Focusing on Primary Prevention Strategies in the Medical Field

In healthcare, there are three levels of prevention in treatment – primary, secondary and tertiary – and the focus primarily leans towards tertiary prevention which involves managing diseases that are already present. While the need for tertiary prevention is certainly high, shouldn’t we also be addressing how these diseases came to be and preventing them at the primary level by addressing how to shift behaviors to include exercise, proper nutrition, taking breaks throughout the day outdoors to reboot the brain, and other lifestyle factors? Dr. Rhea brings back Dr. Hope Shepherd and Theresa Murphy, LCSW, to address this topic and share what they have implemented in their own work with patients and residency physicians to focus on primary prevention. This conversation is a strong reminder that whole health is a community effort. If we want to see a healthy community, we must all work together to provide primary prevention starting with children.Theresa Murphy is a Director of Family Medicine Behavioral Health, working directly with patients and training residency doctors. Receiving her degree from Saint Louis University, Theresa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with interest in Behavioral Health Integration, Measurement-Based Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed care, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Health and Wellness. Dr. Hope Shepherd is a Student Clerkship Director for a Family Medicine Residency Program. She attended medical school at UT Southwestern Medical School, followed by a residency at Methodist Health System Family Medicine Residency Program, and a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Dr. Shepherd’s areas of interest include medical education, preventative medicine, community medicine, and HIV health care.