Tired?… Not getting any younger, that’s for sure.

No vacation in a long time?… Nowhere to go anyway.

But times are a-changing!

As the conversation is starting to include the Pandemic’s end, I would like to give you an update on how we are re-emerging. The key words are growth and reorganization. Most of you know that Jessica, our trusty, reliable and caring NP of over 5 years now, moved to eastern Mass last year but has stayed on in her role remotely. I knew we needed a provider to replace her presence at the office, even though she has been able to continue to provide care and do so many important things remotely.

I knew it would be difficult to find the right person. So…. I hired two!

I am excited to announce that a NP will be joining the practice this year.

Trish McPhee, NP (photo to follow as her start date approaches) will join us later this year in the beginning of August. She is moving (home) from California where she has been a nurse for 28 years, the last 16 of which she has been an NP. She has worked in Primary Care, in Emergency Room care, in Palliative care, and as an educator for nurses as well as through workshops in Anthroposophic Medicine for families in her area and beyond. She is a caring and experienced provider who has talents and perspective that will make an amazing addition to our team.

Whew! What a change!

Well, there’s more.

In an effort to support the vision of the practice we are collaborating with an NP with experience in Functional medicine. Her name is Bryna Greenspan, NP. What’s Functional medicine, you say?

This is an approach in medicine that tries to get to the root of illness by breaking down the silos of disease categorization.  She has worked with the entire gamut of gut health, tick borne illness, allergy, hypertension, lipid health, immune issues, thyroid, hormone replacement, allergy, etc… She also has advanced degrees in nutrition and exercise physiology.

And since we mentioned it… the vision of the practice has always had its three main components:

1. We provide a patient-centered medical home for all of your health needs. The model places priority on the patient-provider relationship and cultivates that by offering extra communication channels and non-rushed visits.
2. The practice’s foundation is built on the study of and respect for the standard medical approach. It’s our starting point and foundation. Unlike a standard practice we go further to extend our offerings with different viewpoints. We pride ourselves in incorporating creative, simple, and safe complementary, alternative options when able.
3. Our passion is the holistic approach to medicine. I consider this different from the extended options mentioned above. We seek the approach that will serve the whole being of the people under our care. We seek how to honor and integrate all phases of health and illness, and we seek the universal tenants of medicine that have withstood and will withstand the ages. (hint: fear and negativity on the side, please; center stage- devotion to an earth of free thinking individuals with abundance of selfless love for each other- that’s good medicine).

We know we are working well when you feel heard and seen and our providers earn your trust. We are committed to serving this model of healthcare and will advocate for it in the world any way we can. 

Jessica’s future role with the practice will continue to evolve from her remote position. In the immediate future she will continue to provide support for the practice and the new providers as they get established. Let us know if you have any questions about how the practice’s changes will affect you.

The time to prepare for the future is now. We anticipate some exciting ways in which the practice will evolve over the next years, while at the same time are committed to the same highest quality primary care services that you have come to expect.

And while we have you, how about a COVID review? (good news)……

COVID new case incidence

• National 7 day average of new cases is now at 35K, a drop of nearly 25%. Its the lowest since total September.
• Berkshire County saw a continued drop to only 70 cases over the last seven days, another big drop from last week. There were less than 400 cases yesterday in the entire state.