The CDC recommends flu vaccines of flu spreading to the Austin area.

Come into the office to get your flu shot, we have a limited supply on hand for our patients.

One of our patients would like to say Happy Friday! He is a founding member of my concierge practice and continues to delight our office. After recently attending our one year anniversary open house, he could not be happier that he was able to simply text me on short notice and was immediately able to be seen in the office.

You might notice the new practice water bottle he is holding. These are really nice insulated steel bottles that will keep your drinks either cold or hot. These are really easy to get – just post something on social media and stop by our office to pick one up.

It is that time of year again – cold and flu season is here. Influenza, more commonly known as the “flu,” is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. It can be mild or severe. Most people will have mild illness and will not need medical care and will recover in less than two weeks.

Although the cold virus and flu virus can cause similar symptoms, flu is usually more severe. Serious outcomes of the flu can result in hospitalization or even death. Some people are more susceptible to complications of the flu, including the elderly, young children, those with compromised immune systems, and people with certain health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Although flu has not hit Travis County in force yet, 10 people in our county have already died this season from flu complications.  There are some worrying indications coming from Australia that this flu season could be very severe – check out this article from the New York Times.

Here is what you can do:

• The best way to prevent the flu is to get immunized. Do this now, as it takes a few days to take effect.
• As always, avoid touching your face and wash your hands frequently. That is my secret to staying healthy in a medical office, and it will work even better for you.
• If you get flu symptoms, contact me asap as you may be able to take an anti-viral drug to reduce symptoms. This has to be administered within 48 hours of symptoms though.
• If you get a cold or flu, rest and drink lots of fluids.

Please see the CDC chart on how to tell the different between cold and flu.

Most of you already know Coleen well – she is my Practice Manager, and she helps me with everything in the office. Here is some of her background directly from her:

Hi everyone! My name is Coleen Viejo and I’ve enjoyed working with Dr. Rhodes and her patients since May 2018. I graduated from the University of Texas in 2018 with a degree in Psychology, and have made Austin my home ever since. I grew up in Dallas, but I was born in the Philippines and moved to the USA with my family in 2004. I’m bilingual and can still fluently speak my native Filipino language. Growing up with parents who are both nurses, I was always interested in the medical field and found that my passion to help others would be a perfect fit.

While the doctor’s office may not be the most exciting place to visit, I strive to make sure each of our patients are comfortable communicating with us and seeing us when they need to. Since the practice became a concierge practice, I’ve enjoyed getting to know each of our patients more and coordinating care with our patients’ other providers. Most importantly, I’ve been amazed at the impact it makes to be able to have more time with our patients to ensure we are giving them the best care we possibly can.

Outside of the office, I love to work out, hike, and swim. I enjoy reading and watching movies, and of course, going to Texas football games (hook ‘em!). I’m also a huge foodie and love trying out new places to eat!

My favorite quote is “A warm smile is the universal language of kindness” by William Arthur Ward.

We are sad to see Eric go, our latest medical student from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Eric was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. and graduated from the University of Texas  at Austin.

He describes himself as a ”foodie” and enjoys trying new foods. He spends a lot of his free time exercising, and plans to compete in the upcoming Austin Half Marathon. He likes to try new things. In fact he is currently teaching himself the didgeridoo (see the picture). He wants to eventually come back to practice in Austin. We wish him well, and I look forward to seeing him in practice after he completes his medical training.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

I personally am celebrating my family history as a fourth generation Hispanic physician. I was able to learn a lot about the practice of medicine from their example:

• My parents, Drs. Raul and Alicia Lopez-Guerra of Corpus Christi.
• My grandfather Dr. Raul Lopez-Guerra. He was a physician in Fort Worth during the Great Depression, and was well known for helping the less fortunate in his practice.
• And my great-grandfather Francisco Lopez, who was a physician in the Neuvo Leon/Guanajuato area of Mexico.

Roxana Rhodes, MD

I am excited to announce that in July my practice, Partners in Health, has started sponsoring our local Austin JCC organization. The Shalom Austin JCC has been a great resource for my family over the years, and also has been very good for the community of Northwest Austin, serving everyone from families with young children to the less fortunate. They are doing some good work, and we were happy to sign up both as a corporate sponsor, and as a corporate donor for their Generations capital campaign.

I have a number of current patients that are JCC members. We are also welcoming new ones. If you are interested, please visit our JCC membership page for more information.

Roxana Rhodes, MD.