Energized at Work: Episode 13 with Family Practice Physician/ Fair Trade Medicine Proponent Dr. Andru Zeller

Dr. Andru Zeller is a primary care physician who is focused on fair trade medicine. He founded the Simply Salud Clinic in 2004 as a family-centered, fair trade, integrative medical practice for people of limited economic means.

Dr. Zeller completed a family practice residency, followed by a fellowship in rural health. He talks about the strength and power of medicine, but also some of the challenges, especially the cost of healthcare faced by patients of limited economic means. This inspired him to develop a practice focused on fair trade medicine. The clinic is a sustainable business, and continues to serve himself, his family, and his community.  In this episode, he speaks about his mission as well as the associated challenges. 

He has been very intentional about how he wants to make an impact in healthcare, and he has developed several innovations.

• The clinic provides primary care, women’s health, and mental health services.

• The clinic also provides integrative health services and complex pain assessment.

• Dr. Zeller initiated a volunteer health apprentice model, which helps provide direct patient care experience to pre-health students, as well as functioning to keep costs down so that the clinic can continue to function sustainably.

• He is also developing Pain Scan, which is a technology-assisted pain evaluation system. He saw the need for such a system, as he treats many low-income, hard-working people. 

• He became interested in integrative medicine during residency, and incorporates this into pain management.

To learn more about Dr. Zeller and the Pain Scan System, please see these links:

Simply Salud
painscansystem.com