Submitted by Summit Pacific Medical Center
A new type of primary care provider has joined the team at Summit Pacific Healthcare Clinic. In September, SPMC welcomed Dr. Hank Wooden, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Like an M.D., which stands for Doctor of Medicine, Osteopathic Doctors attend medical school, pass exams, and are licensed to practice medicine in all 50 states, can prescribe medications and perform surgery. So, you might ask, what is the difference?
There are two types of doctors in the United States, allopathic physicians and osteopathic physicians. Allopathic physicians are more commonly referred to as Medical Doctors or M.D.’s. They focus on the diagnosis and treatment of human disease with use of medications or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms. D.O.’s also use medication and physical intervention when treating patients, but they can provide their patients access to a little something extra too.
A common core of Osteopathic Medicine is “Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments.” When asked how to explain this treatment, Dr. Wooden said, “Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) is like chiropractic treatment but chiropractors focus mainly on treatment of the spine whereas I treat the whole body.” The belief around OMT is that the musculoskeletal system is especially important in reflecting and affecting the condition of all the other bodily systems. OMT can be beneficial for all age groups including newborns to the elderly. It eases muscle pain, promotes healing and can help patients with problems that range from asthma to carpal tunnel syndrome and migraines.
“I applied for Osteopathic schools once I learned about osteopathic medicine versus allopathic medicine, as I agreed with the philosophy.” The most important aspect of osteopathic medicine, according to Dr. Wooden, is that the “Osteopathic medicine approach is related to overall whole body condition; medications may not be the only option for certain medical conditions. Improving overall health is more important, and the osteopathic training provides me with a couple extra tools that I can use to help patients achieve their overall health goals.”
Dr. Wooden provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages. Not all the patients he sees utilize OMT. However, since practicing at Summit Pacific Healthcare Clinic, Dr. Wooden has already seen multiple patients responding well to osteopathic medicine. “A handful of patients are doing really well with OMT so far. In particular, several of these patients have seen great improvements with lower back pain.”
In addition to providing OMT and general family care, Dr. Wooden performs a number of other outpatient procedures at Summit Pacific including vasectomies, colposcopies, and joint injections to name a few. If your primary care provider does not perform vasectomies for instance, and you want to stay close to home, you can ask that they refer you to Dr. Wooden for the procedure.
One of his proudest moments from treating patients was when he was able to work with a patient who wanted to avoid using medication to treat his diabetes. “The patient was a 55-year-old male who I normally would have first considered using prescriptions to help manage his diabetes. However, this patient did not want to be on medication. Because this patient seemed particularly motivated for success, we discussed the other options available to him. With close monitoring, over a period of nine months, he was able to lose 90 pounds and reduce his diabetic levels from a very high 9.9 to a much lower 6.3. He achieved this all through diet and exercise alone. I did not provide any prescription management, just offered him knowledge and encouragement.”
If you or a family member is looking for a new family physician who can offer thorough care to every member of your family, call 360-346-2222 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Wooden, D.O. at Summit Pacific Healthcare Clinic located at 600 East Main Street in Elma.
