Doctors

                                      [Dr. Allen]  [Dr. Alexander] [ Dr. Bucchino] [Dr. Louks] [Dr. Khatib] [Dr. Nguyen] [Dr. Phung]

Philosophy        The physicians who have joined together to form Internists Associated come from diverse backgrounds. However, our paths have intersected because we share a single vision of our practice. Our primary goal is quality medical care. Starting from the strong foundations we have received from medical school and residency, we hope to continue to broaden our knowledge and increase our skills in patient care. As primary care physicians, we must not only be versed in our own field but be familiar with indications for referral to sub-specialists and available to guide our patients through the sometimes confusing webs of medical treatment in the 21st century. We spend more time with our patients because we try to be attentive to the needs of each individual patient. We consider it important that every patient be treated with the same consideration, regardless of means, education , illness, or social status. The broad range of patients we see attests to this -- affluent and poor, young and old, health-conscious and non-compliant, people of every gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.. We feel that the greater our patients' understanding of their health, the better we can help them care for it.  Most counseling and instruction is provided one-on-one by physicians during office visits. But teaching goes beyond the formal programs: Every interaction with another physician, nurse, or other professional is an opportunity to exchange information, and this exchange benefits us and our patients. Accessibility is important, and we continually try to find the balance that allows patients to contact us when they feel it is necessary, without compromising our ability to attend the care of other patients. We accept many health plans and can usually continue to see our patients regardless of changes in their health coverage. We enjoy being internists and are interested in the whole patient: physical and mental.
Medications       As internists, much of our medical therapy is through the use of prescription medications. We strive to explain to you the rationale for our prescriptions and how to take them properly. We ask that you follow these directions as well as those of your pharmacist. If you think you are having problems with any medication or if it is ineffective for your condition, please call us. If you are on more than three medications or if you receive additional prescriptions from other doctors, please bring all your medications to your office appointments in their original containers. This helps us to keep track of how you are using the drugs and if there is any potential for adverse drug interactions. Refills are given for appropriate intervals, usually 6-12 months. We ask that you watch the supply so that you do not run out of refills before your next appointment. Do not call us on weekends for refills unless it is an emergency. We do not refill any narcotic prescriptions after office hours.
Periodic Annual Physical Exam       We feel that a periodic physical is appropriate for adults even if they do not have any known medical problems. Our physicals include blood tests such as a complete blood count to screen for anemia and bone marrow disorders, and a comprehensive chemistry panel to check for diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, etc. These are standard tests done by our peers around the country. We also do other tests as may be indicated by sex and age - i.e. pap smears, mammograms and prostate cancer blood screens. Electrocardiograms, cardiac stress tests and sigmoidoscopy are done when appropriate and after examination and discussion with you. Annual exams are done on patients who have a medical condition that requires regular prescription medication. Appropriate blood work is done ahead of time. Several conditions such as diabetes, heart failure and cancer may require more than one visit per year. We rely on in-depth laboratory and x-ray analysis as well as clinical exam and history to make diagnoses and treatment plans. Hospital Care        We hospitalize patients at Ball Memorial Hospital.  We do not see our patients in the hospital.  Rather, you are treated by a physician known as a hospitalist. Who is this hospital-based physician?       The "hospitalist" concept developed on the East & West coasts, driven by the desire for office-based physicians to see more patients in the office. Hence, hospital-based doctors focused their efforts on sick inpatients, freeing the busy office practitioner from running back and forth from office to hospital. Hospital-based physicians also developed expertise in managing and coordinating the care of complex patients, making patients and their primary care doctors happy. Hospitalists have been shown to decrease hospital length of stay and decrease cost of care, while improving patient satisfaction.        A "hospitalist" is typically a physician trained in internal medicine with expertise in managing acutely and/or chronically ill patients with complex medical problems in the hospital. Hospitalists do not routinely care for patients in the office setting; this allows them to devote all of their daily activities to the care of sick hospital patients. Hospitalists often admit patients for other doctors who prefer to concentrate their efforts and expertise to the office setting. Hospitalists also frequently provide consultative care in the hospital for other physicians and surgeons. Hospitalists work with nurses and other care providers in the hospital to try to efficiently and safely improve the patient care process, from admission to discharge. The goal of a hospitalist program is to deliver exceptional, efficient and compassionate medical care to patients, to communicate clearly with patients and their families, and to smoothly transition patients from the hospital back into their daily lives, always in close contact with the patient's primary care physician.  Most hospitalists have no office practice, so that when a patient is discharged from the hospital, the hospital-based doctor returns the care of the patient to the primary care physician. Thus, both at admission and discharge, the hospitalist and the patient's own physician work together to optimally care for the patient. More info on Hospitalists ...