Mountain Family Health
By Laura Jackson
The centuries-old tradition of the unique doctor- patient relationship has long been a part of our American culture. There’s a certain atmosphere of trust and confidence that comes with a doctor who knows your first name without glancing down at the chart. Around our country, the changing face of medicine has meant that small family medical practices have rapidly been replaced with large medical groups and rotating doctors, sometimes leaving patients wondering which medical professional in a white coat will arrive at their treatment door.
Park City is extremely fortunate to still have a small family medical practice that understands the value of providing the best, and most personal care available. At Mountain Family Health, their philosophy centers around taking care of patients as if they were their closest friends and neighbors. And often they are.
It all began on opposite ends of the countr, where both Dr. Brian Rush and Dr. Julie Dolan grew up in small town communities. They each experienced a deep-rooted respect and admiration for their family physicians, and for the type of medical care they could provide. Fast forward a few years, many combined years of medical school, residency and group practice. Then a unique husband and wife doctor team returned to their hearts’ passion for dedicated patient care. Together they formed Mountain Family Health in Park City, and have been providing superior care to their devoted patients for over 17 years.
Taking Care of the Whole Patient
At Mountain Family Health, there is an underlying understanding that the whole human body is much greater than the sum of its individual parts. Part of our nation’s trend in healthcare has been the rise in the number of medical specialties. From the tips of our fingers to our toenails, and everything in between, there seems to be a specialist dedicated to treating each particular body part.
It’s refreshing to find a practice that offers a wide range of services aimed at providing as holistic of an approach as possible. Just a few of the services you find at Mountain Family Health include: preventive and chronic care for men and women of all ages, pediatric care, dermatologic care, bioidentical hormone therapy, sports injuries treatment and urgent care. Their onsite x-ray is particularly appealing for patients with a minor injury seeking to avoid the emergency room.
Dr. Rush explains, “It’s definitely still important to know when it’s necessary to refer to a specialist, and that’s where our 35 years of combined experience comes in. But we also believe in understanding how a specific problem affecting one part of the body impacts the patient’s overall long-term health and well-being.”
Why Listening Matters
“I believe the key to practicing the best medicine is listening,” said Dr. Dolan. “Although it’s really much easier and faster to come to a rapid conclusion and hand a person a prescription, that’s not the model we practice with. Patients will often tell you what’s happening with them if you let them.”
Having access to your physician, especially when you need it most, is one of those core characteristics patients value more than just about anything else. Not only is their office available by phone and for same day appointments, but for emergencies, Dr. Rush’s cell phone is the one connected the answering machine each night.
Choosing a Proactive Approach
Mountain Family Health’s dedication to their patients is immediately apparent after spending even a brief time in their office. This concern translates to staying on top of the latest medical research, as well as taking the time to understand their patients’ needs. “We focus on trying to make a difference in our patients’ lives and overall health, rather than just treating the problems, and that means taking more time with each patient,” explains Dr. Rush.
Practicing What You Preach
It’s easy to see that both Dr. Rush and Dr. Dolan can personally attest to the benefits of maintaining strong and healthy bodies. You might even see them running on the trails preparing for their next ultra marathon, skiing, biking or any number of places in our Park City community. There’s no doubt they value achieving optimum health, and this guides them to continually refine their health models and practices to provide the best medical care possible for their patients.
mountainfamilyhealth.com | 435-940-9400
