Episode 80: From Community Care to Functional Health: A Doctor’s Journey
20 years into practicing family medicine, Dr. Myrto Ashe completely reimagined the way she delivers healthcare. In this episode of our mini-series focusing on successful functional medicine clinics, you’ll hear an inspiring and relatable story of one doctor’s journey to functional medicine.
After witnessing the failure of conventional medicine to improve symptoms for a family member, Dr. Ashe began exploring alternatives to medications and began to try some of these practices on herself and her family. The near immediate improvement in everyone’s health was so compelling, that in 2011 she decided to orient her consultation-based practice fully around functional medicine.
She has since developed a unique micro practice model, inspired by her ex-husband’s psychiatry practice, where she can spend more time with her patients and truly delve into their health concerns.
What sets Dr. Ashe apart is her passion for community health and her dedication to making functional medicine accessible to all. She recognizes the limitations of the traditional healthcare system and strives to provide a more personalized and integrative approach to healing. Her patients are not just numbers on a chart; they are individuals with unique stories and experiences.
This is also a story of a businesswoman exploring different models of delivering care. Dr. Ashe shares the pros and cons of structures she tried and how different models impacted the engagement of patients and the effectiveness of care, as well as her own satisfaction. It’s an inspiring story that reminds us that there are many different approaches to healthcare, and the model of care impacts not just the quality of life and the well-being of the patient, but also the practitioner.
About Myrto Ashe, MD, MPH:
Myrto Angela Ashe, MD, MPH, originally trained as a family physician and practiced 20 years in community health centers in Massachusetts, California, and Colorado.
After noticing the failure of a conventional medical approach to improve symptoms for a close family member, she began to study alternatives to medications, and to try some of these practices on herself and her family. The near immediate improvement in everyone’s health was so compelling that in 2011, she decided to orient her entire practice around functional medicine.
Myrto is certified in functional medicine by the Institute for Functional Medicine, and her consultation-based practice is located in California.
In This Episode We're Talking About:
- Discovering the practice structure that aligns most effectively with one’s individual strengths and preferences is the best way of contributing to the field of health care
- Where to get a lot of support to make changes as a practitioner especially with a micropractice
- An enlightening narrative that serves as a powerful reminder of the diverse perspectives and approaches within the healthcare field
Quotes:
- “When I went gluten-free, dairy-free, my asthma disappeared, my joint pain disappeared, and I lost 15 pounds. It was unbelievable. And it’s a shame that I hadn’t known this my entire medical career.” (24:22 | Dr. Myrto Ashe)
- “You forgive yourself for being just human. And then you realize that you still have a dream to help people with their health and their lives. And you can still do that.” (27:20 | Dr. Myrto Ashe)
- “One of my targets were my patients who were on chronic narcotics. I wanted to see if I could get them off of them and it was so fun to watch that happen.” (29:28 | Dr. Myrto Ashe)
- “I wanted to focus on functional medicine… I really feel that what I do is to teach.” (31:59 | Dr. Myrto Ashe)
- “A friend of mine, who was someone I really looked up to a lot, tried to open a functional medicine clinic not far from here and signed up under Medicare. And he said it was horrible. He literally was paying to practice.” (41:44 | Dr. Myrto Ashe)
- “In medicine, there’s an expectation that the right thing to do is those a hundred hours that we were putting in residency. And if you do any less than that, you’re just whining. But the rest of the days, I’m studying and I’m, you know, charting and I’m, you know, answering the, the Facebook group we have is amazing because it’s inspiring. I wanna read about something so that I can share or organize my thoughts or, and without that, I wouldn’t have to offer what I have to offer.”
Links for this Episode:
Connect with Myrto Ashe, MD, MPH:
Connect with Dr. Lara Salyer:
Website: https://drlarasalyer.com
Catalyst Kit: https://rightbrainrescue.com/p/catalyst_kit
Instagram: @drlarasalyer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlarasalyer
Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlarasalyer/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrLaraSalyer
TikTok: @Creativity.Doctor
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About The Catalyst Host, Dr. Lara Salyer:
I worked as a family physician for 15 years until burnout changed the trajectory of my career. I realized I wanted to start a holistic functional medicine practice in my rural hometown and made it happen. In addition to practicing functional medicine, I now mentor practitioners who are looking to change their paths in healthcare by using what I refer to as the “Catalyst Roadmap”. I share each step of this framework with listeners so that they may apply it to their careers, relationships, personal goals, and projects.
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