ISSUE 142
PG 25
INSPIRE, ELEVATE, UPLIFT:
An Interview with Dr. Alyx Porter Umphrey, MD
PG 31
GIVING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD: A Life of Service with Dr. Gregory Umphrey
“Our goal is to help elevate medicine to an ideal where the physician workforce racially and ethnically represents the community it serves.” - DR. GREGORY UMPHREY
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Leading a healthy, well-balanced life is a challenging undertaking for many of us. New advancements in lifestyle or nutrition come to life daily, and the busy rhythm of our lives often prevents us from keeping up with what’s fun and fresh. Here at Top Doctor Magazine, we are on a mission to bring these advancements to your attention and become a source of inspiration for those who want to live their lives to the fullest. Our contributors will constantly keep you up to speed with fresh, entertaining, and reliable content, from nutrition and travel to lifestyle choices! We hope that our handpicked ideas will guide you towards selfrealization, self-improvement, and willingness to help those around you better themselves.
CONT 09 14 19 25 How Focus Helps You Cope with Stress
Caring for the Caretakers of the World: An Interview with Dr. Mona Orady
The Olfactory System Is Our Body’s Natural Warning System
Inspire, Elevate, Uplift: An Interview with Dr. Alyx Porter Umphrey, MD
ENTS 31 37 41 Giving Back and Moving Forward: A Life of Service with Dr. Gregory Umphrey
Why Telehealth Is So Cost-Effective
The Dreams Chair: Taking the Fear out of Pediatric Dentistry with Dr. Sónia Santos
how
FOCUS HELPS YOU COPE WITH
STRESS WORDS BY ADAM RAUHAUSER
A
s you scramble to get yourself ready for the workday, a good, refreshing cup of hot coffee is all you need to hit
the ground running. Your plans are foiled,
however, when you discover the coffee
maker is broken. This situation distracts you from the cold weather, and when you finally leave the house to start your commute, you have failed to leave time to defrost your car. After waiting 10 minutes for the ice to melt off your windshield, you leave late for work. Your stress intensifies, and by the time you get to your challenging, highstress work
environment,
you find it difficult to focus on the task at hand. Although you may be tempted to explain your inability to concentrate due to workplace distractions or the scarcity of time, stress can also interfere with your ability to focus. This loss of focus can, in turn, create more stress about your inability to get work done. Experts agree that the best way to fight this vicious cycle is to change the things your mind is focusing on, either through various “focus-shifting techniques” or mindfulness exercises like meditation. By interrupting the body’s fight-or-flight feedback loop, temporarily occupying your mind with something other than the source of your stress can increase productivity and significantly reduce anxiety.
9
“Paying attention to the physical warning signs of stress is the first step towards cultivating healthy mindfulness.”
10
series of natural, physical responses to tense moments initiated by the brain’s emotional center, the amygdala. The amygdala contacts the brain’s command center, the hypothalamus, which preps the entire nervous system to make split-second decisions by flooding it with cortisol and adrenaline. These chemicals inhibit essential cognitive functions, like memory. Longterm cortisol exposure damages the brain and may cause Alzheimer’s. As Clinical Psychologist Stephen Fabrick summarizes it, clear thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills have to suffer when we’re under a great deal of stress. Therefore, paying attention to the physical warning signs of stress is the first step towards cultivating healthy mindfulness.
SHIFTING FOCUS Since long-term stress is bad for your physical and mental health, developing healthy coping mechanisms is essential. One means of dealing with stress is the technique of “focus-shifting,” or disengaging from the source of your stress for a while by focusing on something else. There are several fruitful approaches to focus-shifting, the easiest of which is to distract your brain by undertaking a simple, rewarding activity not requiring a lot of complicated thinking. You could, for example, watch a video from your favorite YouTuber or declutter your room. Alternatively, if you prefer stimulation to distraction, you can also practice focus-shifting in response to stress by directing your brain to something
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF STRESS Although stress begins in the brain, people experience anxiety and other stress-related mental health problems in their bodies as well. We are all familiar with the rapid heartbeat, tense muscles and rush of adrenaline accompanying certain anxious moments. But did you know these aren’t the only symptoms of stress overload? If you find your mind shifting from topic to topic every few seconds, or if you realize you are inexplicably restless, you may be experiencing stress-related anxiety. But why does your body feel these symptoms of stress? The answer lies with the fight-or-flight response, a
challenging but of minor importance, such as a book or a puzzle game. To maximize the effectiveness of your focus-shifting tactics, try balancing your focus-shifting periods with longer,
productivity-oriented
work
periods.
This
technique, known as the Pomodoro method, involves making deals with yourself. You could, for example, decide that for every 25 minutes of focused work, you will reward yourself with a 5 minute break. The length of your breaks and work periods is up to you, but experts agree you should limit your focus-shifting periods to 20 minutes. Longer periods of focus-shifting often result in distraction, derailing the necessary problem-solving activities that initially caused you stress.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 11
MINDFULNESS Another approach to mitigating stress is called mindfulness. Originally a Buddhist concept, mindfulness can be thought of as the opposite of multitasking. It is the discipline of focusing on the events of the present moment and accepting these events without passing judgment on them. Though it may sound more spiritual
“If you find that symptoms of high stress impair your ability to focus, consider the focus-shifting and mindfulness techniques examined here as means to help you triumph over the anxieties of daily life.”
than clinical, mindfulness was pioneered as a treatment for mental illnesses like major depression by the University of Massachusetts’ Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and has been shown to prevent relapses of depression, as well as the physical symptoms of anxiety. Learning to be mindful is a fairly simple process. Begin by “centering down:” sit cross-legged on the floor or a straight-backed chair. Next, focus on your breathing, the feel of the air going in and out of your lungs in particular. Once you’ve narrowed your focus to your breathing, widen your focus to more “outward” sensations, such as sounds and feelings. If you start to feel panic again, return your focus to breathing. This is the gist of the mindfulness process, although other calming activities, such as going for a walk or playing piano, can be integrated into your routine. Try to make mindfulness a daily habit, spending at least 20 minutes working on these basic steps.
TAKING BACK YOUR MIND, ONE DAY AT A TIME Stress and concentration have a close relationship: the other tends to decrease as one increases. If you find that symptoms of high stress impair your ability to focus, consider the focus-shifting and mindfulness techniques examined here as means to help you triumph over the anxieties of daily life. Whether you look to mindfulness or focus-shifting techniques, remember that taking back your mind from stress is a process; you might not feel results right away, and if you don’t, don’t give up! Stress is an inevitable part of life, but through practice, everyone can learn to process it in a healthy manner.
12
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 13
CARING for the CARETAKERS
WORLD
of the
An Interview with Dr. Mona Orady WORDS BY YUKO TABASA
W
omen are incredible, powerful and strong creatures.
They could run the world if they wanted to. Yet, why is
it that women are always underserved and unheard?
Dr. Mona Orady grew to be very familiar with this topic after listening to her mother’s circle of friends vent
about their struggles as women in society. She would often hear the grown-ups complain about not getting the proper healthcare, and how they would feel uncomfortable about being treated by male doctors. And so, at the young age of nine, Dr. Orady had already decided she would become a gynecologist. She wasted no time getting her degree and started medical school at the University of Western Ontario in Canada when she was only 18 years old. Her move to fulfill her residency at the Ohio State University pushed her passion for OB-GYN even further, fostering her passion for minimally invasive surgery. “I felt the main problems that weren’t treated well were a combination of menstrual problems, pelvic pain
14
and infertility — all the issues that have to do with the uterus,” Dr. Orady shared. “Basically, every woman was just offered either a birth control pill or a hysterectomy. And I didn’t feel like either option was a good option. And that was kind of what set me on the path of becoming an expert in menstrual disorders.” Now, Dr. Orady is the president of the Society of Laparoendoscopic and Robotic Surgeons, and with more than 10,000 minimally invasive surgeries and over 3,000 robotic surgeries under her belt, she travels the world to teach and mentor medical students, residents and surgeons on advanced minimally invasive surgery techniques and alternative menstrual problem treatments. In this article, she shares her advocacy for giving women the medical or surgical treatment they rightfully deserve.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WOMEN FACE AND HOW TO TREAT THEM It’s not uncommon for women to complain about painful periods or pelvic pain. Many women think that the pain they experience during their menstrual cycles is normal, but according to Dr. Orady, it’s not. “The most common cause of that is endometriosis, and endometriosis affects up to one in five to ten women. So it’s extremely common, but it’s also extremely underdiagnosed,” Dr. Orady expounded. And instead of prescribing birth control pills as many gynecologists would typically do, Dr. Orady goes the extra mile and permanently removes the endometriosis lesions through micro laparoscopic or
“Women don’t have to live this way. They can live a normal life if they just get treated for the problem.” - DR. MONA ORADY
Robotic surgery. “So rather than band-aiding the problem, I’m actually removing the problem and resolving the underlying cause of pain and the underlying cause of infertility in these patients,” Dr. Orady said. Another typical problem women face is fibroids, affecting one in five to ten women. Dr. Orady reveals that many women don’t realize they have fibroids until they have trouble getting pregnant or develop a heavy period. Sometimes, there are instances when the
fibroid gets too big and becomes difficult to remove while still trying to save the uterus. Thankfully, Dr. Orady’s skills in minimally invasive and robotic surgical techniques can remove the fibroids and reconstruct the uterus as well.
WHY ARE WOMEN UNDERDIAGNOSED? But why exactly are women underdiagnosed in the first place? Well, Dr. Orady has three answers to that question. “There’s a lot of things that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle that are just poorly diagnosed. This is because most gynecologists — number one, don’t have the time to really dig into a menstrual problem. Number two, don’t have the energy or the education to properly diagnose it. And number three, they don’t know what to do when they do diagnosis” Dr. Orady explained. However, Dr. Orady was fortunate enough to have studied in Canada, where there was a lot more awareness for these conditions (such as endometriosis) and even specialized centers to treat them accordingly. Countries like Australia, Germany and Italy are also more focused in dealing with gynecological problems, which is why Dr. Orady spent a lot of time traveling to these places to learn more about the specialty. These opportunities allowed Dr. Orady to offer more than just bandaid solutions such as birth control pills, and these are the reasons why she has developed surgical techniques that set her apart from a regular OB-GYN.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 15
AWARENESS IS KEY If you’re a woman reading this, Dr. Orady asks you to listen up. Painful periods, painful sex and chronic pelvic pain are not the norm. “Women don’t have to live this way. They can live a normal life if they just get treated for the problem,” Dr. Orady shared. It all boils down to being aware of what’s normal and what’s not. And when a woman is diagnosed with endometriosis or fibroids, they shouldn’t settle for poor advice from their OB-GYN to just take birth control pills or do nothing. Instead, Dr. Orady urges women to seek an expert right away. “Women need to be heard, and they need to advocate for themselves. And if they’re not being heard, they need to find someone who will hear them, who will listen to them, who will actually understand their problem, diagnose it and then advocate for the best treatment for them,” Dr. Orady said.
A MINIMAL FUTURE FOR OB-GYN According to Dr. Orady, the availability of minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery is a big game-changer for gynecology. Such advancements have allowed reconstructive surgeries on the uterus to be done successfully and have improved fertility for many women. But more importantly, these minimally invasive surgeries have allowed women to heal quicker. “We [women] take care of everything. We work full time. We take care of the house, the kids, we take care of our parents. We take care of the pets. We take care of our friends. I mean, we’re the caretakers of the world. And so, when it comes to taking care of ourselves, we can’t afford, or we won’t sacrifice weeks and weeks of not taking care of everyone else in order to take care of ourselves. Minimally invasive surgery allows women to get back on their feet right away,” Dr. Orady concluded. And lastly, when asked about her personal plans for the future, Dr. Orady had this to say: “I have a dream of opening a center for taking care of women that includes nutrition. That includes psychology, that includes physical therapy, acupuncture and all sorts of different ancillary medical services that really take care of the whole woman, not just the one thing that we’re looking at.” Her holistic approach to healing patients is definitely something Top Doctor Magazine is excited to see and is precisely the breath of fresh air that women need.
16
“W
OMEN NEED TO BE HEARD,
AND THEY NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES. AND IF
THEY’RE NOT BEING HEARD, THEY NEED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL HEAR THEM, WHO WILL LISTEN TO THEM, WHO WILL ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THEIR PROBLEM, DIAGNOSE IT AND THEN ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST TREATMENT FOR THEM.” - DR. MONA ORADY
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 17
The Olfactory System
IS OUR BODY’S NATURAL WARNING SYSTEM WORDS BY GENTRY SHANNON
A
t first blush, the smell is arguably the least essential of the body’s five senses. Sight and hearing are central to completing everyday tasks, even simple ones like putting on makeup in the morning or updating a coworker on a project. Likewise, taste allows people to
enjoy eating - something done at least three times a day. And where would people be without being able to feel a comforting hug or register the heat of a pan in time to drop it and avoid getting burned? On the other hand, the smell seems to function merely as a supplemental sense: elevating the taste of food and allowing people to experience intense objects in other ways besides sight.
And yet, memories and associations from smells have an uncanny way of sticking around. Anyone who has had an unfortunate encounter with smelling spoiled seafood might attest that, to this day, they have an almost visceral reaction to seeing a plate of oysters. Conversely, the smell of a lotion or perfume used by a loved one can elicit a profoundly emotional response. However, the smell isn’t only good for the fuzzy feelings that arise upon smelling the boyfriend’s cologne. A recent study carried out by Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet indicates that the olfactory system is much more: the body’s innate warning system.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 19
THE ANATOMY OF THE OLFACTORY SYSTEM The area of the body responsible for detecting smells is located inside the nasal cavity. It is composed of a group of olfactory receptors that grow tiny, mucuscovered hairs. When the chemicals that constitute a smell come into contact with the hairs, they are trapped by the mucus and detected by the olfactory receptors, which immediately contact the brain via the olfactory bulb.
THE KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET IN SWEDEN Most everyone is familiar with the conscious reaction to smelling smoke. The smell is registered, the thought comes, oh no — something is burning! Fire! And the body springs into action to find the
“Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, a
source of the smoke and either
olfactory bulb sent a signal to the
remedy the situation or run in the
brain’s motor cortex (the area that
opposite direction.
controls movement) in a mere
medical research
However, Sweden’s Karolinska Insti-
university, has
has recently discovered that the pro-
recently discovered that the processes responsible for people’s propensity to flee disagreeable odors happen on an unconscious level.”
tutet, a medical research university, cesses responsible for people’s propensity to flee disagreeable odors happen on an unconscious level.
THE TESTS Using new technology, researchers at the Karolinska Institutet studied the finer workings of the body’s olfactory system by conducting three tests and
electroencephalographically
monitoring participants’ olfactory bulbs. When participants smelled
300 milliseconds. For reference, it takes longer than that, roughly 400 milliseconds, to blink. The brain’s motor cortex then initiates a physical reaction, causing participants to recoil from the source of the smell. Interestingly, researchers discovered that the rate at which participants recoiled from the smell depended on its severity. If the odor was especially pungent and identified as potentially threatening,
participants
pulled
away in a half-second. If the smell was unpleasant but not quite as potent, the recoil took longer.
especially unpleasant odors, the
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 21
“Not only is [smell] valuable in the rapid recognition of immediate danger, but it occurs on an extraordinarily unconscious level...”
THE IMPORTANCE OF SMELL Thanks to these studies, professors at the Karolinska Institutet are coming to realize just how essential smell is. Not only is it valuable in the rapid recognition of immediate danger, but it occurs on an extraordinarily unconscious level than the scientific community had realized — much more so than sight or hearing.
A PARTING REMINDER The smell may not enable the enjoyment of a beautiful sunset or aid in communication with others, but it is extremely efficient at detecting potentially dangerous substances and alerting the brain to the threat, solidifying its place as an essential sense!
22
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INSPIRE ELEVATE UPLIFT AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ALYX PORTER UMPHREY, MD WRITTEN BY GAYE NEWTON
I
nspiration can come from
oncology, focusing on tumors of
always had this desire to help and
almost anywhere. Sometimes,
the brain and spinal cord, brain
heal,” she said.
it comes from deep within.
metastases
and
neurological
Sometimes, people cross your path,
complications of cancer with its
share their wisdom and lead you
treatment.
to the resources and confidence to follow your rightful path. By drawing inspiration from within and from others, Dr. Alyx Porter Umphrey, MD, found success in a medical field in which being a black woman is rare. She then paid it forward, creating an organization with her husband, Dr. Gregory Umphrey, that supports minority medical students. Dr. Porter Umphrey is a neurologist with the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. She specializes in neuro-
INSPIRE: BECOMING A NEUROLOGIST INSPIRATION FROM WITHIN
INSPIRATION FROM OUTSIDE Additional outside inspiration led to her specialization in neurology. “I think I was probably in later elementary
or
early
middle
school when Dr. Ben Carson
For Dr. Porter Umphrey, inspiration
came to national attention as a
came from within during childhood.
neurosurgeon who had separated
She had always wanted to be a
twins conjoined at the brain,” Dr.
physician.
Porter Umphrey said.
“I was an only child, and I had a cat
Dr. Carson’s book, Gifted Hands,
growing up. I would pretend that
described his childhood, his own
he had a broken leg, and I would
inspiration to become a surgeon
wrap it with toilet paper, or I would
and his medical career.
say that the cat was my patient. I
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 25
“
I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF HAVING
WONDERFUL MEN AND WOMEN WITHIN
NEUROLOGY, ONCOLOGY AND RADIATION INVEST IN, MENTOR AND HELP ME. BECAUSE OF THAT
INVESTMENT, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE I HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY TO PAVE THE WAY FOR OTHERS. - D R . A LY X P O R T E R U M P H R E Y
“My dad brought that book home and suggested I read it. I saw myself as he recalled having a curiosity that exceeded his circumstance. I started to have an appreciation for neuroscience and thought I might actually want to be a neurosurgeon,” Dr. Porter Umphrey said. In her third year of medical school, she began clinical rotations, and she eagerly scheduled neurosurgery. But she discovered something that led her to change her plans. “I did not know that neurosurgeons use a microscope to do their operations. I very quickly became motion sick with the microscope and realized that I would not be able to tolerate standing over it for hours looking at things from all different directions,” Dr. Porter Umphrey explained. This brief setback, however, did not chase her from her interest in the science of the brain. Instead,
26
she simply changed how she would
that I’m trained at the best place.
apply that interest.
That led me to Mayo Clinic,” Dr.
“Neurology ended up being the best fit,” she said.
Porter Umphrey explained.
A MOMENT OF REALIZATION
ELEVATE: THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORING
Once she decided that neurology
FINDING SUPPORT
was the right place for her, Dr.
She deeply appreciates these people
Porter Umphrey informed her medical school career advisor. “They said, ‘Well, Alyx, you don’t really look like a neurologist.’ And that person wasn’t totally wrong,” Dr. Porter Umphrey said. According to the Society of Black Neurologists, approximately 3% of neurologists are African American. “Even fewer are black women. I am the most senior black woman in the country, the first to practice neurooncology in the United States. So I realized, well, if I don’t look like a neurologist, I’d better make sure
who provided the critical guidance that shaped her early career. “I would go to national and international meetings, and when I looked around the room, I really wasn’t seeing anyone that looked like me. Yet, I had the good fortune of having wonderful men and women within neurology, oncology and radiation invest in, mentor and help me. Because of that investment, I wholeheartedly believe I have a responsibility to pave the way for others,” Dr. Porter Umphrey said.
ELEVATEMED Recognizing that minority medical students often did not find the support they needed, Dr. Porter Umphrey and her husband, Dr. Gregory Umphrey, founded ElevateMeD, a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to elevate the field of medicine by providing financial support and mentorship to future physicians. They aim to increase physician workforce diversity and improve cultural competence among physicians to reduce health disparities.
“My husband and I created ElevateMeD out of a desire to create what we wished we’d had. There are such disparate levels of exposure to what’s needed even to have a successful career in medicine for medical students, including managing student loan debt, developing as a leader and engaging authentically in residency interviews. Our ElevateMeD Scholars receive mentorship so they can understand
what’s
needed
to
navigate beyond medical school,”
ElevateMed focuses on: • Scholarships to help alleviate the crushing debt so many medical students end up with before their careers even begin. • Mentors who look like the students they’re supporting. The Umphreys understand the luxury and importance of this. • Leadership development, as many students come from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.
Dr. Porter Umphrey explained.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 27
“
• Financial
I OFTEN MEET MY BRAIN CANCER
PATIENTS WHEN THEY’RE IN CRISIS.
WALKING THAT ROAD WITH THEM AND WITNESSING THE SHIFT FROM FEAR
AND TERROR TO EMPOWERMENT AND
INTENTIONALITY IS TRULY A GIFT TO ME. - D R . A LY X P O R T E R U M P H R E Y
education.
and witnessing the shift from fear
and surely there she was through
Students from historically un-
wellness
and terror to empowerment and
this ultimate act of generosity,” Dr.
intentionality is truly a gift to me,”
Porter Umphrey said.
derrepresented
backgrounds
tend to carry more significant debt burdens from their education and often have additional responsibilities that may exceed their immediate household. Since the organization launched in 2019, they have given over $350,000 in tuition-based scholarship support and resources scholars need to thrive in their medical careers.
UPLIFT: FINDING HOPE IN CRISIS Dr. Porter Umphrey is honored to work with her patients. While she gives them the gifts of hope and health, her interactions with them are their gifts to her. “I can think of no greater privilege than to sit across from another human who is at their most vulnerable. I often meet my brain cancer patients when they’re in crisis. Walking that road with them
28
Dr. Porter Umphrey said.
medical practice and ElevateMed
A PARTING REMINDER
beautifully
Inspiration
She recalls one instance where her crossed
paths.
It
involved a patient whose cancer
“I was always impressed with her stamina,
outlook and
energy. I was inspired by her because she was defying the odds,”
The woman had read an article about ElevateMed, which featured Porter
many
Umphrey
and
And after you’ve been uplifted, you can pass it on to elevate others in a cycle of goodwill. “There’s something that each of us can do to positively influence the
Dr. Porter Umphrey recalled.
Dr.
from
at just the right place and time.
had spread.
physical
comes
places. Sometimes, it comes along
an
upcoming annual fundraiser. The woman’s final wish was for her loved ones to know about ElevateMeD. She inspired a new level of giving because of the outpouring of support on her behalf. “I always called her Wonder Woman because she was miraculous. She told me that she would be at the event,
lives of someone else. I encourage us to always look for that opportunity,” Dr. Porter Umphrey said.
INTERESTED IN WHAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE SAYING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH? Subscribe to Top Doctor Magazine today!
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“I LIKE TO T R E AT EACH PATI E NT AS A WH O L E PERS O N . ” - DR. GREGORY UMPHREY
GIV IN G B ACK A ND MOV I N G F ORWA RD A L I FE O F S ER VIC E W I T H D R . G R E G O R Y U M P H R E Y WRITTEN BY GAYE NEWTON
S
ome people dedicate themselves to a life of
Physiatry, a relatively new branch of medicine, focuses
service. They choose careers and opportu-
on the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, bones and
nities to provide services that improve and
surrounding tissues. In a multidisciplinary approach,
often save the lives of others. Dr. Gregory Umphrey,
the goal of physiatry is to treat and heal the patient
M.D., is one of those people. Between his medical career
holistically. Treatment may touch on emotional,
and ElevateMeD, a nonprofit organization he and his
vocational and social factors.
wife founded to help medical students, he has made life better for many.
“I see each patient as a puzzle, and when they come to my office, I try to piece that puzzle together to find a
With his wife, Dr. Alyx Porter Umphrey, M.D., Dr.
suitable solution on a non-operative basis. I like to treat
Umphrey moves forward, incorporating the latest
each patient as a whole person,” Dr. Umphrey explained.
medical practices and advancements that benefit his patients. In addition, he gives back by supporting the ElevateMeD students. Both doctors make giving back move forward by passing on this tradition of service within their family.
MOV IN G F OR WA R D: IMPROV I NG PATIEN TS ’ L IVE S Physiatry Dr. Umphrey practices in Phoenix, Arizona, at Barrow Brain and Spine, an advanced neuroscience facility. “I’m a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, also known as a Physiatrist (not to be confused with a psychiatrist!). Basically, I focus on musculoskeletal conservative care, which involves guided injection procedures, spine care, joint disorders, and nerve and muscle problems,” Dr. Umphrey said.
He creates from his array of techniques the best solution for each patient, such as physical therapy, injections for pain relief and other modalities to help maximize function. “I assess the patient fully to see what their deficits are and see how we can solve that problem. For example, we might set up a supervised physical therapy program, a procedure, or some type of nerve block, joint or spinal injection. I also see patients with specific nerve problems that may be coming from the back or the neck, and evaluate for other abnormalities. For example, some patients may instead have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome or other nerve entrapment problems that may need further diagnostics, such as nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography. From a therapeutic approach, I use ultrasound to guide my procedures so I can get the medicine to the correct target and avoid vital structures,” Dr. Umphrey said.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 31
Regenerative Medicine What if our bodies’ ability to heal minor wounds were expanded to much larger wounds and the effects of aging, defects and damage? Regenerative medicine focuses on restoring tissues and organs to full function by stimulating the body to heal itself on a larger scale. “I’ve done some things in regenerative medicine, such as platelet-rich plasma, where we can inject growth factors
into
tendons
or
even treat the joints to help promote
some
types
of
healing and improvement in function. So regenerative medicine is a new frontier,” Dr. Umphrey stressed. According to Dr. Umprey, platelet-rich plasma comes from
the
patient’s
own
blood. It’s put in a centrifuge and broken down into red
“ElevateMeD provides financial assistance for bright, talented medical students from underrepresented groups — african-americans, latino and native americans.” - DR. GREGORY UMPHREY
blood cells, white blood cells, plasma proteins, and platelets. The platelet concentrate portion of this solution contains granules that contain various growth factors which help in the healing process. This platelet concentrate can be optimized during preparation to be injected into a tendon, a joint, or around nerves, to help start the healing process. Dr. Umphrey predicts a bright future for regenerative medicine. “It’s going to continue to push forward and become something that’s going to be bigger and bigger. It’s being researched for healing spinal cord and brain injuries. We’ll be able to help more patients heal,” he said.
GIVIN G B ACK: IMPROVIN G MED ICAL S T UDE N T S ’ L IVE S Founding ElevateMeD As his career grew, Dr. Umphrey and his wife, Dr. Alyx Porter Umphrey, M.D., realized that when they were in medical school, there was little support for minority medical students. So they decided to give back which led to founding ElevateMeD.
32
“In 2019, we founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our goal is to help elevate medicine to an ideal where the physician workforce racially and ethnically represents the community it serves,” Dr. Umphrey said.
The Burden of Cost One significant barrier to helping minority medical students is cost. “We know that the high cost of medical education is prohibitive, distracting bright minority students from seeking a career in medicine. We also know that students from racial and ethnic backgrounds are traditionally underrepresented. Often they don’t even want to approach medicine because of that cost,” Dr. Umphrey acknowledged. The Umphreys understand on a personal level the burden of massive debt from educational programs. Between them, they had to pay off a debt of about $500,000, which took them about eight years with careful planning and determination. Dr. Umphrey points out that so many students have to ask how they are going to pay for medical school while they are in there and after they are done. Many acknowledge that when you come out of residency, you don’t get paid a lot. And so, the loans build up financially along with interest. “ElevateMeD provides financial assistance for bright, talented medical students from underrepresented groups—African-Americans,
Latino
and
Native
Americans. We also pair students with mentors for leadership training, financial management education and more to help them succeed as a physician,” Dr. Umphrey declared. ElevateMeD works with 15 medical schools to attract applicants, and the organization’s board makes final selections. ElevateMeD has raised over $200,000 from it’s most recent fundraiser. Thus far, 15 students have been awarded a total of $300,000 in tuition-based scholarships and support.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 33
B AC K A ND FO R WA R D : A FA M ILY TR A D I TI O N In his childhood home, Dr. Umphrey learned about love, faith, hard work and service. “I was raised in a very humble home. My parents are both very godly Christians. My dad worked three jobs, and they were both highly dedicated teachers, teaching over 50 years. So I got my work ethic and my passion, love and dedication to service from them,” he said. And now the Umphreys are passing the same message along to their two children, Rylan, 13, and Makena, 10. “Our kids aren’t necessarily interested in medicine. That’s okay. Our goal is for them to see us and how we work, how we’re helping others so that they, whatever profession they decide to go into, can carry that on as well. Their primary goal should be to serve others in a godly way, passionately and with love. They should maximize their talents to help others benefit, and those others can carry on and help more people. So we want to be good examples for them as they grow up and become young adults,” Dr. Umphrey said.
A PA R TI NG R E M I ND E R Dr. Umphrey has created significant improvements in his patients’ overall pain and function. ElevateMeD is well established, and medical students are reaping the benefits. The Umphrey children are learning the family tradition of giving and service. He has changed many lives for the better. As future advancements unfold, he will use these new resources throughout his journey of service. “I think the new exciting thing is that we’re going to be able to use what we learn in the future to maximize how we live and how we heal,” Dr. Umphrey said. Dr. Umphrey will continue to heal his patients and improve a system that previously left current and prospective medical students without support. Some people dedicate themselves to a life of service, and Dr. Gregory Umphrey is one of those people.
34
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why
TELEHEALTH is so cost-effective WRITTEN BY NATHAN PIPKIN
T
he idea of telehealth has received a massive spike in attention
over the past few years. This is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made an in-person visit to the doctor’s office
a riskier prospect than usual. Many patients have enjoyed easier access to professional medical and therapeutic advice due to telehealth technology,
and the convenience factor is significant. But there’s another side to the value of telehealth: it’s cost-effective. So why exactly is telehealth so affordable, and will it be a better option for you and your family in 2022?
CAN TELEHEALTH TREAT FAMILIAR AILMENTS? Telehealth, for both its convenience and affordability, continues to grow more and more popular. In 2020 alone, the demand for telehealth services grew by over 60%. This substantial growth strongly suggests a connection to the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, but this is not all that telehealth is beneficial for. Illnesses that many of us experience often are the best reason to try telehealth out. The saved time, lower expense and reduced risk are all appealing advantages. Let’s take a simple example: you’re pretty sure you have the flu since you’re familiar with the symptoms. So, instead of spending most of a day driving to and waiting for a doctor’s appointment, you schedule a telehealth appointment to discuss a treatment plan with a doctor. Not only have you saved the time that you would have spent commuting and waiting, but you’ve kept away from other illnesses present in the physical office, and you’ve kept your flu away from other patients! There are plenty of illnesses that require in-person examinations to diagnose, of course. Still, the flu illustration is a clear example of a situation that becomes much easier with the option of telehealth services.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 37
“Opting for telehealth could save patients around $700 per year!”
HOW MUCH CAN I SAVE THROUGH TELEHEALTH?
HOW TELEHEALTH PROVIDES LONG-TERM BENEFITS
Your exact savings will depend on what type of care you
We’ve already discussed some of the immediate
need. One study found that telemedicine services cost an
benefits of telehealth, but what about the long-term
average of $335 per patient per year. This is an especially
consequences? Is telehealth still appealing when we’re
low number compared to the figure the study found for
thinking many years down the road? The short answer
routine care, which was $585. In addition, on-site care
is yes because patients who wouldn’t have gone to the
costs an average of $1,166 per year. Therefore, opting for
trouble of an in-person visit can use telehealth services
telehealth could save patients around $700 per year!
to treat minor health issues. Immediately taking care
What about telehealth makes it more affordable than traditional doctor visits? The study mentioned above
of those minor issues means that they won’t turn into bigger, more expensive problems down the line.
described three factors. The first is cost-sharing — the
The simple truth about the current job market is that
price of the telemedicine infrastructure is distributed to
switching from one job to another is more common
all patients. The second is effective treatment, meaning
than it used to be. Many Americans are moving from
the consultations patients receive via technology are
one location to another more often than they used to.
genuinely helpful. The third factor is that patients
This reality illustrates another advantage of telehealth:
experience less loss of productivity. Instead of spending
patients can stay in touch with their primary doctor
half your day on an in-person doctor visit, a telehealth
despite geographical distance.
appointment is considerably more focused and brief. Another example of specific numbers that indicate
A PARTING REMINDER
significant savings can be found in a 2014 study,
If telehealth is right for you, it will be cost-effective and
which found that the average price of a telehealth
convenient both in the present and future. Instances
appointment is in the range of $40 to $50. This is, of
such as broken bones or vaccinations must be addressed
course, much preferable to the $176 price that the
in person, of course, but many common ailments
study found for in-person visits. Attending a virtual
can be treated just as effectively through telehealth
appointment also eliminates the cost of commuting
appointments. If these convenient and cost-effective
to a physical appointment, saving both gas money
features of telehealth sound right for you, don’t hesitate
and calling off work time to visit the doctor for longer
to reach out to your doctor!
periods of time than just a call.
38
THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR THE DREAMS CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR CHAIR I TAKING THE FEAR OUT OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY WITH DR. SÓNIA SANTOS WORDS BY GAYE NEWTON
magine yourself as a small child
With the obstacle of fear out
This mu-
sitting in a dentist’s chair. The
of the way, dental visits can be
seum visit
chair is whizzing up and down,
pleasant, and children are open
focused her in-
there are bright lights pointed
to learning good dental habits and
terest in the medi-
experiencing good health.
cal field. Then, taking
at you, and a couple of adults with
their faces half-covered are staring
down at you with all kinds of noisy contraptions in their hands, poking at your teeth. It can be scary. But what if you could be transported to a world where the dentist’s chair is a magical place, and those scary instruments have been turned into something fun? Dr. Sónia Santos is a pediatric dentist in Lisbon, Portugal. With 20 years of professional experience, she has found a delightful way to ease children’s anxiety. “I want to help children overcome their fear of the dentist, so in my storybook, I transform the scary dental instruments into animals,” Dr. Santos explained.
her mother’s advice, she
THE STORY OF BECOMING A DENTIST Dr. Santos came from a family of engineers. “My father’s a civil engineer, and my mother is a chemical engineer. So I see myself as the smile engineer of the family,” Dr. Santos said. Her journey to pediatric dentistry followed a unique path that began at a museum. “When I was a teenager, I was in New York and went to the chil-
narrowed that focus down to dentistry. Finally, she combined her mother’s advice and her love for children, and a career in pediatric dentistry was born. “You know how mothers are always right. I have to thank her because I really love my work,” Dr. Santos said. Outside Medicine, Dr. Sónia Santos interests are art and skiing. “I have been skiing since I was a child, and what we learn as children stays with us forever,” she said.
dren’s museum. There was a special exhibition there about children’s psychology. I really loved the exhibition, and I felt something at that moment,” she recalled.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 41
“Yes, a child’s dental visit is professional, serious treatment. But it should be a nice experience for the child. My philosophy is that it has to be something fun for the child, such as going to the zoo, a museum, or even a wonderland. You imagine that chair, with all its arms and buttons and going up and down. To me, it sounds like lots of fun! So that’s why I wrote The Dreams Chair.” - DR. SÓNIA SANTOS
THE STORY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY Dr. Santos cherishes her role in improving children’s lives, both physically and psychologically. “With pediatric dentistry, I can combine the medicine with the psychology of children’s behavior management that is so important during the dental visits. Treating children is very challenging,” she explained.
One aspect of pediatric dentistry is facial orthopedics, a special opportunity to make a significant difference in a child’s life.
patience. Some are scared, while others may sit in a chair and refuse treatment. But with her 20 years of experience, helping children these
issues
comes
naturally to Dr. Santos. “I always tell children, ‘You know, adults are complicated people.’ They can be scared, too,” she said.
and healthy.
THE STORY OF THE DREAMS CHAIR
involves not only the teeth, but the
A Book to Take the Fear Away
maxillary bones as well, and we
What we learn as children stays
“When there is a bite problem that
treat these, it’s called facial orthopedics. We treat the malocclusion of the maxilla while the child is still growing. Without treatment, the child can develop facial asymmetry,
Treating children requires a lot of
42
is complete, the child can breathe correctly and be more comfortable
that Dr. Santos finds most fulfilling
Helping Children
overcome
Facial Orthopedics
difficulty chewing and even difficulty breathing. If the child can’t breathe correctly, not enough oxygen will reach the brain cells. As a result, the child has difficulty concentrating and performing well in school,” Dr. Santos explained. She treats this malocclusion with appliances, braces, and enlarging the maxilla. Once the treatment
with us forever. This is why Dr. Santos is concerned about helping children
overcome
their
fear
of dental visits. To further this goal, she wrote a children’s book called A Cadeira dos Sonhos, or translated, The Dreams Chair. In her book’s world, the dentist’s chair is a source of adventure, and those scary dental instruments are animals like giraffes. “Yes, a child’s dental visit is professional, serious treatment. But it should be a nice experience for the child. My philosophy is that it has
to be something fun for the child,
Dr. Santos sees her book as a
tic teaching department of Egas
such as going to the zoo, a museum,
valuable resource that she has made
Moniz Higher Education Dental
or even a wonderland. You imagine
available for free to everyone. She
School in Lisbon for five years.
that chair, with all its arms and
wrote the book with another author,
buttons and going up and down.
a patient that became a friend.
To me, it sounds like lots of fun! So that’s why I wrote The Dreams Chair,” Dr. Santos said.
Dr. Santos won the Orthodontic prize by Jornal dentistry in 2015. In
“My book is free to download, and
addition to her book, she authored
our national reading plan actually
several articles in professional
recommends reading it. It’s free
journals, magazines and she is an
The book does not miss the
because I didn’t want any profit. It’s
author in one of the Portuguese
opportunity to provide practical
my present to all children,” she said.
national newspapers. She enjoys
information, too.
the best of both worlds—a com-
for adults, educators and parents
THE STORY OF A REWARDING CAREER
to teach children how to brush
Dr. Santos was elected South Por-
their teeth. It also promotes a
tugal representative of Portuguese
“It also has some recommendations
healthy diet and what to do before
Dental Association in 2012 and
dental visits,” she explained.
was a member of the Orthodon-
bination of teaching and private practice. Most recently, the Board of Pediatric Dentistry invited her to be the South Portugal Director.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 142 / 43
“But the most rewarding part of
treatments in some countries. I
Dr. Santos’ primary goal is to make
being a pediatric dentist, of course,
go to schools and teach children
the future better for children.
is to see children’s smiles and to
about brushing and healthy eating,”
actually make their futures better.
Dr. Santos added.
I teach them how to brush their
them, and looking at their smiles is the best reward. It is a privilege to
less sugar,” Dr. Santos explained.
THE STORY CONTINUES
work with children and to make
Dr. Santos volunteers with a pro-
“The future is digital and the one day
Dr. Santos said.
teeth and eat a healthy diet with
gram from Colgate called Bright Smiles, Bright Futures. “That’s an oral health program, one of the most successful oral health programs in the world. We provide free oral health education and free
44
“Children are the future. I’m helping
treatments like the treatments with veneers. I treat the whole family and as I am a perfectionist, being able to design the veneers just as we want in the computer, it is really rewarding,” said Dr. Santos.
their lives healthier and happier,”
Her book and her work with children are an investment in the future because, as Dr. Santos says, “What children learn, they will keep it forever.”
