MOUNT VERNON – Dr. Brent Nimeth of Knox Community Hospital sees his role in part as “the eyes and ears” for local patients who may eventually need to see a specialist.
As a primary care physician, he offers quick access compared to weeks or even months waiting to get an appointment with a specialist.
“People can see me fairly quickly,” he told the Mount Vernon News. “Then we can refer cases to a specialist if we need to. Access to care is the whole idea behind primary care. Often, you can’t even get in to see a specialist without going to primary care first.”
Primary care also focuses on preventing health problems in the first place through “medical surveillance,” Nimeth said.
He noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients stopped having routine tests for cancers, diabetes and cholesterol.
“This is what we people have to get right back into,” he said. “We have to get people back into the office and continue to screen them. These diseases haven’t stopped.”
Although some patients may have fallen out of their routine of regular checkups during the pandemic, there are lessons to take from the last year.
“Keep up the handwashing,” Nimeth said. “We’ve seen very little flu this year.”
Exercise is also important, the physician stressed.
“If you’re not walking three times a week, start doing it,” he said. “The weather is beautiful. It’s a good time to get into a routine.”
Diet is also very important, Nimeth stated.
“The human body is built for lean meat and vegetables,” he said. “Steer clear of enriched white flour you see in cereals and breads. We need to steer clear of sugars. But if you can concentrate 80% of the time on a meat-and-vegetable diet with fresh fruits thrown in, it’s going to improve a lot of things. It’s going to slim down your waistline and improve your immune system.”
Nimeth’s approach is to have a “therapeutic alliance” with patients rather than scolding them about their health.
“Whatever the situation is, we’re going to address it together,” he said. “I want the patient to leave the office in an upbeat fashion.”
