Dear Editor:

On behalf of the providers of Lincoln Medical Partners I want you to know that we miss you. Even though the reason for your visit is often listed as a “chief complaint,” we looking forward to seeing you every day. We look forward to hearing about your lives and families. We look forward to measuring your growth, learning of new achievements, and helping you set future goals.

We love the challenge of trying to figure out what might be causing that nagging pain, annoying rash, or worrisome cough. We like repairing and replacing broken or worn-out parts. When necessary, we like to help you find the right medicine to help manage your chronic disease.

Better yet, we like to get you off these medicines by supporting and guiding healthy lifestyles choices. We worry about your worries, struggle to help you through ups and downs, and strive to stay attuned to times when you might not be safe. We are lucky enough to attend your beginnings and can’t wait to meet our newest family members.  At the other end of the spectrum, we consider it a privilege to stand with you during the more difficult times of declining health and loss.

We have seen a few of you in the offices for things that can’t wait, folks are busy answering phones, fielding questions, filling prescriptions, and keeping the offices and hospital running. Mostly, though, we have been frantically but methodically planning for a surge of illness that we hope never comes. 

Once we get through this, together, we look forward to the day when we can sit down with you and ask, simply, “What can I help you with today?”

Andy Russ, MD

Vice President of Medical Affairs

LincolnHealth