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Getting personal with Dr. Prickett

Restoring the days when your doctor really knew you

Over the past few decades, we’ve lost something fundamental in medical practice in the US. In most clinical medicine, the entire patient care process has lost the “care” portion almost entirely, and we have devolved from patients to numbers. It’s not that there are no longer caring doctors; but the whole insurance-dependent, corporate-driven system makes it near-impossible for doctors to deliver the kind of care we need, and – dare I say – that we’ve forgotten we deserve. Patients enter crowded waiting rooms and, when they finally get to see the doctor, we often get less than 15 minutes of one-on-one time. Not to mention waiting weeks or months for an appointment, and not being able to make same-day appointments when we’re sick.

Well, with concierge doctors like Dr. Caitlin Prickett, that’s all changing. Dr. Prickett became a physician because she is passionate about helping people live heathier, more fulfilling lives. As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine specializing in Internal Medicine, she focuses on whole-body health. And, after completing her residency at a level one trauma and regional stroke center, she has developed the skills not only as an experienced diagnostician, but also as a physician who can stay calm in emergencies and deliver personalized, effective care to her patients. We sat down with Dr. Prickett to get an inside look at concierge medicine and how it differs from the traditional medical model.

What was the “Aha moment “for you, in choosing the concierge model over traditional practice?

My previous experience comes from a large medical group where I was one of hundreds of physicians. I was told how many patients to see and how much time I got with patients. I really had no independence or autonomy in the way I practiced. I was seeing over 20 patients a day, with only seven minutes with each patient. I've always been interested in concierge because you really get to have that personal relationship with your patients. You really get to know who they are as people, what their lifestyle is, their background and family history, and what's worked for them in the past.

What are the main benefits of seeing a concierge doctor?

 

My patients can get in touch with me whenever they want. If there's ever any issue, they can always pick up the phone and call, text or email me. This really helps patients who may have gotten inadequate care in the past or feel like they need more detailed care.

Patients are guaranteed same-day appointments in the office. We know you on a first-name basis; you're not just a name on a list. If a patient calls with a concern or question, I know what medication they’re on, what to expect and how to handle it.

We have an in-house pharmacy, carrying common prescription medication at a wholesale price, which reduces the need for an extra stop after leaving our office.

We offer a high-quality personalized approach to health and wellness. For instance, if a patient is struggling with their diet, I will go shopping with them. I'll have them do a food diary and we sit down and review it together, and then I’ll offer recommendations. I also incorporate supplements and other natural approaches. I have therapists, health coaches, nutritionists, and mind coaches who I work with closely.

Another huge benefit of our concierge membership is the proactive focus on wellness and prevention. Patients are not just signing up for concierge care and only using it when they need it. I encourage patients to go ahead and start developing that relationship with me to determine what we can start improving on now. It’s vital to be proactive so we can detect things early and prevent problems from occurring in the first place. I recommend, at a minimum, that we touch base with each other every three months.

 

Was there any other change that your patients remark upon?

Besides 24/7 access, it’s the amount of time we spend together. We get started right away when patients join. They sign medical record release authorization forms so we can gather records from current and previous physicians. I then spend about a week reviewing those, and then I have the patient come in for an hour and a half, and we sit down to complete the established care and history review appointment.

My experience working in an intense hospital environment also enables me to handle a wide variety of emergent issues myself, rather than sending someone to the ER, as a matter of course. I do everything I can to manage care: I can run blood, do the EKGs, take vital signs, and thoroughly evaluate patients without having to send them to the ER where they're going to sit for hours.

What should patients be aware of when switching to concierge medicine?

Many patients who are new to concierge don't really believe that they can contact me 24/7, but they can! We’re really going back to the way medicine was 70 years ago when physicians spent time with patients, made house calls and they really got to know you. I also offer house calls to my concierge members for an additional charge.

Our average appointment time is 1 hour, so we really have time to discuss any current and ongoing issues regarding their health.  We also do a thorough review of the patient’s family history, as knowing what you are predisposed to or at risk of developing in the future is extremely important.  Knowing this information allows us to take action now regarding your health, as opposed to waiting for the disease to develop.

There's also no crowded waiting room with a bunch of people waiting to be seen. Our office doesn't feel clinical. There is friendly staff, contemporary furniture, nice music and Pellegrinos in the fridge!

There’s no sign-in sheet. We know who you are on a first-name basis. With my previous practice, I was a primary care physician for 3,500 people. Now, in my concierge practice, the panel is in the hundreds. You can't get to know 3,500 people, but you can know a few hundred.

I also have a good network of specialists that I trust and that works with me, even concierge specialists, like cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons.  It makes a difference when a physician calls and tries to get a patient scheduled for an appointment as opposed to the patient calling themselves. And often I will speak with the specialist personally just to give that specialist all the pertinent information about that patient to prep them, so they know precisely what to focus on.

What are your top 5 tips for wellness in 2023?

  1. Eat unprocessed and organic foods when you can. There are a lot of chemicals and additives in our foods, which lead to diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. So, when you go to the grocery store, make sure you're looking at the labels. Make sure that what you're eating is high quality and doesn't have any additional things that shouldn't be in there.
  1. Limit the inflammatory oils like canola or vegetable oil. Inflammation is one of the main causes of disease. People who switch to less inflammatory oils like olive oil or avocado oil have much less inflammation in their body.  Chronic inflammatory disorders, like arthritis, atherosclerosis and autoimmune disease, are on the rise; diet is thought to be a large contributor.
  1. Manage your stress. Stress plays a large role in our body and in our health. Every research study that's done on cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, shows that stress exacerbates those conditions. Managing stress can be as simple as taking 30 minutes to yourself. You can do some meditation, mindfulness or reading a leisure book. And just breathe! Put your phone down, quit scrolling, and just be. It makes such a difference.
  1. Get adequate, high-quality sleep. Sleep is often overlooked. but it's just as important as exercise because it’s our body's restoration time. And so many of us have bad sleep hygiene. Make sure that you're not sabotaging your sleep by watching TV or playing on the phone in bed. I use a device called Whoop that tracks the quality and quantity of my sleep.  It helps to keep me accountable and provides knowledge I can pass on to patients.
  1. Avoid being sedentary. Being sedentary is definitely going to have a negative effect on your health. Make sure that you're getting up and walking around throughout the day, if you have an office job. Or set aside time to exercise. Avoid sitting on the couch for three hours at a time. When you do that, your lymphatic system slows down. And the only way to really improve your lymphatic system and to flush out those toxins is to move. So, try not to binge-watch TV. It increases your risk for developing heart attacks and strokes.

One thing to keep in mind: don't try to make too many changes at once. Don't overwhelm yourself. Start by changing one thing. Get an extra hour of sleep or start working out three times a week.  Focus on making small changes that are sustainable over time.

Who are the biggest inspirations in your life?

My significant other, Jeffery, has been my business partner and advocate.  I've learned so much and look up to him because of his business savviness and his skill in entrepreneurship. That's one thing we don't learn in med school: how to run a business.  I’m lucky to have him by my side.

Growing up, my parents instilled a good work ethic in me and encouraged me to set and achieve my goals.  Having a solid foundation in perseverance and motivation has helped me throughout my career as a physician.

Besides medicine, what are you passionate about?

I'm passionate about healthy life in general. Jeffery, and I have five-year-old twins, and we really do practice what we preach. We mostly cook our meals at home, we try to stay active, and we try to instill these healthy life habits in our children.

I recently joined the Junior League of Boca Raton, which has provided an opportunity for me to really get involved and give back to the community. It gives me a chance to help underserved people and really make Boca Raton a better place for all of us.

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