, medications, or other factors that may contribute to cognitive changes. Additional testing or specialist evaluation may be recommended when appropriate.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Pulmonary function testing (PFT) evaluates how well your lungs are working by measuring airflow and breathing capacity. These non-invasive breathing tests can provide valuable information when evaluating respiratory symptoms and certain chronic lung conditions.
Pulmonary function testing may be recommended for:
- Shortness of breath
- Chronic cough
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Suspected asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Monitoring of previously diagnosed respiratory conditions
Testing can help your physician evaluate lung function, guide treatment, and monitor your response to therapy.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Evaluation & Screening
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a circulatory condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the extremities, most commonly the legs.
Symptoms may include:
- Leg pain or cramping while walking
- Leg weakness or fatigue
- Numbness or tingling
- Cold feet or lower legs
- Changes in skin color
- Foot or leg wounds that are slow to heal
PAD is more common among individuals with risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking history, and cardiovascular disease.
When clinically appropriate, evaluation for PAD can help identify circulation problems and allow your physician to recommend treatment and strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk.
School & Student Physicals
Our office provides school physical examinations to help determine whether students are medically prepared to participate in school and related activities.
A school physical may include:
- Review of medical history
- Review of medications
- Physical examination
- Review of immunization history
- Age-appropriate health assessment
- Completion of required school health forms
Vaccinations, additional testing, or follow-up evaluation may be recommended when medically appropriate or required by the school.
Medical Weight Loss & Weight Management
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly improve overall health and reduce the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and other obesity-related health problems.
Our medical weight-loss program provides individualized, physician-supervised weight-management care based on your medical history, current health, and personal goals.
Treatment may include:
- Medical evaluation
- Nutrition and lifestyle counseling
- Exercise recommendations
- Identification of medical factors contributing to weight gain
- Regular weight and health monitoring
- Prescription weight-loss medications when medically appropriate
- Ongoing support to help maintain progress
Our goal is not simply short-term weight loss, but helping patients achieve sustainable improvements in weight and overall health.
Annual Wellness Exams & Preventive Care
Regular annual wellness exams are an important part of preventive healthcare. These visits allow you and your healthcare provider to review your overall health, identify potential health risks, and create an individualized plan for maintaining your health and preventing disease.
Depending on your age, medical history, and individual needs, your wellness evaluation may include:
- Medical and family history review
- Medication review
- Blood pressure and weight assessment
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Diabetes and cholesterol risk assessment
- Cardiovascular risk evaluation
- Review of recommended cancer screenings
- Immunization review
- Depression screening
- Memory and cognitive assessment when appropriate
- Fall-risk assessment when appropriate
- Nutrition, exercise, and weight-management counseling
- Tobacco and alcohol-use assessment
- Personalized preventive health recommendations
Medicare Annual Wellness Visits
For eligible Medicare patients, the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) focuses on preventive healthcare and the development or updating of a personalized prevention plan.
Your Medicare wellness visit may include a health-risk assessment and review of your medical history, medications, functional abilities, safety concerns, cognitive health, and recommended preventive services.
A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is different from a traditional comprehensive physical examination. Evaluation and treatment of new or existing medical problems may be provided separately when medically necessary and may be subject to your insurance plan’s applicable copayments or deductibles.
Regular preventive care can help identify health concerns early and ensure that you remain current with recommended health screenings, vaccinations, and other preventive services.
Carotid Doppler Ultrasound
A carotid Doppler ultrasound, also called a carotid ultrasound, is a painless, non-invasive imaging test that uses sound waves to evaluate blood flow through the carotid arteries on each side of your neck. These arteries provide blood to your brain.
Carotid ultrasound can help detect narrowing or blockage of the carotid arteries caused by plaque buildup in appropriately selected patients. Significant narrowing of these arteries can increase the risk of stroke.
Your physician may recommend carotid Doppler ultrasound based on symptoms, physical examination findings, known vascular disease, or other clinical considerations.
Because carotid ultrasound uses sound waves rather than radiation, the examination is non-invasive and generally well tolerated. Results can help your physician determine whether additional evaluation, medical treatment, lifestyle changes, or specialist referral may be appropriate.
Comprehensive Internal Medicine & Preventive Healthcare
Our goal is to provide high-quality, personalized medical care throughout every stage of adulthood. By combining preventive care, diagnostic testing, chronic disease management, and individualized treatment, we help our patients take an active role in protecting and improving their health.
Schedule an appointment today for an annual wellness exam, preventive health evaluation, diagnostic testing, or other Internal Medicine services.
“If you have any questions, or require more information or wish to make an appointment, please contact our office and we will be happy to assist you. 318-322-0100”