Advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) Scot Fleshman and his wife, Jessica, are determined to bring a new type of patient-centered health care to town. The young couple, both Gig Harbor natives, recently opened Rainier Family Medicine, a primary care family medicine clinic located in the Gig Harbor Corporate Center, next to Uptown Gig Harbor and across the street from the local library.
A privately owned medical clinic dedicated to spending as much time with each patient as may be necessary to promote health and wellbeing, Rainier Family Medicine offers a wide variety of services—even same-day sick visits—which range from sports physicals to wellness exams, chronic disease management to immunizations, preventative care to acute illness treatment, and more.
“What we like to think makes us different is that we operate a truly patient-centric care model,” noted Fleshman in a recent interview, “rejecting the typical pattern of too many of today’s medical office visits.”
Patients often feel they are being talked ‘at’ rather than engaging in a meaningful conversation, according to Fleshman, who received his advanced post-graduate nursing degree from Vanderbilt University. With industry standards steadily moving toward shorter appointment times, he added, patients feel they are being ‘processed’ rather than treated.
The city’s newest ARNP thinks there is a better way to practice medicine, and he has been trained to do just that. (For the record, ARNPs bring a comprehensive perspective to health care, blending clinical, evidence-based expertise with advanced skills in diagnosing and treating health conditions—adding an emphasis on disease prevention and health management. They are increasingly recognized as critical members of the nation’s health-care delivery team, providing prompt access and highly skilled medical advice to patients and families across the country.)
By contrast to current norms, Rainier Family Medicine gets patients into the office virtually immediately and books longer appointment times for each person.
“Having extended conversations allows me to really get to know my patients and enhances my ability to treat the whole person, not just his or her current ailment,” the 1997 Peninsula High School graduate explained. “We want patients to know they are valued and being listened to when they visit Rainier Family Medicine. We care about the experience each patient has with us, from the time they call to make an appointment to after-appointment follow-up. This fosters a team approach to health, a crucial first step in helping each and every patient achieve optimal health.”
Fleshman tells the story of one of his nursing school mentors, a genuine “old-school doctor” who practiced his craft for nearly 50 years and shared this bit of wisdom: “If you give patients enough time to really talk to you, they will tell you what is wrong with them.”
“The message sounds simple, but it’s quite profound,” mused Fleshman, “and it’s something that has fundamentally influenced how I care for my patients.”
Meet the Provider: Rainier Family Medicine recognizes that establishing care with a new medical provider can be stressful. Often, a person doesn’t know if s/he will have a good rapport with the provider until after a first appointment. Prospective patients can eliminate their concerns by scheduling a no-obligation “get to know us” session. In addition, interested persons can visit the office website at RainierFamilyMedicine.com, call the office at 253.432.4437, check out the Rainier Family Medicine Facebook page, or simply stop in to say hello.
Rainier Family Medicine
4423 Point Fosdick Drive Suite 306
Gig Harbor, Washington
253.432.4437