Being a “People Person” is a GOOD Thing

Many of you know that I was raised in Southwest Florida. Collier County has been my home for most of my life. And though I have traveled to other parts of the country, I’m always interested in hearing how Physicians Regional stacks up against other healthcare organizations.

Not long ago, a friend of mine made a comment that stuck with me. Like so many who live in Naples and Marco Island, this person relocated from a large metropolitan area. His comment: “My doctors here know more about me—medically and personally—than any of my physicians up north. I went to the same primary care physician for over 20 years, and though he was a great guy, he only knew what he had to know to get through the issue in question.”

As this particular man always has a lot to say, he continued. He gushed about his local primary care physician, gastroenterologist, dermatologist, urologist and cardiologist. Like it or not, as we get older, we tend to need a lot more “ologists.”

As great as it is that my friend feels so confident about his health care providers, I’m equally gratified that all his doctors are part of Physicians Regional Medical Group. I never allow myself to lose sight of the fact that I’m a patient, too.

We are in such an enviable position in Southwest Florida as so many of the best and brightest come here to practice medicine. Regardless of your profession, Naples and Marco Island are highly desirable areas. So many of the extraordinary physicians who have moved here and joined Physicians Regional essentially offer the best of both worlds—small-town compassion and big-city skills and experience. These men and women don’t just move here to be physicians; they move here to be part of our community.

Case in point—our most recent addition to our Primary Care team: Dr. Leonard Glaser.

Dr. Glaser, board certified in internal medicine, specializes in all aspects of primary care for adults and geriatrics. His services include wellness visits and preventative care and treatment for acute and chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, depression and back pain.

A native of Spokane, Washington, and a graduate of the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle, Dr. Glaser had a highly respected practice in Southington, Connecticut, for 39 years. Dr. Glaser decided to relocate to Southwest Florida to be closer to family.

And as they say: Connecticut’s loss is Southwest Florida’s gain.

“The outpouring of letters and testimonials when I left Connecticut was very touching,” says Dr. Glaser. “Several people even said: ‘I wouldn’t be alive today without you.’ All this unexpected attention confirmed that what I had been doing was effective and useful to people. There’s nothing more important than that.”

Though he chose Southwest Florida to be closer to family, he also wanted to achieve a healthier work-life balance. “I noticed that my patients who wintered in Florida were more vigorous and healthier when they returned in the Spring than their counterparts who wintered in the North,” explains Dr. Glaser. “Now, I can continue to pursue my love of medicine and exercise outdoors year-round.”

Dr. Glaser chose Internal Medicine as a specialty because he was fascinated by the rigor of the science of medicine in all its specialties, such as infectious disease, endocrinology and cardiology.

Though many still bypass this important step, I continue to urge every single resident of Collier County to establish a relationship with a primary care physician. For example, if you take the “Dr. Google” approach and choose a specialist on your own, you’re likely to refer yourself inappropriately.

Dr. Glaser reminds us: “A specialist is only going to look at one part of you. It’s amazing how completely integrated every system in your body is. Everything is interconnected and your primary care physician is going to look at all those things. As every system has some sort of screening, a primary care physician will make sure you’re completing all the impropriate screenings and refer you to specialists as needed.”

Dr. Glaser is also a self-described “people person”—he truly loves his patients. “I like to talk to people. I try to smile a lot.”

He personally calls all his patients back about their lab work and feels strongly that they have the option to call him directly as well. Dr. Glaser truly cares for the “whole person”—in more ways than one.

“I advise all my patients on the components of a healthy lifestyle, such as good sleep habits, moderate alcohol, smoking cessation, etc., but the one thing that is at the core of good health and enhances and facilitates the other components is exercise. It is hard to tout the benefits of a regular exercise habit without making it sound like a cure-all. It makes any chronic disease better, prevents disease and prolongs and enhances the enjoyment of life.”

And his philosophy on patient care? In a word: Quality. “Quality in itself is hard to define, but everyone knows it when they see it.”

Yes, they do.

Dr. Leonard Glaser is accepting new patients at Physicians Regional-Collier Boulevard, 8340 Collier Blvd., Suite 405, and at our Marco Island Clinic at 1839 San Marco Rd. To make an appointment, call 239-348-4221 or visit PhysiciansRegionalMedicalGroup.com.