Time flies and it’s been 10 years since my team and I moved into our current suite 863. We are likely to sign a new 10-year contract, and our Providence landlords welcome us to renovate and enhance this space or to build out additional space. It’s an opportune time to reflect and consider the ways our office and staff can continue to serve your needs in primary care. It is also a time to look forward to new growth and new ways to provide even better service.
With that in mind, I am thrilled to announce Julia Jones, CNP (certified nurse practitioner) will be joining my team this September. After completing her advanced training as a nurse practitioner at Case Western Reserve, Julia spent the last 5 years at one of the finest hospitals in the county, Cleveland Clinic. There, she practiced as part of a multi-disciplinary team delivering palliative care to complex older adult patients. Julia will be contributing to and enhancing Dr. Biemer's care for both healthy and chronically ill adults, and will significantly improve access to health care coverage should Dr. Biemer be away. Julia’s husband Brandon has just completed his fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic, the most highly regarded cardiology training site in the country, and will be joining the Providence Heart Group at St. Vincent. Julia is returning to her roots in the Pacific N.W. Please welcome Julia home when you see her this Fall.
In addition to a growing team, I am also working to expand my own areas of study and expertise to best serve my patients. As you know we have a weight loss clinic which Kazumi has run for nearly three years with many impressive success stories. We will continue to see new clients for weight loss and will advance our focus on MAINTENANCE of weight loss as we learn more about this vital area of medicine.
I’ve also gradually become more comfortable with the concepts of FUNCTIONAL medicine and PALLIATIVE CARE medicine. In the past, medical providers focused mainly on episodes of illness and caring for chronic illnesses. Certainly I will continue to do this, as the business of internal medicine is diagnosis, treatment (in collaboration with a host of specialists), and when possible cure or control of acute and chronic disease. FUNCTIONAL medicine is a newer specialty that focuses on treatments that optimize the functioning of the body and its organs, using our evolving understanding of the interactions of genetics and the environment, diet and behaviors on optimal function. The Cleveland Clinic has one of the best examples of a Functional Medicine clinic, if you're interested in more information click HERE.
PALLIATIVE CARE is a multidisciplinary approach to specialized care for people with life-limiting (in terms of level of function or duration) illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, physical and mental stress of a terminal diagnosis or often-advanced age. In addition it focuses on relationships - between patient and caregivers, and between the patient and their loved ones to look deeply to what is most important in one’s remaining time. Both of these fields of course blend well with a focus on prevention and wellness, which I’ve always kept in the forefront.
Lastly, this Fall I will be attending a course at OHSU in GLOBAL HEALTH. This multi-day course is intended to review the wide range of illnesses and tropical diseases that medical providers would see while abroad, often in medical mission type settings where there is urgent need. I’ve been interested in this course for 4-5 years but have only now been able to attend. In addition to providing me with the skills to occasionally go on a medical mission, I intend to use the information in the course to improve my ability to assist YOU, my patients with all of your travel needs.
Please feel free to get back to me with feedback and suggestions for the office as we look into the next 10 years. The practice of medicine continues to be highly satisfying, challenging and engaging and I have no plans to slow down, at least over the next decade. More changes to come!
Enjoy Oregon’s gorgeous summer.
With gratitude,
Jim Biemer
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