Beecroft: Patient care is highest priority

By Dr. C. Jon Beecroft, Maricopa Foot and Ankle

My patients frequently ask how COVID-19 has changed medicine. My answer to patients may not be what they want to hear: I am not sure how things will change exactly but they will be changing.

As I pondered the question of change, I also thought about what is staying the same.

Trusting one’s physician is becoming more and more important given the plethora of misinformation available. It is hard to know where to get trustworthy information regarding health.

At Maricopa Foot and Ankle, we work daily to keep the trust of the community we serve. We work hard to stay up with the newest technology and procedures to improve patients’ health.

As much as we want to get everyone in immediately, it is not always possible. Emergencies, trauma, severe pain and infections will get highest priority. However, we will do our best to help each patient get in as quickly as possible. This can save a lot on money and time. We often hear of patients going to the Emergency Room, only to be told they need to see a specialist. One can bypass the ER and come directly to the specialist. A quick call to the office can often direct the patient to the best path based on their specific ailment.

At Maricopa Foot and Ankle, we understand the importance of communication. We make it easy to contact the physicians and the office. We know that getting the right information and avoiding the runaround is important. We do all we can to help.

In the office, there are several modalities used to diagnose problems. We use X-rays and ultrasound as diagnostic tools. This saves a lot of time as we can take radiographs of the foot and ankle in a matter of minutes. In addition, each physician is highly trained to read and understand the X-rays.
We also have ultrasound visualization. This assists in diagnosing and treating quickly. Again, we read the ultrasound ourselves, which allows a quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Finally, we give every patient the time they need during their appointment. Patients tend to improve when they participate in their treatment plan. We will educate and work together to solve the problem and find a solution. Talking, listening, and understanding together is one of the keys to a good outcome.

As Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are A-changin’.” However, some things do stay the same. Getting patients in quickly, ease of contacting the office or physician, using modern tools to diagnose and communicating together to improve treatment. Patient care is always the highest priority, and we are here for you. That will never change.

520-494-1090
MFAAC.com

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This column appears in the July issue of InMaricopa.