Preventative Care Measures Against Diabetes Among Hypertensive Patients

Presenter: Ellen Osterman, Cellular Biology & Molecular Genetics and Chemistry, Global Public Health Scholars

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During my practicum, I worked as a clinical medical assistant at Gaithersburg Family Medicine in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This was part of an externship program to become a certified clinical medical assistant. My role involved two main aspects: office administration work and patient care. 

As part of the administrative work, I was responsible for responding to patients over the phone, updating patient charts, and sending tickler files to remind patients to schedule appointments. I learned how the healthcare system works and the importance of empathy and communication when helping patients find time for their health despite busy schedules.  In terms of patient care, I collected patient vitals, EKGs, and respiratory function tests. This taught me how to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment and the preventative care measures and risk factors that doctors use to help patients avoid common diseases. At Gaithersburg Family Medicine, diabetes is the most commonly assessed disease due to its high prevalence in the area. It is the ninth leading cause of mortality worldwide. We monitor patients' blood pressure to watch for hypertension, which puts them at risk for diabetes. importance of empathy and communication when helping patients find time for their health in spite of busy work schedules. My role in patient care involved the collection of patient vitals, EKGs, and respiratory function tests. Patient care taught me how to work efficiently in a fast-paced work environment, and the preventative care measures and risk factors doctors use and look out for to help patients avoid common diseases. Of the many common diseases, diabetes has the highest prevalence in Gaithersburg and therefore is the most often disease assessed for at Gaithersburg Family Medicine. Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of mortality worldwide. At our office, we watch patients' blood pressure to watch for hypertension which puts patients at risk for diabetes.