Health pro: Fascination leads to medical career
Health First Dr. Sean Claeys is a hospital-based physician working primarily in Viera Hospital and Holmes Regional Medical Center.
Q:Why did you go into this career?
A: I have always wanted to work in the medical field and help people. Medicine is one avenue in achieving this desire. In high school, I was inquisitive and loved biology and learning. I recall diagnosing my first sprained ankle, then reading an old orthopedic book that taught me the test to perform and anatomy involved. I found this detective work to diagnose the root cause of a person’s health problem fascinating. Between learning the human body and passing this knowledge on to help others, I knew this was where I needed to be.
Q:What services do you provide?
A: I evaluate all medical/health problems in the hospital setting and provide hospital-based treatment for all acute nonsurgical health issues (excluding pediatrics and obstetrics).
Q: What makes this area of medicine fulfilling for you?
A: I experience job satisfaction and fulfillment during the working moment and not from a title or overall life goal accomplishment. I enjoy meeting and talking to strangers, creating a relationship with them and helping them through the complexities of medicine.
During an acute event in the hospital, one can become anxious and bewildered from the illness they face. I, along with an entire healthcare team, get to help guide patients through these daunting situations with open discussion and appropriate treatment.
It takes a team of nurses, therapists, consulting physicians, case managers, social workers and so many others. I am one member of the team that guides this process and it is an honor to be there.
Many days are chaotic, but then you have that one patient where you feel that just maybe you helped them. Whether it was finding a hidden clue to prompt a diagnosis, a stern lecture that no one wants to give and no one wants to hear about lifestyle modifications, or easing tension through a joke; we all attempt to help our fellow man.
In the end, it’s about being there. From comforting a patient or family with a life-changing diagnosis or celebrating a full recovery, I experience people’s lives in their rawest moments. We are entrusted to help them. That is priceless.
Health pro: Affecting people’s lives in a positive manner
Q:When did you realize this was the right medical career path for you?
A: I absolutely knew medicine was for me the day I entered medical school and started formally learning the fascinating field. This was reinforced in residency when I started seeing and treating patients. And now, 10 years later, I am continuously amazed by the human body.
I love walking the floors and not being confined to an office space, and enjoy the team approach where all are working toward the betterment of a stranger. There remains no other occupation I would rather have.
Q:What’s the latest advancement in your field that will benefit patients?
A: My field of internal medicine encompasses nearly all medical specialties. It would be too difficult to name one advancement. However, globally, the electronic health record has the ability to prevent redundancy and errors. It allows physicians in a system to share information without waiting on faxes and mail. Furthermore, the electronic patient portals are giving patients access to their medical records so they can take an active role in their health care. This is cost-effective for patients and our healthcare system, while providing a superior overall service for patients with multiple physicians.
Telemedicine is also quickly evolving to fill the needs of patient care. This is probably the greatest non-medical advancement which will provide high level care to those living in areas where medical access remains difficult.
Health pro: Improving clients’ wellness is a calling
Q: What is your best advice for current and potential patients?
A: There is no better healthcare advocate than oneself. Medicine should be a partnership between you and your trusted doctor. Listen to your doctor with no distractions. Have others present in person or on speakerphone if you fear you will need help understanding the details of the conversation. Do not hesitate to have details repeated in simpler terms for better understanding. Ask questions. Make sure you know your diagnosis or suspected diagnosis in medical and layman’s terms when leaving. Then, research your diagnosis and treatment options. I tend to recommend avoiding the question/answer websites provides by non-medical people who mostly write about bad outcomes. Ask more questions in follow-up. With your doctor as your guide, choose the option that seems best with current research and doctor recommendations. Then become the expert on your medical condition.
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Know your Health Pro
Name: Sean Claeys, D.O.
Where you’re based: I am a hospital-based physician, working primarily in Health First’s Viera Hospital and Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center
Education: Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Microbiology and Bachelor of Science in Psychology at University of Central Florida; Degree of Osteopathy at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Board Certification in Internal Medicine
Professional background: I have worked as a Hospitalist in multiple states for the last 10 years.
Address: Hospital-based, so no standing office, but primary Hospitalist offices are located at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center, 1350 S. Hickory St., Melbourne, FL 32901
Contact: Holmes Regional Medical Center Hospitalist Line, 321.434.1771
On the Web: health-first.org