N E E D A P H Y S I C I A N ? C A L L M E R C Y O N C A L L AT
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S E V E N D AY S A W E E K .
W I N T E R / S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Platteville, WI
Permit No. 7
500 E. Market St.
Iowa City, IA 52245
D
ustaff Persaud en-
countered a number
of “firsts” in moving
from New York City to Iowa.
“It’s the first time I’ve
cut grass and learned to
prune trees,” says Persaud,
a certified physician as-
sistant who began work in
March 2014 at Mercy Fam-
ily Medicine of Iowa City.
Leaving behind the
concrete of the big city,
Persaud and his family have
adjusted to Iowa in other
ways, as well.
He and his wife have
three sons, ages 3, 12 and
14. The older boys miss
their friends back in New
York but are becoming
more involved in school and
activities in Iowa.
Before the move, they of-
ten visited Persaud’s sister-
in-law in Muscatine, so the
transition hasn’t been one
of total culture shock.
“We’d make a road trip,
and it was like coming to a
different country, taking us
away from the ‘busyness’
of New York City,” he says.
“We had been visiting here
for 13 years.”
Persaud was born in
Guyana, South America,
where he became a medical
technologist. Upon moving
to New York, he obtained
the same degree at the
College of Staten Island and
then
entered
the
physician
assistant
program
at Harlem
Hospital
Center, a
teaching hospital affiliated
with Columbia University.
He worked in emergency
medicine for 14 years,
served as Chief Physician
Assistant in the Emergency
Room at Woodhull Medical
Center in Brooklyn, New
York, oversaw physician
assistants in six regional
ERs and was state licensed
as a sexual assault forensic
examiner.
Though the pace is
slower in Iowa City, he uses
many of those skills in the
Mercy Family Medicine
clinic.
While also working
weekends in Mercy’s Emer-
gency Room, Persaud, who
has an MBA, is also work-
ing on his doctoral degree.
“At a very early age,
it was engrained by my
parents that ‘you’ll be a
doctor,’” he says. Becom-
ing a mid-level provider was
the more time- and cost-
effective approach, Persaud
notes. “I might not achieve
an MD, but will have an
EdD, so I’ll be Dr. PA.”
Recent ‘transplant’ brings
varied skills to Mercy clinic
Dustaff
Persaud, PA-C
A
cough that won’t go away. A swollen ankle. A
sore wrist.
ese could signal something as benign as
a common cold or a mild sprain or as serious
as cancer. It’s nice to know you can take these
concerns to someone you trust—someone who
knows more than just your name.
at person is your primary care physician (PCP). PCPs
can respond to health issues ranging from the straight-
forward to the more complicated. And they are already
familiar with you and your health care needs.
NOT JUST ANY DOCTOR
When you have a health issue,
your PCP is the rst person you call. PCPs are doctors
who specialize in treating the whole person. For example,
they can:
O er preventive care
Answer medical questions with sound advice that’s
speci c to your health
Manage care for chronic conditions, such as diabetes
or heart disease
Refer you to a specialist, such as a neurologist, surgeon
or oncologist, when you need to see one
Coordinate your health care, lab tests and medications
among multiple health care providers
CHOOSING A PCP
A good relationship with your PCP
can have a positive e ect on your health and health care.
If you don’t already have a PCP, make choosing the right
one a priority. Look for someone you feel comfortable
with and who you believe you can trust.
Be sure to choose the right doctor for your age and
health history. O en, PCPs are internists, family physi-
cians or pediatricians.
Family physicians treat people of all ages, from infants
to older adults; pediatricians specialize in children’s health;
and internists focus on health issues common just to adults.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Physicians
PARTNERS
in
HEALTH
We can help you find a primary care physician.
Call Mercy On Call: 319-358-2767/800-358-2767.
YOUR
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS
Mercy Family Medicine of Iowa City offers
extended hours and same-day appointments:
Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Call
319-351-6852
for an appointment.
Caring for Kids: New Mercy options
SEE PAGE 3
Getting past the ick factor
PAGE 4
Aim of bariatric surgery:
Enjoy life again
PAGE 6
