If you do not already have a primary care provider, summer is a great time to establish a relationship with a professional to guide you on your health care journey.
RiverView Health has various primary care providers specializing in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. A primary care provider (PCP) should be the first person in the healthcare system that you contact when you are sick or have a question about your health. They can provide care and answers to your questions or recommend a specialist to meet your needs.
If a specialist is needed, your PCP will work to coordinate information between all of your healthcare providers. That provider will also ensure there is no duplication of care and testing and that nothing is left out. Your provider can also help you find other resources, such as support groups and classes.
Preventative Care
One of the primary responsibilities of a PCP is to provide preventative care. A PCP can help you catch problems before they arise. Your provider will get to know you, your history, and your family history. They will ensure you get necessary screenings and identify and treat any minor problems before they become major ones.
It is important that you build an honest relationship with your PCP. While it can be intimidating and embarrassing to openly discuss your health concerns, discussing even the most personal health problems is important. Remember that your provider will not be embarrassed, shocked, or offended by even your most embarrassing symptoms.
Play an active role in your health. Make sure you speak up with any questions or concerns about your health, regardless of how minor they may seem. Take your provider’s warnings seriously, and do not hesitate to ask for more informational resources.
The easiest way to prolong life and keep healthcare costs affordable for everyone is to take measures to prevent illness whenever possible. Annual exams and a healthy lifestyle are two great preventative measures you can control. At the same time, a competent PCP offers the continuity of care that health maintenance over a lifetime requires.
RiverView Health has primary care providers in Crookston, Fertile, and Red Lake Falls. Choose the provider who best suits your needs and knows that you are not alone in your lifetime journey of good health for you and your family.
Family Medicine
RiverView Clinics offer a wide variety of Family Medicine providers – including medical doctors (MD), a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), certified nurse practitioners (CNP), family nurse practitioners –certified (FNP-C), and physician assistant (PA). Family Medicine providers care for people of all ages – from infants through end-of-life. These providers often care for the same patients throughout their lives, and in many cases, they care for multiple generations of family members simultaneously.
Family Medicine providers at RiverView Health and their practice locations include:
- Erik Kanten, MD; Crookston, Fertile, Red Lake Falls
- Lauren Rose, DO; Crookston, Red Lake Falls
- Kari Gudmundson, FNP-C; Crookston
- Riley Hemreck, FNP-C; Crookston, Fertile
- Forrest LaPorte, CNP; Crookston
- Tia Gullickson, FNP-C; Red Lake Falls
- Paul Reese, PA; Fertile
- Natalie Royal, FNP-C; Crookston
Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine providers, also called internists, care primarily for adults. Internal medicine doctors specialize in diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease in their adult patients. They offer care for a wide variety of health conditions and counsel their patients on prevention and overall wellness.
The following Internal Medicine doctors offer primary care at RiverView:
- Bosun Fashoro, MD; Crookston
- Maneesh Kanal, MD; Crookston, Fertile
- Jude Ochiobi, MD; Crookston, Red Lake Falls
If seeing a PCP during regular office hours does not fit into your schedule, RiverView’s certified nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners offer early and late appointments at Crookston’s extended hours clinic, which is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
All RiverView Health providers are taking new patients. To schedule an appointment with any of the providers listed above, call 281-9595 and ask for an appointment to establish care with the provider of your choice or ask the patient access representative for options.
