How many years have you been practicing and where did you graduate from?

38 years. I graduated from Case Western and then did my residency at Boston City Hospital.

What do you enjoy most about serving Appalachian Mountain Health patients here in Western NC?

Just mostly very honest people. You know, just the background, the history of the region. There’s a lot of long history, so especially learning about patients who are from here and their family going back five generations and their lives here. It’s also nice to see a mixture of folks from other places. We see different classes of patients, from homeless, mentally ill, substance users- and I certainly enjoy working with that population because even though I don’t think a lot of people think of it this way, it’s actually probably of the highest success rates at recovery of any population.

What is your approach to patient care?

I like to understand. I usually start off by asking, just tell me about your day. Find out what my patients do, how they find enjoyment, and try to create a positive relationship. I may not always remember who has diabetes and who doesn’t, but you know, I’ll remember the person who takes care of horses and does this and that. So, really getting to know them better as a person and what’s important to them and developing a somewhat of trust so they know there’s pretty much nothing they can tell me that I can’t work with.

What is one piece of health advice you find challenging to follow yourself?

Doing adequate core exercise and getting enough walking in.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Can I have two? Abeja’s House Cafe in Hendersonville and the Curate in Asheville.

Do you have any special interests?

I like studying pain and understanding how the brain works and processes pain. Hiking is my main hobby and I enjoy spending time with my Grandkids.

What languages are you fluent in?

English.