“You manage things; you lead people” – Rear Admiral Grace Hopper
My clinical life began with my role as the medical director at Ready Care. This position opened the door to what was to become a co-ownership role and medical directorship position at Gresham Urgent Care. Years of hard work, excellent patient reviews, and business creativity led to the expansion of two additional clinics – collectively referred to as Urgent Care NW. My interest in integrated medicine inspired me to develop an in-house physical therapy department that also combined chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy. In addition, during that time I also opened the first retail clinic in the Western United States, called Express Medical Care. Though initially planned to be in Costco pharmacies throughout the west, a twist of fate resulted in the creation of a single clinic in a Portland Fred Myers. Despite that, it still caused quite a stir in the medical community!
The success of Urgent Care NW did not go unnoticed. A motivated buyer pursued negotiations for almost 2 years. Ultimately, my partner and I decided it was time to expand our horizons. With a heavy heart, I accepted the deal.
Retirement, however, was not on my agenda. I initially created Portland Urgent Care, which embraces outstanding healthcare combined with top customer service. Portland Urgent Care’s services are intertwined with Portland Wellness Clinic, which I created to provide progressive family practice that emphasizes lifestyle optimization, along with chiropractic, and massage therapy. Our consistent ranking as Portland’s highest rated urgent care by Yelp and Google+ confirms the dedication of our staff to our goal to “be outstanding”.
Just this year, updates of laws that regulate insurance payments opened the door for Telemedicine in Oregon. Telemedicine is a simple visit to the Urgent Care, but through video chat. You don’t have to leave your home to seek the medical treatment you desire. But in this I discovered a problem – traditional Telemedicine is a bit of a guessing game … with your health!! By simply talking with you but not gathering ‘vital’ signs or performing a physical exam, there is only so much that a doctor can “diagnose”. I struggled with the notion that important medical and physical information was being missed. The solution I have created is called MobilMED! I labored for a solid year working and reworking the concept I believe is the best solution to Telemedicine. I built my team of experts. I researched the highest quality of equipment, and I studied the laws to ensure our complete compliance. I wanted my patients to be able to thrive in their health with our innovative and full resource vision. The days of needing to leave the comfort of your home for healthcare are over!
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer someone else up” -Mark Twain
I have been practicing medicine for over 35 years and have known Dr. Hosko for the majority of that time. We worked together at Gresham Urgent Care and even before at the Good Samaritan Immediate Care center. I jumped at the opportunity to join the elite medical staff at MobilMED when my friend Mark offered me the position. Now I couldn’t imagine myself working with any other team. I was born and raised in Portland. Growing up, I loved school and went on to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Reed College, here in Portland, in 1975. I knew that I wanted to stay in Oregon for medical school so when I saw how reputable (and inexpensive!) the University of Oregon was, I decided to apply. I graduated from the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) in 1980 with an MD. Back then it was called the “University of Oregon Health Sciences Center.” Having my MD, I decided that I wanted to explore outside of Oregon for a bit. That brought me to Denver, Colorado for an internship. Unfortunately that year wasn’t a great one for the Sunshine state – the snow yield was dramatically low and the Broncos has a losing record – but I enjoyed my time there anyway. Following that, I was presented with the opportunity to be the Clinical Director for the Indian Health Service working out of Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. During my three years there my daughter was born.
Before returning to Portland I wanted to make sure that I had a least one adventure in a warm climate. That brought me to Long Beach, California where I completed my residency in Internal Medicine at the Veterans Hospital at UC Irving. There I was able to fulfill my Internal Medicine Board requirements and received my certification in 1986. Finally it was time to return home to Portland. Nowadays I love hanging out with my daughter and exploring Portland.
I started working in Portland in Internal Medicine only to switch to Urgent Care medicine. They are very similar. That’s when I started working with Dr. Hosko. I was able to work long days to have more days off to spend with my daughter. I was often the only parent able to chaperone on the field trips and participate in other school events. Today, I am still very much in love with the city of Portland and Urgent Care medicine. I love being the Medical Director at MobilMED!
When MobilMED is closed I’m…
“Happiness is when what you think and what you say and what you do are in harmony-“ -Gandhi
There is such a sense of accomplishment at the end of our busy, sometimes chaotic Urgent Care shifts. They span over hours, full waiting rooms and hurting but gracious patients. We use enthusiastic teamwork to listen, determine and heal those patients. Yet there are those that are missing out. Whether lack of time, transportation or just down right too sick to want to move from the comfort of their homes – they also need our time and attention. I am proud to be a MobilMED Provider. I can, through the aid of my MobilMED Field Assistant see you, virtually and tend to your needs as if we are sitting in the same room. I can reach further and heal broader. I work tirelessly to achieve the mission of our newly launched program, MobilMED.
I graduated at the top of class from both Whitman College and Pacific University where I choose to attend the Physician Assistant Program. I am passionate about nature, my family and my staff. When asked I believe I would be described as loyal and incredibly kind, how blessed am I – Life is an adventure that I choose to embrace often and without reservation. My patient’s make my soul happy and I am in awe of the good that surrounds me daily.
When MobilMED is closed I’m…
As a single mother of a child who spent most of her first years in hospitals and doctors’ offices I am very proud to say I am part of this incredible team at MobilMED. I think about all those times I saw fear in my daughter’s eyes as we walked into a doctor’s office and how wonderful it would have been to have MobilMED at that time to see my daughter in the comfort of our home. I think about all those moms who share the same experiences… I am truly grateful for the advanced technology that MobilMED provides.
Our goal is to create a comfortable visit, to get you back on the road to great health. As the coordinator for MobilMED I’ll most likely be the person you talk to when you call. Never hesitate to call, I pride myself on the wealth of knowledge this new endeavor has offered me. One thing that I really love about my job is the diverse group of people that I have the pleasure of working with.
When MobilMED is closed I…
When MobilMED is closed I’m…I recently graduated from the University of Oregon. I’ve always wanted to work at a new company so I jumped at the opportunity when Dr. Hosko and Mick offered me the job. There was always an assumption growing up that after school came the boring 9-5 job. My job at MobilMED is anything but. Getting up and going to work everyday is something that I look forward to. I love everyone that I work with and I know that we will go on to accomplish so much.
– Henry Ford