THE INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN, or internist, is a highly trained medical specialist whose role is to diagnose, treat, and prevent the broad spectrum of diseases that occur in adults. In addition to requiring extensive medical expertise, this challenging role demands the leadership and decision-making skills of an NFL quarterback combined with the intuition and tenacity of a detective.
Chiamaka Mbaso, MD, and Jeannine Hummell, CNP, wouldn’t have it any other way. Both providers thrive on the challenges they encounter on a daily basis in their internal medicine practice, South Toledo Internists, located at the University of Toledo Comprehensive Care Center. Both also express that they enjoy the field of internal medicine in its entirety, not just certain aspects of it.
“The complexity of the patients and cases we see makes our whole job very challenging and interesting,” Dr. Mbaso says. Hummell concurs, noting, “Getting to the bottom of our patients’ health problems is like putting a puzzle together. There’s never a dull moment, and we’re always, always learning.”
They can also coordinate referrals to other specialists as needed, though they have the expertise to manage a broad range of complicated health conditions themselves. “Because we can treat so many complex conditions, we’re not quick to refer, but when it’s necessary, we have a lot of great physicians to call upon,” says Hummell.
The detective analogy refers to the extensive evidence analysis, record review, and consultation internists do every day in pursuit of diagnoses for patients—and sometimes this investigative work can lead them in surprising directions. “For example, while looking for the cause of simple abdominal pain, a CT scan might reveal a mass in the lungs. One thing leads to another. It’s fascinating to connect the dots and discover something you weren’t expecting to find,” Dr. Mbaso says.
Asked to explain how internal medicine differs from family medicine for those who might not understand the distinction, Dr. Mbaso explains, “Internists are also family doctors, but with a primary focus on treating adults and adolescents. We also have training in other specialties, such as rheumatology, hematology, cardiology, pulmonology, or infectious diseases, and are required to complete a three-month intensive care unit rotation, all of which gives us a distinct edge in caring for this population, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis.” Hummell remarks, “In addition, we have the training to deal with the different comorbidities our patients experience, which can present some very complicated treatment scenarios.”
Owing to the breadth and depth of their training and expertise, Dr. Mbaso and Hummell are ideally poised to help patients manage chronic health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. However, the scope of their practice is by no means limited to chronic conditions. They’re also able to treat a wide range of acute illnesses, such as urinary tract and upper respiratory infections, and their practice includes a social worker who can help patients with emotional and behavioral issues as well as connect them with vital community resources. “We truly are a holistic practice that helps patients in body, mind, and soul,” Dr. Mbaso says. “We are proud that we are meeting and exceeding various Medicare quality improvement measures and that through aggressive screening we are lowering the incidences of breast, colon, and lung cancers in our practice.”
Patients appreciate the easy access to care that South Toledo Internists provides. Oftentimes, they can be seen on the same day, and telemedicine and office appointments are available from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Also, a lab, radiology services, and a pharmacy are conveniently located in the same building, offering “one-stop shopping” so they don’t have to run all over town to access these different services. The practice employs four pharmacists who help with medication reconciliation (comparing the medications a patient is currently taking with newly ordered medications to avoid potential problems such as adverse drug interactions, redundancies, etc.), drug monitoring, and maintaining excellent control of blood pressure as well as conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart failure, and other diseases.
Furthermore, South Toledo Internists has lowered the minimum patient age from 18 to 16, which allows young patients the opportunity to get established and build rapport with an internist before they age out of their pediatrician’s practice.
To schedule an appointment, call 1-833-OUR-UTMC (833-687-8862). The phone line is answered seven days a week, 24-hours a day.
Internists are like quarterbacks in the sense that they oversee their patients’ comprehensive healthcare—including providing preventive care and education—and they fully understand the role of each provider on the patient’s care team.
