Family and Internal Medicine In Ocala FL

“Primary care physicians fall into [one of two categories]: family medicine doctors and internal medicine doctors,” explains Saju Mathew, M.D., a primary care physician at Piedmont Physicians Group. “We’re all primary care physicians, but the biggest difference is internal medicine doctors are like adult pediatricians.”

Here is a breakdown of which doctor sees which type of patient:

A pediatrician cares for children.

An internal medicine physician cares for adults.

A family practitioner is a pediatrician and internist combined into one specialty, and cares for both children and adults.

“A family physician like myself, we see adults and kids, plus we do a lot of women’s health,” says Dr. Mathew. “A lot of family physicians see the entire family and you kind of grow with the whole family.”

Regardless of your age, it’s important to your health that you develop a relationship with a physician.

“A lot of times when patients pick a doctor, they may pick an internist because they haven’t had a family physician growing up,” he says.

Dr. Mathew reminds us that family practitioners can take care of individual adult health needs regardless of family status. 

So, as an adult, you have two good options.

“If you want a good adult primary care physician, you can see a family physician who is trained to take care of adults or you can see an internal medicine physician, who also takes care of adults.”

Board Certified Primary Care providers are trained to care for you through all stages of life. Focused on building an on-going relationship, they help you stay well, treat you when you are sick and educate you on prevention and wellness to keep you and your family healthy.

 

Specially trained on preventative medicine, we believe preventing a health problem is better than having to overcome one. Our primary care providers specialize in family care and internal medicine providing complete and comprehensive treatment for all your loved ones, regardless of age or gender.

 

Urgent Care

 

We provide high-quality medical services to individuals with conditions that require immediate attention but are not life threatening, thus eliminating costly and unnecessary trips to the emergency room.

Ocala Family Medical Center

2230 SW 19th Avenue Road

Ocala, FL 34471

 

Phone: 352-237-4133

Fax:      352-873-4581

E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com

 

Carlos F. Rodriguez, MD

Robert G. Panzer, DO

Mark Monical, DO

Robert Allen Williams, MD

Salesia Alvarado, MD

Adam Alpers, DO, LHRM

Douglas Rogers, DO

Brian Pecoraro, DO

Todd R. Panzer, ARNP-C

Anne E. Moyer, PA-C

Linda Bellows, ARNP-C

Karen Larsen, ARNP-C

Lindsay Falk, ARNP-C

Brittani Losapio, ARNP-C

Holiday Health Care

Once again the holiday season is upon us and it is entirely possible that sometimes we might feel that the spirit of giving is taking too much out of us. Despite its reputation as “the most wonderful time of the year,” the holiday season can have a serious effect on one’s health. For example, the stress of family visits can bring out anyone’s inner Grinch. Many of us become overwhelmed in trying to create the perfect holiday by doing everything for everyone. And, for some people, the pressure to be “jolly” and outgoing at an endless string of holiday parties can make them an anxious mess.

Each year, millions of Americans set themselves up for anxiety during the holidays. The biggest culprit? Trying to do everything for everybody. "Everybody goes into warp-drive starting after Thanksgiving," says Deborah Pearson, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School. "We stretch ourselves too thin with unrealistically high expectations of what we think the holidays ought to be like."

“During this season we idealize our experience — we imagine just how wonderful things should be," says Dr. Ann Saunders, a psychiatrist and associate professor with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School. "It should be beautiful, loving, with everyone getting along. But real life isn't always that fantastic. If your expectations are far too high, it can create a stressful situation."

This year (before you move without leaving a forwarding address) take a deep breath. The holidays don't last forever. You can survive them. What if there was a solution to stress so simple that it involved nothing more than feeling thankful for the good things in your life? In fact, there is. That solution is called gratitude.

Studies have shown that people who regularly practice feeling thankful have a leg up when it comes to their health. Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California at Davis, has been a leading researcher in this growing field, termed “positive psychology.” His research has found that those who adopt an “attitude of gratitude” as a permanent state of mind experience many health benefits.

Your attitude plays a large role in determining whether you can feel grateful in spite of life’s challenges. According to Emmons, gratitude is defined by your attitude towards both the outside world and yourself. He suggests that those who are more aware of the positives in their lives tend to focus their attention outside of themselves.

At Ocala Family Medical Center we seek to educate as well as treat and heal. We are a state-of-the-art medical center offering multi-specialty services with an emphasis on primary care. Our comprehensive approach to health care allows our patient to receive the majority of their medical needs within our modern facility. We welcome you and your loved ones to join our family and make OFMC your medical home. http://www.ocalafamilymedicalcenter.com/index.asp

New Year, New You

It is the beginning of the new year and for many this is always a time of change. This is when many of us decide to stop some of our old habits that are not good for us and take up some ways of living that are more beneficial to our lifestyle. 

One good way to start is to give more and take less. This applies to many areas of life, not just money and food. It is about a giving and more flexible attitude than we may have exhibited in years past. "Give away 1% more of your income than you did last year; volunteer at a food bank in the middle of summer; go out of your way for someone who seemingly has nothing to offer you," says Kathy LeMay, founder, president, and CEO of Raising Change, a fundraising organization working for social change. "When you unleash your generosity potential, your life will be the better for it." If you are the type of person who thinks in terms of "My way or the highway" perhaps it is time to adopt a more relaxed attitude about life and be more open to compromise. 

Money is important and no one can deny that. But how you deal with your finances can greatly affect the way you live from day to day. Perhaps your purchasing and money management skills could bear reexamining. Live below your means. If you do it consistently, you're automatically saving consistently. Aim to save at least 10% of what you earn after taxes—15% if you're over 35 and haven't started yet. Look at the quality of the things you buy. Does the name sell you on buying the product more than the actual use you get from it? The feeling that you are handling your money wisely can go a long way toward a more positive self image. 

Good things accumulate, bad things pile up. Maybe this is the time to reduce the clutter in your living and even storage space. This is another way to decrease your stress level (and boost your mood). "Living in the midst of clutter saps your energy," says Thom Lobe, MD, owner of Rejuveneda Medical Group in Beverly Hills, California. "Clean up your mess, and it will open up your life for more positive energy." Clearing your living space is an excellent way to start clearing your mind.

Keep in touch...until it is time to lose touch. We find ourselves plugged in 24/7 through computers, cells, social media and the like. Technology has become our constant companion. A growing body of research finds that media overload can increase your risk for depression, social anxiety, job burnout, and even allergies. The solution? "Spend an hour, 10 hours, or a full day without your cell phone, Blackberry, computer, or games," urges Ashley Koff, RD, a registered dietitian in Los Angeles. Perhaps unplugging for a day should be the next topic of your Facebook status.

As goes the mind, so goes the body. A positive mental outlook is impossible to maintain on a consistent level if we are dissatisfied with our body image. This is why weight loss and body building are the top new year's resolutions for many of us. But our dreams of what we hope to achieve must be tempered with a healthy dose of reality. Set realistic goals for yourself in terms of diet and exercise and remember that if you have a setback it is not a reason to abandon your course of action. A lapse is not a relapse unless you make it so.

At http://ocalafamilymedicalcenter.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-year-new-you.html we're your partner in health...and we're here for all your medical needs .