Look good, feel great - Continuum Health Partners

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If you’re sick or in need of a regular checkup and screenings, you normally make an appointment to see your physician. But did you know that a nurse practitioner can also work with you to help you stay healthy? That’s because nurse practitioners have the expertise to examine and treat patients who have acute and chronic medical problems. Just ask Eileen Quinlan, GNP, BC, a geriatric nurse practitioner at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals. Quinlan is a member of University Medical Practice Associates’ location across the street from St. Luke’s Hospital. (UMPA has two additional Upper West Side locations.) “I’m the primary care provider for my patients,” she says. Quinlan cares for patients similar to the way physicians do. What is a nurse practitioner? A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed a master’s 4 wehealny Greta Weinberg program in a particular specialty, like geriatrics, and achieved national certification and state licensure. “A nurse practitioner brings a background in nursing to her patient care and is trained at an advanced level to diagnose and treat common chronic and acute problems,” Quinlan says. Similar to physicians, nurse practitioners are also authorized to prescribe medications to patients. Understanding patients’ needs Older adults have unique health care needs, and Quinlan makes a point of addressing them with her patients. “We focus on disease prevention, promoting healthy activities and maximizing their quality of life,” she says. To that end, she also collaborates with other health care providers such as home health aides and social workers. “It’s crucial to be a team player, since older adults often have many people on their team. That’s one of my strongest suits,” says Quinlan. “I eileen quinlan, GnP, Bc Focusing on YOU Nurse practitioners offer quality medical care keep the entire team working together and with the patient.” Quinlan also draws on her experience as a child of aging adults. “I’ve been there—I understand my patients and their families professionally and personally,” says Quinlan. “I have an appreciation on a personal level of some of their issues.” Strengthening relationships One of the most satisfying things about Quinlan’s job is the one-onone relationship she builds with each patient. “I enjoy the people I care for,” she says. “In geriatrics, you develop a very close bond with patients, since health care is a big focus for them. It’s so rewarding.” Stay healthy! To find a health care provider who can care for you, call 1 (800) 420-2462.
Hospitalists: Inpatient specialists If you or a loved one have been an inpatient at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals lately, you may have noticed the presence of senior-level physicians who coordinate all aspects of your care while you’re in the hospital. They admit you, work with your surgeon if you need surgery, communicate with your primary care physician and quickly coordinate emergency care if needed. These are just some of the responsibilities of someone called a hospitalist. “A hospitalist is a physician whose sole focus is on inpatient care,” says Raj Gurunathan, MD, one of 28 such physicians on staff at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals and director of its hospitalist program. raj Gurunathan, MD Coordinating your care Adult hospitalists are typically internal medicine physicians—like Dr. Gurunathan—or sometimes family practitioners or medical sub-specialists who are based in the hospital. “We’re on-site full-time, allowing us more direct interaction with the patients and their families, more time to supervise and educate medical trainees, and more time to partner with surgeons and other specialists to provide a complete scope of care for patients during their hospital stay,” Dr. Gurunathan says. Traditionally, physicians have had to split their time between making rounds at the hospital and seeing patients in their office. For a busy physician and a sick patient, this schedule isn’t always practical. That’s where hospitalists come in. From admission to discharge, a hospitalist is responsible for developing a treatment plan, which includes consulting with any necessary specialists and social service staff. They help you navigate the hospital services system, answer questions about tests and procedures, arrange for any necessary emergency care and communicate with your primary care physician when you’re discharged to ensure proper follow-up care. (For patients who don’t have a primary care physician, follow-up appointments and referrals can be provided.) “Patients like that they have one point person to go to,” Dr. Gurunathan says. Physicians appreciate having a skilled colleague to care for their hospitalized patients while they’re busy in their offices. Still, some patients are apprehensive about seeing someone other than their regular physician. Their fears are quickly calmed. “We make it pretty clear to patients that we’re not replacing anybody,” Dr. Gurunathan says. “We’re part of the spectrum of care—allies of patients and their primary care doctors—and champions of better hospital care for everyone.” Need a <strong>great</strong> doctor? For help finding a physician, call 1 (800) 420-2462. Fall 2008 5
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Look good, feel great - Continuum Health Partners

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