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Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of unusual or serious diseases.
[read more]

Endocrinology

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorder of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones.
[read more]

Lipidology

The physicians of UMA are dedicated to working to prevent the onset and prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiac disease through treatment using proven protocols and aggressive lipid management.
[read more]

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Internal Medicine

 

Internal Medicine is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of unusual or serious diseases.

The major emphasis of Internal Medicine at University Medical Associates is the management of complex medical problems such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiac disease, and cardiovascular risk and lipid management. The physicians are highly skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of these problems as they arise throughout adulthood, particularly problems such as diabetes and hypertension. UMA staff is supported by a fully certified laboratory, radiology department, bone density determinations, and a non-invasive vascular lab. Offering these ancillary services within the medical office is convenient for the patient and allows physicians to obtain results more quickly, monitor more thoroughly, and follow-up more effectively.

The following is excerpted from the American College of Physicians Online:

Doctors of internal medicine focus on adult medicine and have had special study and training focusing on the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. At least three of their seven or more years of medical school and postgraduate training are dedicated to learning how to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases that affect adults. Internists are sometimes referred to as the "doctor's doctor," because they are often called upon to act as consultants to other physicians to help solve puzzling diagnostic problems.

What's an "internist"?

Simply put, internists are Doctors of Internal Medicine...But you may see them referred to by several terms, including "internists," "general internists" and "doctors of internal medicine." But don't mistake them with "interns," who are doctors in their first year of residency training. Although internists may act as primary care physicians, they are not "family physicians," "family practitioners," or "general practitioners," whose training is not solely concentrated on adults and may include surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics.

Caring for the whole patient.

Internists are equipped to deal with whatever problem a patient brings -- no matter how common or rare, or how simple or complex. They are specially trained to solve puzzling diagnostic problems and can handle severe chronic illnesses and situations where several different illnesses may strike at the same time. They also bring to patients an understanding of wellness (disease prevention and the promotion of health), women's health, substance abuse, mental health, as well as effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.

Caring for you for life.

In today's complex medical environment, internists take pride in caring for their patients for life -- in the office or clinic, during hospitalization and intensive care, and in nursing homes. When other medical specialists, such as surgeons or obstetricians, are involved, they coordinate their patient's care and manage difficult medical problems associated with that care.

 

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Endocrinology

 

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorder of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones

Dr. Mary Luella Martin Thompson is a Board Certified Endocrinologist who diagnoses and treats all adult endocrine problems. Dr. Thompson is a well-trained, highly-skilled clinician with extensive experience. She is supported by a fully equipped laboratory facility.

Excerpted from Wikipedia's article on Endocrinology:

The medical specialty of endocrinology involves the diagnostic evaluation of a wide variety of symptoms and variations and the long-term management of disorders of deficiency or excess of one or more hormones.

The diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases are guided by laboratory tests to a greater extent than for most specialties. Many diseases are investigated through excitation/stimulation or inhibition/suppression testing. This might involve injection with a stimulating agent to test the function of an endocrine organ. Blood is then sampled to assess the changes of the relevant hormones or metabolites. An endocrinologist needs extensive knowledge of clinical chemistry and biochemistry to understand the uses and limitations of the investigations.

A second important aspect of the practice of endocrinology is distinguishing human variation from disease. Atypical patterns of physical development and abnormal test results must be assessed as indicative of disease or not. Diagnostic imaging of endocrine organs may reveal incidental findings called incidentalomas, which may or may not represent disease.

Endocrinology involves caring for the person as well as the disease. Most endocrine disorders are chronic diseases that need life-long care. Some of the most common endocrine diseases include diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism and the metabolic syndrome. Care of diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases necessitates understanding the patient at the personal and social level as well as the molecular, and the physician–patient relationship can be an important therapeutic process.

Apart from treating patients, many endocrinologists are involved in clinical science and medical research, teaching, and hospital management.

 

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Lipidology and Cardiovascular Risk Management

 

Healthy lipid levels are essential to good heart health. We encourage you to learn all your cholesterol levels and work with a healthcare provider to make sure all your numbers are where they needs to be.

The physicians of UMA are dedicated to working to prevent the onset and prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiac disease through treatment using proven protocols and aggressive lipid management. UMA has a certified lipidologist, Dr. Chris McElroy. UMA offers advanced lipid testing with counseling and lipid management. In addition, they use the latest non-invasive vascular techniques to monitor atherosclerosis and cardiovascular problems.

Excerpted from the National Lipid Association website:

Why are healthy lipid levels important?

Unhealthy lipid levels can increase your risk of heart disease, the number one cause of death for American men and women. In fact, diseases of the heart alone cause more than 30 percent of all deaths in the U.S., many more than all cancers combined. The most dangerous of the heart diseases is atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries." It's a buildup of the waxy deposits from cholesterol, called plaque, that can narrow your arteries and prevent oxygen from getting to your heart. This can lead to stroke, heart attack, and even death.

 

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