The Doctor Will Hear You Now Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System

Primary care is personal. Lauren Barfield, MD, a primary care provider with Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, discusses the importance of primary care and building a relationship with a primary care provider. She explains the differences between primary care specialties such as internal medicine and family practice. 

Dr. Barfield emphasizes the role of primary care in preventive care and the early detection of chronic diseases. She highlights the financial benefits of investing in primary care and the long-term cost savings. 

Dr. Barfield also discusses the importance of trust, listening, and building relationships with patients. She shares examples of how primary care providers can support patients during challenging times. 

Additionally, Dr. Barfield mentions the use of technology, such as digital health tools and remote monitoring, in primary care. She encourages listeners to take the first step in seeking primary care and building a relationship with a trusted provider. 

Key Moments: 

Primary Care Roles – 3:02  Why Young Adults Need a PCP– 9:27  How Primary Care Can Save You Money – 13:48  Yes, And – Women Need an OB/GYN and a PCP – 19:56   How Technology is Changing Primary Care – 29:18  Why You, Yes You, Need a PCP – 33:06 
Learn more about Dr. Barfield: https://doctors.ololrmc.com/provider/Lauren+Mestayer+Barfield/1297503  

Read more about the power of primary care on our blog: https://health.fmolhs.org/body/primary-care/the-power-of-primary-care/ 

Check out what Dr. Barfield has been listening to: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeXS0cAkuTPqFMtZQ379qdEmcfxO1SvXc  


The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Do you have an idea for an episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now? Email us: podcast@fmolhs.org.   

Healthcare can be hard. As one of the largest providers of healthcare services in the Gulf South, we know all too well the questions that come up with your doctors’ visits. Finding a doctor who will truly hear you and help you answer your health concerns should be the easiest thing on your to-do list. That’s why we’ve made a promise to be the health system that listens, the one to sit beside you, understand your story and be your partner in health.  

The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast that features our physicians and providers telling their stories, sharing glimpses into their daily work and mission, and showing what it means to practice medicine just a little bit differently. 

This season, you’ll hear our hosts Ben and Lexi have conversations with providers including Lauren Barfield, MD, senior medical director of adult primary care for our health system and practicing primary care provider with Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group; Harry Hawthorne, MD, primary care provider with St. Francis Medical Group who is Board Certified in family medicine; and Katie Doggett, NP, primary care provider at Our Lady of Lourdes Physician Group Family Medicine practice. 

The Doctor Will Hear You Now is brought to you by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, known across Louisiana and Mississippi with services provided through Our Lady of the Angels Health, Our Lady of the Lake Health, Our Lady of Lourdes Health, St. Francis Health and St. Dominic’s.   

Enjoy season 2 of The Doctor Will Hear You Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, your favorite podcast app, and at https://thedoctorwillhearyounow.com.  

Healing you means hearing you. Let’s talk. 

It’s more than a sponsorship, it’s an innovative partnership designed to produce improved health data that could impact all of our lives. What is this relationship? It’s the recently announced collaboration between Our Lady of the Lake and LSU Athletics. On this episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now, we speak with Catherine “Katie” Smith O’Neal, MD about this historic partnership with LSU and what it means for sports medicine and all medical research.
Football and all sports are beloved in our region, but there are many things about the human body that can be learned from studying the health and well-being of student athletes. Dr. O’Neal explains how this partnership will work and gives us a sneak peek at some of the research ahead for the program.
Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake’s historic partnership with LSU Athletics - From our blog—Investing in Louisiana's Health: Our Lady of the Lake's Historic Collaboration with LSU
- Learn about our partnership with LSU: https://fmolhs.org/about-us/lsu-sports
- Geaux Tigers!
The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Make an appointment with one of our physicians here. Find an FMOLHS doctor here. Login to MyChart here. Do you have an idea for an episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now? Email us: podcast@fmolhs.org. 

It’s a tough pill to swallow—heart disease is the number one killer of Americans (and in fact is the leading cause of death for people worldwide.) This is why understanding how the heart works and what we all can do to maintain a healthy heart are such important topics.
Safi Haq, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with Our Lady of Lourdes Health, joins us on this episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now.  Dr. Haq explains how our hearts work, how they change as we age, and what health choices we can all make to improve our heart health.
Listen and hear Dr. Haq’s passion for his patients’ cardiovascular health, and his practical tips for healthy living. Your heart will thank you!
Learn more about heart health - From our blog—read Strengthen Your Heart: Understanding Cardiovascular Health
The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Make an appointment with one of our physicians here. Find an FMOLHS doctor here. Login to MyChart here. Do you have an idea for an episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now? Email us: podcast@fmolhs.org. 

Sepsis is the number one killer of people presenting in hospital emergency departments. Sepsis occurs when the immune system overreacts to a serious infection, attacking more than just the infection itself and damaging tissue and vital organs. Sepsis is particularly troublesome as it may go overlooked as an emergency room team works to address the original cause of why a person came into the emergency room in the first place.
On this episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now, we’re joined by two physicians who have been closely involved in innovative sepsis research and developments that have taken place at Our Lady of the Lake in recent years.
Hollis “Bud” O’Neal, MD, medical director of research at Our Lady of the Lake Health and critical care physician at LSU Health Sciences Center, and Christopher Thomas, MD, medical director of quality and patient safety for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and critical care physician at LSU Health Sciences Center, join us on the show to share about an innovative partnership between Our Lady of the Lake Health and LSU.
Learn more about sepsis and our research - Read more from Dr. Thomas and Dr. O’Neal on our blog post, From Research to Real Life: Fast, Effective Sepsis Test Saves Lives.
- Read more about the IntelliSep test and partnership between Our Lady of the Lake Health and Cytovale.
The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Make an appointment with one of our physicians here. Find an FMOLHS doctor here. Login to MyChart here. Do you have an idea for an episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now? Email us: podcast@fmolhs.org. 

Most of us don’t want to dwell on death—thinking about our loved ones passing away or the end of our own lives—even though we are aware it’s part of life. But when it comes to our or our loved ones’ medical decisions at the end of our lives, it’s good to have wise and caring counsel to help us understand our situation and our options. 
Mary C. Raven, MD, is Board Certified in both internal medicine and hospice and palliative care. Dr. Raven joins Ben and Lexi on The Doctor Will Hear You Now to talk about caring for patients (and their families) at the end of life. Dr. Raven explains how there are practical considerations—like an advance care directive and healthcare power of attorney—plus relational considerations, including assessing a patient’s wishes and quality of life.
With many years of experience in hospice and palliative care, Dr. Raven knows how to discuss these topics with clarity and compassion, all while carefully listening to the needs of her patients. We’re confident you will leave this conversation well informed and comfortable with a sometimes difficult topic.  
End of Life Resources for You - Our health system offers an advance care directive booklet you can download here: https://fmolhs.org/assets/documents/acp/acp-book-7_21-proof.pdf
-Learn more on our blog: Tips on Making a Living Will Because Peace of Mind is Planning Ahead and Listening to Patients During End-of-Life Care
- Healthcare power of attorney paperwork is available here: https://fmolhs.org/assets/documents/acp/hcpoa_form.pdf
- Read more about advance care planning here: Advance Care Planning for Patients
Palliative Care Questions Answered on the Episode - What is palliative care? How is it different than hospice care?
- Where can I get an advance care directive or a healthcare power of attorney?
- How does my age or stage of life impact how I think of advance care planning?
- Who makes the decisions about the end of my life?
- Thinking about death makes me upset. Why should I spend time and energy thinking about end of life care? 
- How do my personal values come into play when thinking about end of life care? 
 
The Doctor Will Hear You Now is a podcast of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Make an appointment with one of our physicians here. Find an FMOLHS doctor here. Login to MyChart here. Do you have an idea for an episode of The Doctor Will Hear You Now? Email us: podcast@fmolhs.org.