Our patients rely on ARC Access for a lifetime of connected care. Watch how it has made a difference in their lives. Meet Paul.
Five years ago, when Paul D. was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, he struggled to make lifestyle changes to stabilize his health. Because diabetes causes blood glucose levels to rise, Paul was instructed to stay active, watch what he ate, and monitor his blood sugar levels on a daily basis to keep his blood sugar stable.
Paul was living in Florida at the time and was dissatisfied with his medical care. "The physician that I had was just going through the motions. He didn't seem invested in my health." Paul took notes when the doctor spoke. Then, he went home, took his medication and did his best to follow the instructions.
A Medical Partnership at ARC
In 2015, Paul and his wife moved to Cedar Park. "ARC has a big presence in Cedar Park, so I used their website to peruse the doctors' bios," Paul says. He selected internal medicine physician, Mohinder S. Pegany, MD.
Paul liked Dr. Pegany immediately. "Dr. Pegany is professional, compassionate, and a great communicator," Paul says. "The relationship was much more engaging. It was more about partnership."
An Ongoing Battle
"Living with Type-2 diabetes is an ongoing battle," Paul says. Because he owns a consulting business and works from home, his schedule can vary. That can make it difficult to stick to his diet, stay active, and monitor his blood sugar in a consistent way.
In November of 2017, Paul had gained weight and found himself in a "rut." "We had a lot of stuff going on with work and family and I really got out of my normal routine so much so that I didn't even care."
ARC Calls to Check In
In mid-November Paul received a phone call from ARC nurse navigator, Shawntell Thomas, RN. Shawntell checks in with Paul on a monthly basis to help him maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"Shawntell is wonderful," Paul says. "Her phone calls keep me on track and encourage me."
Shawntell noticed that Paul missed a few appointments. "I reached out to him to see what was going on and if there was some way that I could support him," Shawntell says.
ARC's Nurse Navigators
"My role as a nurse navigator at ARC is to help patients achieve their best health outcomes," Shawntell explains. She has been a nurse for 13 years and a nurse navigator for two years. "I was drawn to the role because of its holistic approach to medical care."
Shawntell enjoys helping patients like Paul set goals for better health. "It's all about patient readiness, in terms of making lifestyle changes," she explains. "That's not something that we can do for the patient, but we can be there for them when they are on that journey."
Back on Track
"Shawntell's phone call got me back on track," Paul says. It reminded Paul of the bigger picture: His goal to focus on his health so that he and his wife could better enjoy their lives together.
Paul saw Dr. Pegany shortly thereafter and, as expected, his glucose levels were high. Paul marvels at the support he received from Dr. Pegany and Shawntell.
"They said ‘Paul, you really need to turn this around. How can we help you do that?'" Paul remembers. "Their engagement really got me going." By his next appointment, Paul's glucose levels had dropped substantially.
Convenience of Onsite Labs and MyChart App
Paul appreciates the convenience of ARC's onsite labs. After each appointment with Dr. Pegany, he gets bloodwork. "I go one floor down and I go right in. It's a tremendous convenience."
Paul checks his lab results on ARC's MyChart, a secure app on his mobile phone. "My lab results come back almost immediately," he says. "And the app saves previous data so I can look at my progress."
Paul also uses MyChart to make appointments, communicate securely with his medical team, and renew prescriptions.
A Great Quality of Life
Paul and his wife are enjoying life in Cedar Park. On weekends, they take long walks in Brushy Creek Park with their 2-year-old chocolate lab. They also appreciate Austin's live music scene and love traveling to explore other parts of the world.
"I want to have a great quality of life," Paul says. "To do that, I want a unique partner. And that's something that I have with ARC.