Southwest Internal Medicine Welcomes Dr. Jason Swigert

Southwest Internal Medicine is pleased to announce Jason C. Swigert, MD will join its practice in December 2013.

Dr. Swigert’s interests in medicine include diabetes, heart disease, obesity, resistant hypertension, asthma, autoimmunity, and complementary/alternative medicine. He places special focus on the importance of patient education and preventive medicine.

Dr. Swigert received his medical degree from Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, Oregon where he spent an additional year of research in molecular genetics. After medical school, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. He completed an Internal Medicine residency at the University of Utah and certified with the American Board of Internal Medicine. For the previous three and half years, Dr. Swigert has served as an active duty Internal Medicine physician for the 56th Medical Group at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. He was chosen by the United States Air Force to complete training in Infection Control at Johns Hopkins Medical School and served for two years as the Chair of Infection Control for the 56th Medical Group.

Prior to medical school, Dr. Swigert graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Violin Performance and was concertmaster of the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra. He earned minors in Microbiology and Chemistry and was active in a cancer research laboratory.

In his free time, Dr. Swigert enjoys being in the outdoors with his wife and three daughters, playing the violin in chamber music groups, and playing games of strategy. He is eagerly awaiting the birth of his fourth daughter in December.

Dr. Swigert will begin seeing patients December 19, 2013 at our new office location.

292 South 1470 East, Suite 100
St. George, UT 84790

Call (435)628-9200 today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Swigert.

new building

We are moving to a new office, located behind the Target Store. The address is 292 S 1470 E.  We look forward to seeing patients here as soon as the building is completed.  Stay tuned for updates on when we will begin seeing patients in our new office.  The estimated completion date is December 11, 2013

Sleep: The Surprising Benefits You DID NOT Know

Having trouble learning a new task? Find yourself forgetting things? Take a hard look at your sleep patterns.

Everyone enjoys the thought of a solid night’s sleep, especially after a long day. However, other than making you feel better, sleep has some surprising benefits—from heart health to memory.

Learning and Memory

The stage of sleep where you dream—called REM—plays a critical role in helping people recall how to do things.¹ These might be tasks such as riding a bike, or the process of using a computer system at work.

In order to show improvement in learning, volunteers in recent sleep studies had to sleep at least six hours a night. And the longer volunteers slept, the more they improved. ²

Strong Immune System

Sleep allows the body to restore what it lost during the day. In certain studies following animals, the animals deprived completely of sleep lost all functioning of their immune system. The result? They died in just a few weeks.¹

The body produces hormones during sleep that help the immune system fight infection. Without proper sleep, the body’s ability to fight illness decreases.

Better Decision-Making Skills

Did you know sleep-deprivation played a major role in the tragic 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger?  It was also ruled a key factor in the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island.

Lack of sleep makes it more difficult to focus and pay attention, increasing confusion. When these problems collide, it becomes more difficult to make a sound decision.

Healthy Heart

Sleep reduces the body’s heart rate and blood pressure by about 10 percent. This nightly dip in blood pressure is necessary for a healthy heart. Yet without enough sleep, this dip may not occur. Several studies show that a person is more likely to experience strokes, chest pain, irregular heartbeats and heart attacks without that blood pressure dip during proper sleep.

Sources:

¹ Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School

² U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy Sleep Guide

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, which is a focus on the importance of making informed food choices, and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.  More than 35% of American men and women are obese, and adult obesity is associated with a number of serious health conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and some cancers.  Your doctor can help you with your dietary and physical activity habits and help you meet healthy goals.

Flu Immunizations

Yes, flu season is just around the corner.  We have received our flu vaccine and are ready to help protect you from the flu virus this year.   Most insurances (including Medicare) cover this vaccination.  So, come in during business hours and we wil be happy to give you your flu immunization – no appointment is needed. 

Also, if you have not received your pneumonia vaccine within the last 5 years, we can give you that one too!

Patient Portal

We have exciting news regarding your healthcare!   As we continue in our efforts to provide you, our patients with the highest quality of care, we are looking for ways of working together with you to ensure that you are not only aware of but also involved in the maintenance and improvement of your health.

To that end, we are happy to announce that our practice now offers you the opportunity to use the power of the web to track your healthcare through our office.  The Patient Portal enables our patients to communicate with our practice easily, safely and securely over the Internet. 

Through the Patient Portal, you will be able to:

-Ask questions of doctors, nurses and staff members

-Request prescription refills and referrals

-Request an appointment

-Check lab results and diagnostic imaging reports

….all from the comfort of your home, whenever it is convenient for you!

Call  435-628-9200 or stop by our office to get your user name and password.

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have announced new steps to reduce premiums and make it eaiser for Americans to enroll in the Pre-Exisiting Condition Insurance Plan.  This Plan was created under the Affordable Care Act and serves as a bridge to 2014 when insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with any pre-existing condition, like cancer, diabetes and asthma. 

For more information including eligibility, plan benefits and rates, as well as information on how to apply, visit www.pcip.gov and click on “Find Your State.”  Then select your state from a map of the United States or from the drop-down menu.  The PCIP Call Center is open from 8 a.m to 11 p.m. Eastern time.  Call toll free 1-866-717-5826

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month

This month is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.  Estimates indicate that as many as 50% of Americans older than 50 will be at risk for osteoporosis fractures during their lifetimes.  Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because bone loss occurs without symptoms, but earlay diagnosis and treatment can reduce or prevent fractures from occuring.

Be sure to ask your doctor to order a  bone density scan if you haven’t had one and are older than 50.  It is recommended that a scan be done every two years after the age of 50.  Together we can promote healthier bones.

March – National Nutrition Month

More than 16.8 million Americans, 65 years or older, are diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease.  March is National Nutrition Month – focusing on the importance of making good food choices, developing sound eating and physical activity habits in order to promote healthy lifestyle and improve mental health.  Talk to your doctor about ways to improve your nutrition and activity habits.

February – American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.  Approximately every 25 seconds an American will have a coronary event, yet many cases of heart disease can be prevented.   We recommend that you see your doctor regularly to have your cholesterol and trigylcerides checked.