Allie-Morris-photo Being there for our patients, regardless of their needs, is always our goal here at Family Practice Center. When it comes to providing routine family medicine services like annual physical appointments, or more urgent medical concerns, our team of healthcare providers strives to always be up to any challenge that comes our way. We know that our patients and their loved ones are depending on the highest level of medical care, and that is a trust that we do not take for granted. To help illustrate the impact that our level of care can make on our patients, we wanted to share the story of our patient Patrick. Note, the patient’s name has been changed due to their request to remain anonymous.

Patrick came to us recently for an urgent visit after experiencing symptoms that he thought could be warning signs of a stroke. We were incredibly glad that Patrick was so proactive about seeking medical attention in order to receive the care that he needed before his condition worsened. For anyone unaware, every second counts when dealing with a possible stroke. We use the BE FAST acronym as a way of alerting patients for when they should seek urgent medical attention:

B – A sudden loss of balance or equilibrium.
E – Eye issues including sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes or seeing double.
F – Unusual drooping on one or both sides of the face, which may be caused by muscle weakness or paralysis associated with a stroke.
A – Weakness in the arms, including just feeling weakness or fatigue in one arm.
S – Having trouble speaking, or slurring words.
T – Remember that time is incredibly urgent in this situation and keeping track of when symptoms started in order to relay the most helpful information possible to the healthcare provider treating the stroke.

Patrick was generous enough to take some time to speak to us about his experience. He said he chose to come to Family Practice Center for such an urgent matter because he has been a patient with us for years and knew he would be in good hands. In fact, his entire family comes here and sees Dr. Stephen Scott for all their general healthcare needs. In addition to Dr. Scott, Patrick was very grateful for the care he received from our expert nurse practitioner, Allie Morris. Patrick said he was very impressed by the care he received, as well as the short wait time to be seen. “It’s nice to have a doctor so close to home, where I can get in right away, and that seems to care.”

We are very happy to know that Patrick is back home and feeling his best. Hearing back from patients like Patrick makes all of the hard work we put in more than worth it. For more information or to schedule an appointment today, please contact Family Practice Center. We have nine locations in the metro Atlanta area to best convenience our patients. You can also forget to follow us on Facebook for additional testimonials, health tips, news, and much more.