A letter to you

Celebrating 6 years of independent practice

Dear patients of Observatory Primary Care,

I want to wish you all a healthy and happy new year. In October 2024 our practice celebrated 6 years of providing for the health needs of you and your loved ones. It has been my honor serve as your physician. I want to recognize the people who have helped us over these 6 years. Jo and Laura continue to be the people who help make this practice work. I could not do what I do to help you without them. There are still many challenges of running a solo practitioner practice. I want you to know that your well being is my primary motivation. I do appreciate your understanding that I am just a person who is also a doctor. I strive to provide you with excellent health guidance while at the same time having balance in my own life.

Through Observatory Primary Care, I strive to provide you with personalized medical care that respects your values and needs. I endeavor to offer timely access to me either in person or via telehealth appointments nearly everyday. You continue to have direct access to my personal cell phone in case you have an urgent medical concern outside of regular office hours. If you need my medical advice or a prescription for something I have not prescribed for you then I hope you understand that I need time make a considered response to your particular situation when making these types of decisions. Unfortunately, we seem to be living in a culture where this type of time has been devalued. I am well aware of the trends of fast medicine, online prescribers and AI providers. It is my observation that managed care, medical insurers, and others are very quick to embrace these modalities if it means a more profitable financial quarter. I continue to find that the managed care plans that determine the coverage for the care you receive do not value the approach to patient care I provide. The result of this is that more of the cost of your care is being passed on to you the patient. In 2025, I will be reviewing my current contracts with the major managed care corporations. It is likely that I will end several of those contracts. You will be informed if your plan is one of those that is affected. I believe these changes will benefit our practice as a whole. Those patients whose plans are not supportive of the medical approach I offer will continue to be considered patients under my care if they chose. The fee structure for NON-PARTICIPATING plans will be published on this website.

2025 Goals

Our focus for 2025 is on self determination. For those who know me, you are used to me encouraging you to set goals for your health each year. I am witness to the powerful effect that the positive choices you make impact your health. In this world of confusing messaging about health and illness the one constant is that we all have the power to influence our own outcomes. The main things we can control are these choices. Here are a few thoughts to consider when setting your goals this year.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT - 1. Stop eating sugar and ultra-processed foods. You body cannot process these products without paying a price. The price is poorer health through increased inflammation, inefficient metabolism and low energy. 2. Eat real foods that are rich in vitamins and free of chemicals. 3. Are you taking your vitamin d? Get your level checked at your next blood draw. I personally have found that taking a multivitamin supplement including vitamin d3 routinely has improved my energy and increased my resistance to illness. 4. Increase your dietary fiber. Dietary fiber from fruits and vegetables is the best way to improve your gut health, microbiome and as a result your overall health and well being. A diet high in plant fiber may also help you prevent insulin resistance (the prerequisite to diabetes type 2) and improve your mood (a healthy gut biome helps you produce nearly 90% of your body's serotonin).

MOVE MORE - With very few exceptions, we all could move more (myself included). Having a walk after a meal is one of the most impactful ways to lower the elevation of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream, after eating. One reference I read stated that walking after a meal for 15-30 minutes can lower your blood sugar elevation by 30%. I recommend setting a goal to walk at least 5000 steps every day. Ideally more than 7500 steps daily if you are interested in lowering your risk of all illness by approximately 50%. Exercising more than this is even better. Training our bodies to be stronger, building endurance and challenging ourselves reinforces our physical and mental well being. You can do this. I know you.

VALUE YOUR SLEEP - Make sure that your sleep quality is the best it can be. Modern life is busy and hectic. Sleep is what makes us able to recover. It is also the time when we make hormones, process experiences, gain insight, stress test ourselves emotionally, and much more. A healthy human can spend nearly 33% of their life sleeping. If you live 90 years, 30 of that will be sleeping. Let that sink in. If you don't experience restful sleep, let me know. There are many holistic means of improving sleep quality. It is a process that requires a persistent commitment. Once again, you can do this ! Some simple interventions like ending screen time 1 hour before bed can have a powerful effect on sleep quality. Try it and decide for yourself.

I believe that if we apply these principles to our daily lives that we will all be stronger, more resilient, more powerful people who find more joy in the struggles that we all face in this life. I look forward to the journey ahead with you.

Warm wishes for the health of you and your loved ones for 2025.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Rose MD