Internal & Family Medicine

Internal Medicine Specialty at San Tan Cardiovascular Center

Geriatric Medicine

Our Internal Medicine providers at San Tan Cardiovascular Center have extensive experience in geriatric medicine due, in part, to a large number of elderly patients that constitute our community and patient base.

The providers are experienced in distinguishing between diseases and the effects of normal aging. Our goal is to diagnose, treat, and prevent a full spectrum of health concerns. Such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and osteoporosis in adults of all ages.

The providers aim to prevent and treat diseases that are present so that our patients can achieve healthy aging.

  • Diagnostic services and treatment for most common injuries and illnesses.
  • Long-term medical management of chronic conditions.
  • Preventive care counseling.

Wellness Exam

An annual exam is a comprehensive preventive visit with your primary care provider for the sole purpose of reviewing and planning for preventive care that are necessary for your age, gender and pertinent medical conditions. An annual exam does not include discussion of new problems or a detailed review of chronic conditions.

Most insurances cover once a year wellness visits, in fact encourage members to get this exam, as it is important to solely focus on prevention to reduce future medical events.

The providers at San Tan cardiovascular Center will be happy to see you for this annual wellness exam and look forward to continuing your personalized care.

Vaccinations

Yearly flu shots are routinely given through our affiliated urgent care next to our Gold Canyon office location. Our providers will also counsel and recommend other routine recommended vaccinations for our patients like:

  • Influenza (Flu)
  • Pneumonia
  • Shingles

Risk Factor Counseling – Diet, Exercise, Weight Loss, Tobacco Cessation and Stress Management

We offer comprehensive risk factor modification teaching through our providers and professionals.

For our patients with heart, lung, and vascular conditions, we provide access to our cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation and peripheral vascular rehab programs.

Referrals to physical therapy, bariatric surgery, etc. are also available for our patients with various clinical conditions.

Our providers are acutely aware of the need for risk factor education and management programs in order to ensure our patients lead a healthy life.

Acute Illness

We offer same day or next day service for acute illness like:

  • Fever
  • Infections
  • Upper Respiratory infections
  • Acute Back Pain
  • Urinary Tract Infections
  • Rash
  • Allergies
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting

Our providers are always available to see acutely ill patients needing immediate medical attention.

We have an urgent care, which is affiliated to our practice, that is open every day of the week (including weekends) to provide immediate care for our patients in need.  We believe in minimizing emergency room visits and provide cost effective and exceptional patient care without delay. 

Of course, if you feel the need is more urgent, please call 911. 

Chronic Illness

A chronic disease is one lasting 3 months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear.

The most common chronic conditions we treat include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Alzheimer’s disease (or other dementias)
  • Heart disease
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Arthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • COPD

If we feel it necessary, we will refer out to specialists and make our best effort to coordinate the best care with them.

Women’s Health

  • Well woman exams
  • Pap smear/vaginal examination
  • Vaccinations for HPV
  • Contraceptive consultation
  • Menopause management
  • Osteoporosis/osteopenia management
  • Age/risk factor appropriate cancer screening – including colon cancer
  • General chronic illness, acute illness and stress management
  • Management of menstrual disorders and referral to GYN when appropriate

Men’s Health

  • Preventive wellness exams
  • Age/risk factor appropriate cancer screening – including colon cancer
  • Prostate screening
  • General chronic illness, acute illness and stress management

Family Medicine Specialty at San Tan Cardiovascular Center

Trigger point injection (TPI)

Trigger point injection (TPI) may be an option for treating pain in some patients. TPI is a procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain knots of muscles (or “trigger points”) that form when muscles do not relax. Many times, such knots can be felt under the skin.

Trigger points may irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain, or pain that is felt in another part of the body.

Joint injection

A joint injection is a common treatment method that is performed to manage stiffness and pain that arises in the joints due to inflammation. Chronic joint pain and even acute pain that is intense may cause mobility problems that can disrupt an individual’s daily routine and decrease that person’s quality of life. If the symptoms are not properly treated, they can eventually start to have detrimental effects on emotional and mental health as well.

Several types of joint injections have been established for the purpose of pain management. A typical joint injection usually consists of a combination of a corticosteroid and an anesthetic that target both pain and inflammation.

Incision and drainage of abscesses (I & D)

Our providers at San Tan Cardiovascular Center offer treatment for an abscess that is primarily through antibiotic medication and/or incision and drainage (I & D).

Smaller abscesses may resolve on their own with the application of warm compresses and antibiotic medications.

Larger abscesses will require I & D if the medication and compresses are not successful.

This is a simple in-office sterile procedure done with a local anesthetic.  Your doctor makes an incision through the numbed skin over the abscess. Pus is drained out of the abscess then pocket and dressing will be applied.

Biopsy of Skin Lesions

We perform simple skin biopsies in the office. A shave biopsy is usually done in the doctor’s office or in a clinic. It usually takes about 10–15 minutes.

The skin is cleaned and a local anesthetic is used to freeze the area so you won’t feel any pain. The doctor uses a sharp blade to shave off the tumor.

Removal of skin tags

The procedure to remove skin tags normally involve simply cutting the stalk that connects the tag to the body. This process may involve a small amount of discomfort; but, is typically painless enough that it can be performed without any type of anesthetic.

How do I get started?

Contact San Tan Cardiovascular Center today to make an appointment with one of our healthcare providers.

At this appointment:

  • we will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms and perform a non-invasive, diagnostic test to further determine your medical condition,
  • any pertinent testing that needs to be done beforehand will also be ordered at this time.

Our billing department will then contact your health insurance company to obtain prior authorization for the needed services.