LOOKING AHEAD TO 2023, OPTUM OFFERS TOTAL CARE FOR THEIR PATIENTS’ PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
To say 2020 did not begin as expected is a large understatement. As this difficult beginning to the decade gives way to a semblance of normalcy and hope, many seniors are returning to activities they’ve been forced to neglect during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Principal among these is
health care. And while things like a yearly physical, preventative
screenings, and prescription drug management are top of mind for many,
that is only a part of the total health picture, says Dr. Anh Pham,
Chief Medical Officer for Optum Medical Group and a practicing physician
in Long Beach.
“For
me, I think of wellness as a total mind/ body connection. It’s focusing
on the health of the entire person, which is physical health, mental
health, but also the spiritual. Really, without paying attention to all
those aspects, we can’t engage in total wellness for ourselves,” said
Dr. Pham.
Continued good health, she
says, is a result of both receiving needed health care but also taking
stock of what is important (and what one may have missed during the last
few years) in life. From revisiting a hobby, reconnecting with old
friends, or even just getting outside for a walk in beautiful Southern
California, any and all can aid in better mental and physical health,
and ultimately, a longer life.
This
is especially important to seniors who found their health challenged by
not only the unknowns of the pandemic, but also the isolation that came
with it. Surprisingly, one way that many older people are revisiting
human connection is with that first return visit to their primary care
physician.
“I
don’t think anyone ever anticipates enjoying going to the doctor’s
office,” said Dr. Pham. “But when we started seeing patients back in the
office again, you’d be surprised at how many people were excited to
just come and see a familiar face and talk to people who genuinely care
for them.”
Dr. Pham
notes that Optum’s community-based care model is a large part of making
people feel at home. With locations throughout Southern California
staffed by professionals who often live right in the same neighborhood,
there is a feeling of familiarity and a deep understanding of patient
needs.
The result, Dr.
Pham said, is that patients are flocking back for in-person care. “I
would say we’re busier than ever. There’s been a lot of delayed care
where people just didn’t feel comfortable coming in for the last couple
of years, and so now they’re making up for it by having their physicals
and taking care of any preventative procedures,” she said.
“The
demand to see a doctor is very high right now. Optum is working hard to
meet that demand by providing different types of visits to meet the
patients where they are, whether it’s in person, a telehealth visit, or
in the home for people who can’t reach us in our offices.”
While
stressing how important the preventative care model is, Optum also
stresses the importance of wellness. Dr. Pham notes that mental health
and wellbeing are incredibly important in total health. With the
collective traumas of the pandemic, more and more patients are
comfortable broaching the subject with their doctors.
“At the end of the day,”
said Dr. Pham, “health care is such a personal journey between the care
professional and the patient. That’s the underlying relationship that is
the basis of everything.”

Dr. Anh Pham, Chief Medical Officer, Optum Medical Group