Ashtabula County Medical Center | ACMC Pulse | Winter 2019

ACMC Pulse  • acmchealth.org 7 Chronic pain ADULTS WHO FACE MULTIPLE ILLNESSES or chronic health problems may want an internal medicine specialist as their primary care physician. Internal medicine specialists are trained in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in adults. “A patient may come in with a specific symptom and wants it diagnosed and treated,” said Ashtabula County Medical Center Internal Medicine Specialist Ravi Chimalakonda, MD. “However, we have to look beyond just the symptom to the root cause of the problem. For example, a patient may have high blood pressure, but is that caused by stress, obesity, heart problems, kidney problems or something else? We can treat the immediate symptom, but we also need to find out what is causing it and address that health issue too.” Internal medicine physicians are uniquely suited for diagnosing and treating chronic health problems in adults because their medical training includes endocrinology, rheumatology, neurology, infectious diseases and more. However, this doesn’t mean an internal medicine specialist is the only physician you need to see. “I will refer patients to other specialists based on their illness or injury,” Dr. Chimalakonda said. “Our goal is to get the best information possible so we can make wise decisions for each patient’s unique health circumstances.” Coordinating care Working with other specialists, internal medicine physicians become the coordinator for patient care, working with the patient. Having a provider that sees the whole health spectrum of a patient also gives them peace of mind when it comes to medication prescribed by several physicians. “Patients will ask how changes in medication will affect them or if they should worry about interactions between medications,” said Dr. Chimalakonda. “We can discuss all of that and review dosage instructions and how medicine may affect other areas of their lives.” Since internal medicine specialists take a comprehensive view of their patients’ healthcare, they are also ideally suited for any health problem a Internal med cine Seeing the bigger picture patient brings—common or rare, simple or complex. Patients do not need to wait for a serious illness or injury to see an internal medicine specialist. “I encourage patients to schedule annual exams and wellness checks,” Dr. Chimalakonda said. “I am a passionate believer in preventative care. The first step in both preventative and primary care is communication and a strong doctor- patient relationship.” WHOLE-PERSON HEALTHCARE To schedule an appointment with ACMC Internal Medicine Specialist Ravi Chimalakonda, MD, call 440-997-6969 . Internal medicine specialists focus on the whole person, not just the symptom