Serendipity.
        My wife had always wanted a beagle. When she was pregnant with our son Keegan, a ragged, hungry beagle showed up on our doorstep. We called him Boogie, short for “Boogie Woogie Beagle Boy”, when we didn’t think we were keeping him. Despite our best efforts at finding his former owners, he ended up becoming ours. Just as we didn’t really plan to get a beagle, a few years ago Delaware wasn’t on our radar as a place that we might conceivably live—yet here we are.
           My path to Delaware was not very straightforward. I had always said that I was never going to be a doctor. My father was a pediatrician and I had seen the impossibly long hours that he worked in his practice. But after a stint as a “ski bum” in Wyoming and Colorado, I reassessed what I wanted to do and decided to pursue medical school.
          I attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, then moved to Asheville, North Carolina where I did my residency in Family Medicine. After graduating from residency, my first job was at a “Federally Qualified Health Center look-alike” (very similar to a community health center, like Westside) in the rural mountains of Western NC, north of Asheville. This practice was the only one in the rural county, and I saw many patients there, that if they had been anywhere else, would have gone to the emergency room. Patients often came in requiring sutures from chainsaw injuries and the like. I read x-rays, placed IVs and applied casts. In short, if they came in needing medical treatment, we often had to provide it there, because many patients would not go to the ER. Since the county was rural, we all had multiple roles. In addition to doing routine family medicine, I also served as the medical director of hospice, the medical director of a group home for autistic people, and rotated as Medical Examiner for the county.
          After I got married, my wife and I moved across the mountains to North East Tennessee and I started working in a community health center. After some time there, we decided that Kingsport, TN was simply too far from family and too far from things that we enjoyed doing. As a result, about three years ago we decided to move closer to family. My wife’s family lives about 90 minutes from Wilmington and we had medical contacts here, so one thing led to another…..
           When we moved to Delaware, I took over a Christiana Care practice doing outpatient family medicine where I worked for two years prior to joining Westside. Although I wasn’t looking for another job at the time, I heard about the opportunity of Chief Medical Officer at Westside and it seemed like a perfect fit—since starting here a month ago, my feeling about that hasn’t changed. Westside delivers great medical care and the organization has nearly infinite possibilities. I feel very fortunate to have joined a great organization and a great team.
           Outside of work, I mostly spend time with my wife and our 4 year old son, Keegan. Because of him, I have become well-versed in Batman (and all the members of the Justice League). I enjoy hiking, photography, cooking, and travel.
And of course we still have Boogie (as well as our other rescue dog Daisy Mae)!

           In our busy day to day lives, it is often difficult juggling getting enough rest, eating properly, exercising and taking the proper preventative measures to stay healthy year round. As flu season approaches, it is more important than ever to protect yourself and your family from contracting this highly contagious virus. The Seasonal Flu, also known as the Influenza Virus, can result in mild to very serious symptoms and illness, and can sometimes result in death. Symptoms of the flu include fever, extreme tiredness, headache, dry cough, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. 
         

            According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three steps you and your loved ones can take to fight the flu:

•  Get Vaccinated: Annual seasonal flu vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your family, especially children, women who are pregnant, people over 65, health care workers, and those who suffer from chronic diseases such as asthma, heart and lung disease or diabetes. The vaccine is available as both a shot and nasal spray. Consult with your physician to see which option is best for you and your family.
•  Take Preventative Measures: These include washing hands with soap and water, covering your cough with your hands or coughing into your elbow, not touching your eyes or nose, and staying home if you are infected to avoid spreading the flu to others.
• Antiviral Drugs: If your doctor recommends antiviral drugs, it is important to follow their advice and treat your flu symptoms. Taking this medicine can help you feel better more quickly, and may help you avoid potential serious complications.

        Currently, the vaccine for the H1N1 virus, also known as “Swine Flu”, is still being developed and produced and should be available sometime this fall. Symptoms of this virus are similar to those you might get with the regular influenza virus. Once the vaccine becomes available, it is important to see your primary care physician to discuss whether you and your family should be vaccinated. For more information, talk to your doctor or go to www.cdc.gov/Features/flu/  to learn more about the virus, potential complications, and the vaccine.
 

          As the health reform debate continues to heat up, Westside and its partner organization, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), are monitoring this debate and the proposed policy implications very closely. If you would like to stay informed and be involved in advocating for Westside and other community health centers across the nation, you can sign up to become a health center advocate here . By becoming an advocate you will receive periodic updates on important legislation effecting health centers and the action that you can take to help the cause. There hasn’t been a more exciting time then the present and by staying informed and involved, you can have your voice heard!

Click here to learn more about community health centers and their crucial role in health reform.

Meet Westside's New CMO,Tom Stephens, MD
Help Your Family Fight the Flu!
How will Health Reform Impact Community Health Centers?