PRIMARY CARE
REIMAGINED
Now, we’re advancing our primary
care approach even further, with the
addition of more convenient ways
to access primary care services from
our physicians and other caregivers,
through telemedicine (or remote) care,
model is focused on team-based care
centered on the needs of the patient –
doing what’s best for the people who
entrust us with their care.”
It’s well documented that primary
care services can help us live longer and
“The primary care model is focused
on team-based care centered on
the needs of the patient – doing
what’s best for the people who
entrust us with their care.”
—Michael Reis, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Central Regional Clinics at
Baylor Scott & White Health
more primary care clinics, and new
Convenient Care Clinic locations for
those times when patients need to see a
provider on a walk-in basis or outside
regular clinic hours for non-emergency
health issues.
The role of primary care
Primary care physicians are the hub
of a complex system of care. “Primary
care is meant to be that first stop, the
first place someone goes when they
need help,” says Michael Reis, MD,
chief medical officer for the Central
Regional Clinics at Baylor Scott
& White Health. Dr. Reis is also
chairman of the Department of Family
Medicine and is an experienced family
medicine doctor. “The primary care
6
THE CATALYST Fall 17 | bswhealth.com
feel better, reducing death rates and
costs associated with chronic diseases,
such as cancer and heart disease. In
many cases these health conditions can
be prevented with the help of primary
and preventive care. Today’s primary
care efforts are increasingly focused
on keeping people well—ensuring
patients get their screenings on time
and supporting lifestyle changes like
weight loss and smoking cessation to
eliminate problems down the road.
“Helping people live healthier is
so important,” says Dr. Reis, “because
there’s so much we can do. Most
chronic conditions are caused or made
worse by things we do to ourselves—
whether we eat well or poorly, whether
we exercise or don’t, whether the
environments we live in are healthy
or not.
“The reality is,” says Dr. Reis,
“primary care physicians evaluate
and provide treatment for about 90
percent of the issues for which our
patients need help. Our job is to know
wh