“Treating the Patient, Not the Disease” is More Than a Slogan at Peach

Since 2001 the Yuba/Sutter community has relied on Peach Tree’s Marysville Immediate Care clinic for all manner of medical needs on those nights, weekends and holidays when their doctor’s office is closed, or when an urgent need can’t wait for a scheduled appointment.  Most patients present with a single medical complaint or injury that can be quickly diagnosed and treated.  Yet more often than you might expect, our great team at MIC uncover hidden and important clinical issues that are unrelated to the patient’s chief complaint.  And sometimes, these discoveries are a game-changer.

A mother brought her two young daughters to MIC recently, where Family Nurse Practitioner Joe Lobaccaro diagnosed both girls with the Norovirus that had been common with school children in the area.  During Joe’s exam of six-year-old Eliza, he also detected sounds of a possible heart murmur. While this condition was not immediately threatening for Eliza, Joe transferred his detailed notes to the girl’s primary care provider at Peach Tree Linda for follow up.  Mike Smith, PA confirmed Joe’s heart murmur findings and referred Eliza to a pediatric cardiologist in town for a definitive diagnosis.

This was the beginning a much bigger journey for Eliza and her family than anyone expected.  After many confusing test results and re-examinations by her cardiologist, Eliza’s care was transferred to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University where she became an important case study of their multidisciplinary pediatric cardiac conference.  Ultimately Eliza was diagnosed with a rare coronary artery deformity; only the third such diagnosis on record.  With this new knowledge of Eliza’s heart condition, she can now be carefully monitored throughout her childhood and can have the needed surgery to ensure a long and heart-healthy life.

Eliza’s mother wrote to us an amazingly heartfelt thank you letter, outlining Eliza’s cardiac care journey from Marysville Immediate Care, to Stanford and ultimately Boston University Medical Center. “Words cannot describe how thankful I am that Joe was able to catch this murmur and Mike continued to provide the professional care that was needed to get Eliza to her cardiology specialists. Eliza is doing well and will need surgery when her heart fully matures but she is a fighter and now will survive!”

Commitment, Excellence, Compassion and Integrity.  All of Peach Tree’s core values are clearly demonstrated in this high-quality and well-coordinated clinical intervention.  A special shout-out as well to our awesome referral coordination team for quickly and effectively getting Eliza to definitive care.  Eliza and I thank you all.

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