Innova "I"- Blog News - Innova Medical Care- The First Direct Care in Orlando

It might not be depression but languishing

6/1/2017

I call it languishing.. or drying up, fading, withering, instead of endogenous depression. Symptoms may be the same - emptiness, frustration, lack of fulfillment, anger, lack of joy, sadness... you name it. They mimic medical depression requiring medicamentous treatment but the line between them both, even when fine, is visible and demarcated and lie on the reasons causing it. These must be identified and attacked accordingly.

In my practice, I hear the inner voices of so many souls screaming for a way out of this type of sadness. I am not hereby referring to an unexpected intense life event such as the death of a family member, divorce, loss of employment, natural disasters, along with their subsequent mourning process or genetic depression; it is rather the ongoing fading of someone's passion, desire, happiness.

Even when this might appear as what our culture knows as depression , it is categorically different.

Through years of caring, listening and observing I have encountered and reaffirmed that a major reason for languishing is not knowing the why of one's own existence. Digging in and probing as I take the medical history , I uncover this culprit many times: the lack of understanding of one's purpose and mission in life acts almost as a leech sucking the life out of wonderfully God created human lives. Just existing, surviving, living by default rather than by design, many are confronting and solving daily job challenges without the passion, strength and fire to perform; tending to their families, and surviving day by day . How long can someone face life without hope, motive and meaning?

As I walk alongside my patients, discovering the why behind the symptoms is vital. Does medication have a role in the treatment of a tired soul, one who's desperately longing for its meaning? Even when a prescribed drug could help someone temporarily, the real liberating and healing comes from a much different place and process: the intentional discovery of one's God given purpose. This will breath aliveness , transfuse back vitality and inject vigor into each and every body cell!

Where should you start? Identify if this is the issue at hand and begin the process! Look inside. Ask yourself questions about who you really are, what you love, what makes you alive! Come up with honest, clear and transparent answers. No masks allowed. Jot them down. Find books about Life Purpose. Allow yourself the time to read them. Define yourself progressively. Don't be afraid to verbalize your passions, your deepest desire and to envision your change. And may I suggest something that continues to help me in discovering my own passions? PRAY. It will get you to His highest dimension.

Dr. Aviles

There is hope. There is freedom on the other side of the fence.

Have you joined our FB group yet?

4/9/2017

We just started a 2 weeks challenge. It's easy...just request to be added to the group!

Have you joined our "Gotta Move for 10 Minutes Daily" Facebook group yet?
We will post ideas on how to do it but, most of all, we will liberate ourselves from the guilt of not exercising long chunks of time every day. Blocks of 10 minutes are a great idea for busy women, both in or out of the house; and men alike.

We will take it from there... No expectations but pure health! Dr. Aviles

Heart Health on February... Let your heart 'beet'!

1/30/2017

Protect your heart and your vessels. It is heart health month, and I just want to remind you of things you know must do, such as EXERCISE daily , MANAGE YOUR STRESS BETTER and, of course. EAT RIGHT!
This is where this bloody-colored veggie ~ BEETS ~ gets in the picture.
As 'red' as it sounds, and despite their taste (ouch!!), there are too many positive claims on the goodness of this vegetable for your cardiovascular system, so it is almost impossible to pass it on and forget it as part of our wellness cabinet.
Did you know that beets could make you:
1. more energetic?
2. lower your blood pressure?
3. increase your blood flow to muscles while exercising?
4. decrease stiffening of your arteries at rest?
And have...
5. Potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects due to their betalain pigment content?

In addition to the betalain pigments, they contain high doses of NITRATES (one of their secrets), which when converted to Nitrous Oxide (NO) in your body, will achieve vasorelaxation (see Image 1) and other benefits (Image 2)!

Image 1: Vasorelaxation

Image 2

There is a lot of science going on when it comes to beets and cardiovascular disease.
From blood pressure, to aneurysms and atherosclerosis , beets could have an amazing beneficial impact on your heart health, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Because we are what we eat, and our best medicine is food, give BEETS a try. Add them to your daily regime. /Smoothie-them' in, eat them in your salad, and if not ... get a super beet powder concentrate out there and let your heart "beet" as strong and healthy as it can.

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References:
To beet or Not To Beet- Researchers test theories of beet juice benefits

Nitric Oxide and Arterial disease - Journal of Vascular Surgery -July 2004

The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease- 2015-Nutrients Journal

To Your Heart Health!
Dr. Aviles
Innova Medical Care

My Personal Thank You: Building a Different Medical Practice For You

12/31/2016

I chose to make a different contribution to you, my community when back in 2014 I opened Innova Medical Care. This post gets personal when I share with you it would have made more financial sense to be employed by a group of doctors then, but my heart was set in embarking on a different journey by starting a small, personable family owned medical practice.
Family owned? Yes, for my husband felt strong about supporting me financially by lending me the monies from his retirement plan to make this happen. And since, he and my kids have been very present in the nitty gritty of it all.

Why am I sharing this piece of my life story with you? There is power in family working together! There is power in your life mission when you are operating in it! Communities get positively impacted by the difference you build up; and as you give, you are also transformed! I have been blessed by you, and I want to thank you.

As a small family owned small business, I really wanted my medical office to be a stand alone Family Practice office, committed to personable medical care, without big buildings and big staff. That is how Innova was born in the East part of Orlando and how we have been serving. Isabel is my right hand, she loves what she does and her work extends mine. She is family to me.

Many times I have been tempted to move back to the old way and give a more financially pompous life to my kids, but then I remember that is not the legacy I want to be remembered by.

I take time to take the trash out, I answer phones when I can, our furniture is simple, my kids help me carrying stuff back and forth from and to office, my husband fixes most of the broken and damaged items. This is not embarassing nor a secret. It is WORK and I take pride in it. I want this extra effort from our part benefit the pockets of my patients. And this is one of my family gifts to you.

On my day to day, I thrive on patients' successes, improvements, stories of healing and thanksgiving. Many are finally trusting 'the medical system' again through our care. Like one patient told me (S.H.) "At last, I am trusting doctors again". Isn't this what we all need, a place of trust? My heart refreshes when I hear these remarks over and over again. I want to bring this as another of our gifts: a space of trust between you and your physician.

Without you we couldn't have done it. Thanks for all the words of appreciation, all the gifts of love ( from delicious 'pasteles', and desserts, to surprising heartfelt gifts); the innumerable words of encouragement, prayers received privately and in secret; and for your sincere smiles, Facebook posts and emojis, referrals (as there is no office without patients), reviews, and the list goes on! These make my heart beat stronger!

My thanks would not be complete if I did not apologize for being impatient sometimes, or if you saw a moody face here and there. And I hope you have not minded my wearing jeans. (By the way, you may not see my intellectual white coat as often from now on...).

I cherish you, and as year 2017 begins, my genuine desire is for you to know I appreciate your trust and your presence in my life. I have learned lots from you, more than you can fathom. Allow me also to encourage and give you hope as you 'walk the walk', for it is about legacy and giving of who you are, so the world of others is enhanced. Make your mark. Leaving the legacy you are called for will absolutely make your life more joyful and fulfilled. "There is more joy in giving than receiving". It has to me.

Last , but not least, I believe that without my Heavenly Father and his gifts of health, family support and the committed love so indispensable in the steadfast giving of myself to you (for which I thank Him daily) I would not be who I am nor doing what I do.

I humbly pray that my patients and all those lives touched through many medical encounters have experienced the positive, long lasting meaning and significance of my service. It is also my hope you can share with others what we are warmly bringing into our community especially to those who are in need of
"A New Kind of Medicine".

With my deepest gratitude, have a powerful 2017!

Dr. Maribel Aviles, M.D.
Innova Medical Care
A New Kind of Medicine

I go to the doctor once a year... Is Direct Primary Care good for me?

12/2/2016

Happy patients=Happy doctors

I used to go to the doctor only once a year. I was young then, and many young and not so young people see the doctor annually these days, especially people without insurance or the under-insured.
But even when our office is one fo the few with a " Pay As You Go" (cash) program increasing accessibility to medical care, our Direct Care Membership might make much more sense to obtain medical care. Let's see why. 1. This option is only available to people who really need to see the doctor once a year ( as they do not take medications, don't need to have repeat blood tests, and are in optimal health). They just want their physical exam or well woman exam annually. 2. Chances that something out of the norm will happen to these folks will be "minimal" , and won't need to call me at all in the interim.They may risk it and go to the ER or Urgent Care.
But is this indeed the norm? Not really, But if you are one of those, you may think covering a monthly membership fee for this is plain crazy, out of you comfort zone, or represents an unnecessary out of pocket expenses. Maybe! Maybe not!
3. Check this example out:
Young female visits Doctor X. She is uninsured , healthy, without risk factors and just wants an annual exam. Wants to avoid a county clinic (which is always an option) or a non profit organization:

First Office Visit $150 (some gynecologists may charge up to $250)
Blood Work with urine analysis (basics) : $150
PAP cytology: $200
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (based on age) $100
Total: $500-$600* (low side of estimate)
(*If no further discussion is needed with the physician (everything is normal)- this patient will get a call and be advised by the office or medical assistant that 'everything is ok' (what does that really mean, anyways?).

All done! But, ouch! Some lab results are off! She must visit the doctor again.
Follow Up Visit Up to $100 ( or more?)
New testing: $XX.XX (repeat test for example)
New total: $585-$685 plus $XX.XX (if applicable)

Three months later she gets a bladder infection and needs antibiotics. Unless she decides to take a risky chance in self administering the 'leftover" antibiotics from last bronchitis (not advisable), she MUST visit the doctor again. Follow Up visit: Up to $100 Urinalysis-$20 (or more) Urine Culture - up to $100 Subtotal: $220
New total: Over $850 (now she has spent $200 more than with her membership at Innova.

Potential savings: Over $200 by signing up for Innova's Direct Primary Care
For only $50/mo ( less than $2/day) she could have received 'all of the above' plus:
1. Still have unlimited visits if needed later for urgent issues (saving pricey urgent care fees obtained from unfamiliar clinicians)
2. More than basic blood tests
3. In house tests at no extra charge
4. Full and detailed discussion of results with treatment options.
5. Have a preventive program in place where the natural and standard remedies meet.
6. Have a thorough, personal and advocating doc 24/7 without having to miss work unnecessarily. 7. And much more. Got it?

I respect my patients' choices and decisions. It is each person's prerrogative to determine their best course of action. My job is to inform and educate. And my hope is for people to pay close attention, get informed and save health monies while getting the best medical care, in an environment where you are advocated for and personally known. Only when you understand the real value behind Direct Primary Care and take the steps to join, will you realize what you have been missing all along. Nevertheless, if a "Pay as You Go" option is what you feel you need, we will be glad to help. Just Call us for pricing and check if you meet our criteria. And join our pioneering health care in Orlando and nationally, Innova Direct Primary Care.

Dr. Aviles
407-394-1336

Innova Medical Care
First Direct Primary Care in Orlando and...
A New Kind of Medicine!

Welcome to Innova's team Lismarie!

10/1/2016

Thanks Lismarie!

Happy to have you as Innova's Marketing Ambassador reaching and educating our community about our medical care through the Direct Primary Care model.
Lots of people do not know of our existence, yet there are many who could benefit from our services as they are an alternative to traditional models of medical practices; and are cash friendly to both the uninsured and the insured alike! We want the 'world' to know, so here she comes!
Please, greet her and say Hello when you see her out there. We hope we can serve you in the future,
Dr. Aviles Innova Medical Care, A new Kind of Medicine!

Prescription: Hope

8/11/2016

Love this quote from Gandhi.
But may I add that without HOPE this quote would be sort of incomplete?
Despite challenges, we continue fighting the good fight. We are equipped with will. But , how would our will persevere without the fuel of HOPE?
The HOPE that there is good on the way, that things will change, that I will change, that my disease will be healed, that the right person will come about, that the solution will show up, or maybe that 'the magic' moment will happen.
As a physician, HOPE is an important ingredient in my daily prescriptions and conversations with my patients. I see how glimpses of HOPE change the lives of people I care for. I witness how HOPE instilled can brighten a darkened face by sadness; and how in that new freedom people's WILL POWER get reignited and converted into a burst of focused and positive actions.

Yes we have a WILL, and will power, but only fueled by HOPE can it get that indomitable.
Therefore, the last thing we must lose is HOPE.

Proverbs 13,12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Here is a gift for you... Rx Hope.
Persevere.
Be hopeful,

Dr. Aviles

What Is Direct Primary Care (DPC)? The Revised, Modern Definition.

5/2/2016

Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices are distinguished from other retainer-based care models, such as concierge care, by lower (monthly) retainer fees (82% cost less than $99/mo), which cover at least a portion of primary care services provided in the DPC practice; No insurance plan is involved, although patients may have separate insurance coverage for more costly medical services

the cost of not having a direct primary care doctor

4/20/2016

Taken from Dr. Eric Crall , M.D.
MyDPCdoc Family Medicine

The most common question I hear from prospective new patients who already have insurance, and don't yet understand the DPC model, is "Why would I pay you $40 a month when I already have insurance?" In many cases, a DPC practice saves more than the amount of the membership fee each month. The following is a sampling of the many opportunities DPC affords for savings:

There are no costs, such as co-pays, when you see the doctor.
There is a lower likelihood of expensive urgent care services due to the accessibility to the doctor.
There is a lower likelihood of expensive imaging tests being ordered due to the extra time that the physician has to determine the cause of symptoms, using less expensive and less invasive diagnostic tests.
The physician will proactively look for the least expensive medications, when medications are needed.
You are less likely to be referred out for expensive specialist evaluation due to the extra time the physician can spend looking for the root cause of your problems.

But ultimately it's not just about cost but, rather, the opportunity to have a partner in helping you enjoy better health.

When testing is needed outside of the office, the physician proactively looks for the least expensive way to get testing done, using very economical cash pricing options when possible.
You are less likely to miss time away from work due to same-day accessibility and the opportunity to get well quicker.
You are less likely to miss time away from work due to the possibility of alternative visit models such as phone visits or virtual visits when possible.
And finally, your insurance can be changed to a higher deductible, catastrophic plan that carries a lower premium that saves more than the amount of the membership fee.

So all these benefits essentially cost nothing if your net health cost goes down each month. But ultimately it's not just about cost but, rather, the opportunity to have a partner in helping you enjoy better health. When your physician has the time to explain the pros and cons of diagnostic testing rather than just giving you an order to have it done, you may be spared the harmful effects (of radiation, for example). When you understand the benefits and risks of prescription drugs, as well as the alternatives such as "therapeutic lifestyle change," you are less likely to experience the toxic effects of medication.

In the end, it is generally I who asks, "How can you afford not having a DPC physician?"

Figure out if our Direct Care is right for you. Call Us 407-394-1336
Innova Medical Care
A New Kind of Medicine!

I am proud of providing my patients with Direct Primary Care

4/20/2016

At Innova Medical Direct Care:
We are family friendly.
Our services average $60/month
We reduce admissions to hospitals
We spend longer times with our patients
We can be more accessible to respond to messages and bring our patients to our evaluation faster

Get Informed! Get Started!
* Data collected by Concierge Medicine research Collective

Dr. Aviles
407-394-1336