Phyllis J. Heffner, MD Child Psychiatrist Holistic Child/Adult Psychiatry Columbia, MD www.marquistopdoctors.com/2020/06/10/phyllis-heffner How have you navigated disruptions in your industry to remain a top professional? I have been seeing patients in the office and virtually during the entire pandemic. In the beginning, a lot of people didn’t want to come in, but I had some patients that required in-person treatment. I do things very differently than other psychiatrists because I’m not just using psychiatric medications — I am looking at what is going on that is causing the psychiatric symptoms. A lot of times, it’s not their childhoods. It can be trauma or Lyme or mold. What is the most important issue/challenge you are dealing with in your industry? Some of the most challenging things are PANS and PANDAS — Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. It’s mostly thought of as a childhood illness as a result of an infection or toxin that sets off autoimmunity in the brain. It looks like anger issues, or OCD, or eating disorders, but I see a lot of adults with it, too. It’s not fully accepted in all areas of medicine and was identified at NIH probably 15-20 years ago. There are still a lot of doctors that don’t believe in it, but I see a lot of kids with it and some of them and their families are tremendously affected. Diagnosing it comes with a combination of getting a good history and medical tests. How do you feel your industry has changed/evolved? People in my profession have become more and more focused on giving people medicine and not really knowing people as people. Often, they will spend 10-15 minutes with someone and that’s it. It’s a negative evolvement in my opinion. J. Antonio Lopez, MD Medical Doctor, Owner Lopez Family Practice San Antonio, TX www.lopezfamilypractice.com How have you navigated disruptions in your industry to remain a top professional? At the hospital, I make rounds and take care of patients with COVID-19. I manage by consulting with doctors at the hospital and we have worked with nurses that have come from all over the country to help. What are two key behaviors/personality traits that allow you to be effective in your role? My patients and the nurses say all the time that I listen to people and then act accordingly in response to medical complaints. There are several doctors I know who don’t listen well to patients. How do you feel your industry has changed/evolved? It has changed a lot with emerging diseases like COVID-19. Nobody knew how the immune system was reacting to the virus, we just learned by exposure. What innovations or technologies do you feel will shape the future of your industry? I think the future of medicine will be molecular and genetic. We are trying to identify new diseases and establish new treatments. I believe the future will be focused on the immune system and vaccinations. What excites you the most about your industry? Medicine is an everyday challenge. We understand that things like diabetes, hypertension and drug addiction are diseases, but we have to learn from our patients and guide them toward wellness. 6 Marquis Who’s Who Insight | Fourth Edition
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