🎙 The Whole-Person Approach to Diabetes Care Ep. 304

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Dr. Michael Koren interviews Lavern Dowell, an advanced registered nurse practitioner who specializes in diabetes care. They discuss her approach to treating the whole person and how mental health can impact everything from diet and exercise to the ability to go see a physician. They also emphasize the need to increase diversity in medical research and the importance of delivering diagnoses with sensitivity to avoid causing shame to patients.

Learn more about Lavern's practice here: https://www.dowellmedical.org/

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Have a question for Dr. Koren? Email him at [e-mail]

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Music: Storyblocks - Corporate Inspired

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Episode Transcript

Announcement (00:00):
Welcome to MedEvidence, where we help you
navigate the truth behindmedical research with unbiased,
evidence-proven facts Hosted bycardiologist and top medical
researcher, Dr Michael Koren.

Dr. Michael Koren (00:11):
Hello, I'm Dr .
Michael Koren, the executiveeditor of MedEvidence! I have a
really neat opportunity today tospeak with Laverne Dowell, who
is an advanced registered nursepractitioner who's been
practicing here in Jacksonvillefor a number of years and is
really interested in research.
So, laverne, tell us a littlebit about yourself and then tell

(00:32):
us why you're interested inresearch for your patients.

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (00:35):
Well, it's very important that we have
diversity in research.
So my interest is because inthe past, research was geared
more to one side of thepopulation, and today my
interest is that we are morediverse.
You know, for example, maybe amedication for high blood

(00:57):
pressure.
It's important to know thatmedication works for all types
of people, not for only one sideof our population.

Dr. Michael Koren (01:05):
Exactly.
I think it's so importantbecause you don't always know if
something will work in men andwomen equally, in blacks and
whites equally, people ofdifferent ages.
And the only way to figure thatout is getting everybody
involved.

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (01:17):
Correct!

Dr. Michael Koren (01:18):
And you're really interested in diabetes,
so tell us a little bit aboutthat.

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (01:22):
So diabetes has been my passion for
many, many, many years.
I started looking into thatwhen my mother-in-law was
diagnosed with diabetes and thefirst thing they told her was
that her A1C was elevated andthey brought her in to give her
the result and they told herthat she was a diabetic.

(01:45):
And just using that word reallyscares people.
So, as a provider, I went intodiabetes because I wanted to
deliver that message in a verycareful and concise manner, not
scaring people, because when youlook at someone and you say

(02:05):
you're diabetic, it can be,thought of like a shame
situation.
So, as a provider, I don't want to shame
people.
I want to deliver a message, achronic disease message, whether
or not it's diabetes or lupusor any other chronic disease, in
a manner that is sensitivetowards that client.

Dr. Michael Koren (02:22):
Well, I think that's super important.
Now for treating diabetes.
There's a lot of elements to it.
There are lifestyle elements toit, and then there are
medications.
So how would you approach yourpatients to help them understand
that both are important?

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (02:36):
Well, first of all, every patient is
individualized.
We might have a patient withdiabetes that weigh 400 pounds.
We might have a patient withdiabetes that weigh 125 pounds.
So teaching them aboutnutrition is very important, but
we have to know is it forweight loss or is it for
maintenance, or maybe it'ssimple.

(03:03):
Metformin will work for onepatient, but it will not work
for another patient.
So that's very importantlearning about your patient and
their individual needs.

Dr. Michael Koren (03:08):
So I have a question for you.
I know that you take a veryhands-on approach to your
patients, so why don't youexplain to folks what are the
advantages to working with youand your concierge practice?

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (03:22):
Correct.
Thank you for asking thatquestion.
So I am a specialist in regardto diabetes, but also I do
mental health.
And I do believe that mentalhealth plays a big, big role in
taking care of yourself, whetheror not nutritionally, or
whether or not taking yourmedication or even going to your

(03:45):
doctor.
At my practice, however, wedon't treat one part of the
client.
We treat the whole entireclient.

Dr. Michael Koren (03:54):
That's so important.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, thank you so much forbeing part of MedEvidence! Best
of luck with your practice andwe look forward to working with
you in research.

Laverne Dowell, ARNP (04:02):
Thank you very much.

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