Communication is essential for a healthy doctor-patient relationship. A skilled physician is an educator; she interprets complex medical concepts and helps her patients apply them to their personal health and wellness goals. In order to know these goals, the physician must know her patients. Private practice should be a place of comfort where the staff and physician know you, not some assembly line with an impossible phone tree and physician extenders who provide most of the care with limited doctor face time.
I had the privilege of starting my private internal medicine practice in 1986 by assuming the 50 year practice of my father-in-law in midtown Manhattan’s west side. We cared for multi-generational families from the neighborhood and gradually expanded to include patients from all the boroughs of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island. By taking my own histories and not relying on nurses or physician’s assistants for vital signs and procedures, I have always placed emphasis on getting to know my patients. My affiliation with MDVIP allows me to continue to devote the time and effort necessary to provide my patients with a personalized, preventive medicine and early detection program. I also offer conveniences, like same- or next-day appointments that start on time, which may be found in concierge medicine practices. As a fellowship trained geriatrician, I have expertise in healthy aging, brain health, coordination of complex care and medication simplification to avoid adverse drug reactions. As an academically trained internist, I have a research background in nutrition and memory. My wellness programs focus on cardiovascular health, diabetes prevention, brain health and early detection of cancers.
