Ep 87: The Importance of Medical Screenings with Dr. Amy Baruch, MD

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What happens when patients can't access the care they need? How can we bridge the gap between emergency situations and preventive medicine in an overwhelmed healthcare system?

Dr. Amy Baruch, MD is back this week with Mike Krause and Dr. Helena Fowler, DCN. Join us for an insightful conversation as we explore the critical importance of maintaining relationships with primary care providers and navigating healthcare access challenges. 

Dr. Baruch shares her decades of emergency medicine experience, discussing the physician shortage crisis, the delicate balance between patient anxiety and medical necessity, and her perspective on COVID-19's impact on healthcare workers. 

From the realities of emergency department wait times to the compassionate approach needed when patients don't know if their symptoms warrant immediate attention, this episode offers valuable insights for both healthcare providers and patients seeking to understand our complex medical system.

In this Episode
🎧 Planning ahead for healthcare needs. Scheduling your next annual appointment immediately after your current one, as physician shortages make last-minute appointments increasingly challenging to secure.
🎧 Maintaining ongoing relationships with your primary care provider. Staying connected with your doctor ensures better access to care when acute issues arise and enables more effective communication through modern messaging systems.
🎧 Trusting your instincts when seeking emergency care. Why patients shouldn't feel embarrassed about seeking medical attention when concerned (please don’t try to self-diagnose serious conditions like appendicitis or kidney stones – it’s what the healthcare professionals are there for!)
🎧 Healthcare system challenges and the need for collaborative solutions
🎧 The effect of cognitive load on quality of care
🎧 When ER docs manage 25-30 patients, the ability to provide meaningful connections and optimal care becomes significantly compromised
🎧 Preventive care as the long-term solution. Why it’s important to invest in nutrition education, lifestyle interventions, and early health education; how these factors can significantly reduce emergency department visits and improve overall population health.

ABOUT AMY

Amy Baruch is from New York and has lived in Boise, Idaho since 1997.  She is an  emergency medicine physician, expecting to retire from clinical practice in 2026. She has culinary training from the French  Culinary Institute in NYC and is fellowship- trained in integrative medicine from the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. She started Amy’s Teaching Kitchen in her home in January 2025. 

Website: tweakedrecipes.com

Email: [e-mail]

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