If you’re only going to the doctor when you’re sick, and not keeping up with annual wellness visits, you may be missing out on better health. What you don’t know about your health can hurt you.
Annual wellness visits are an essential tool to help you get – and stay – on track for a healthy and active lifestyle, as well as provide early detection of illnesses and diseases. Yearly visits include important screenings, necessary vaccinations, and the opportunity to establish a relationship with a provider to guide you through your health journey.
RiverView Health has a variety of primary care providers (PCP) who specialize in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. A primary care provider should be the first person in the healthcare system that you contact when you are sick or have a question about your health. They can provide care and answers to your questions or recommend a specialist to meet your needs.
If a specialist is needed, your PCP will work to coordinate information between all of your healthcare providers. That provider will also make sure there is no duplication of care and testing, and that nothing is left out. Your provider can also help you find other resources, such as support groups and classes.
Preventive Care
One of the main responsibilities of a PCP is to provide preventive care. A PCP can help you catch problems before they arise. Your provider will get to know you, your history, and your family history. They will make sure you get the screenings you need, and identify and treat any minor problems before they become major ones.
It’s important that you build an honest relationship with your PCP. While it can be intimidating and even embarrassing to talk about your health concerns openly, it’s important to discuss even the most intimate health problems. Remember that your provider won’t be embarrassed, shocked, or offended by even your most embarrassing symptoms.
Play an active role in your health. Make sure you speak up with any questions or concerns you have, regardless of how minor they may seem. Take your provider’s warnings seriously and do not hesitate to ask for more informational resources.
The easiest way to prolong life and keep healthcare costs affordable for everyone is to take measures to prevent illness whenever possible.
Annual exams and a healthy lifestyle are two big preventive measures you can control. A competent PCP offers the continuity of care that health maintenance over a lifetime requires.
RiverView Health has primary care providers offering services in Crookston, Fertile, and Red Lake Falls. Choose the provider who best suits your needs, and know that you are not alone in your lifetime journey of good health for you and your family.
Family Medicine
RiverView Clinics are staffed with a wide variety of Family Medicine providers – including medical doctors (MD), a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), certified nurse practitioners (CNP), and family nurse practitioners-certified (FNP-C).
Family Medicine providers care for people of all ages – from infants through end-of-life. These providers often care for the same patients throughout their lives. In many cases, they care for multiple generations of family members at the same time.
Family Medicine providers at RiverView Health and their practice locations include:
- Ian Glidden, MD; Crookston, Fertile
- Lauren Rose, DO; Crookston, Red Lake Falls
- Erika Beckett, APRN, CNP, Fertile
- Tia Gullickson, APRN, FNP-C; Red Lake Falls
- Riley Hermreck, APRN, FNP-C; Crookston
- Forrest LaPorte, APRN, CNP; Crookston
- Natalie Royal, APRN, FNP-C; Crookston
Longtime RiverView provider, Dr. Erik Kanten, who recently retired from his primary care practice, now sees patients on a part-time basis for acute visits, like sinus infections and injuries. He also continues to offer FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and DOT (Department of Transportation) exams.
Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine providers, also known as internists, primarily care for adults. Internal Medicine doctors specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease in their adult patients. They are trained to offer care for a wide variety of health conditions and to counsel their patients on prevention and overall wellness.
The following Internal Medicine doctors offer primary care at RiverView:
- Bosun Fashoro, MD; Crookston
- Israel Mostafa, MD; Crookston
- Comfort Olayioye (Ola), MD; Crookston
All RiverView Health providers are taking new patients. To schedule an appointment with any of the providers listed above, call 281-9595 and ask for an appointment to establish care with your preferred provider, or ask the patient access representative for recommendations.