The specialty of Family Medicine was created in 1969, but the practice of Family Medicine has existed in small towns across this county for many more years. The recognition of Family Medicine as a distinct specialty sought to bring all those providers together and solidify the rigorous training we have come to expect in these physicians. Family Medicine Physicians attend a three-year residency program after graduating from medical school. In these residencies, they are trained to treat most medical problems and to provide comprehensive care for persons of all ages.
Physician Assistants (PA’s) are health care professionals educated in a medical model very similar to physicians. All potential PA students must have a minimum of four years of health care experience before applying to PA school, as well as a four year undergraduate degree. PA education is two years of intensive accredited medical education. PA’s can work in either primary care or specialty care. They are limited only by the practice of their supervising physician.
Here at Ravalli Family Medicine, our two Family Physicians and two Physician Assistants provide numerous health care services, such as:
- Adult Preventative Health Care:
- Annual Physicals
- Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and Welcome to Medicare exams
- DOT Physicals
- Routine immunizations, including flu shots
- Men’s/Women’s Health:
- Family Planning, include vasectomy, IUD insertion, Nexplanon insertion
- Cervical cancer screening with pap smear and HPV testing
- Sexual Health care, including the management of erectile dysfunction and low testosterone
- Menopausal disorders and hormone replacement therapy.
- Common Conditions/Diseases:
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Thyroid disorders
- Depression
- Asthma and COPD
- Osteoarthritis Joint Injections
- GI disorders, including heartburn, ulcer disease, irritable bowel
- Chronic kidney disease
- Allergies
- Weight management
- Seniors/Geriatric Care:
- Dementia disorders, including Alzheimer’s
- Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and management
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep disorders
- Child and Adolescent Care:
- Well child exams
- Sports physicals
- Routine immunizations, including flu shots
- Asthma and allergy
- Routine childhood illnesses
- ADHD
- Dermatology:
- Skin Biopsy
- Skin Cancer Treatment
- Acne Treatment
No list of services in Family Medicine can be complete due to the wide breadth of illnesses we diagnosis and treat. Contact our office if you have specific health care needs not listed above.