Geriatricians are typically in short supply, but the new Will County Community Health Center medical director is just what the doctor ordered.
The Will County Board of Health appointed Jennifer Byrd M.D. as the community health center’s new medical director Jan. 20, and she began her new duties Feb. 1. She initially joined the CHC medical staff in March 2014.
A 1997 graduate of the Wright State University School of Medicine, Byrd is a family medicine specialist with post-doctoral fellowship training in geriatrics from the University of Chicago. A geriatrician is a physician already certified in internal or family medicine, who has completed additional and comprehensive training in the care of older adults.
In addition to providing clinical care, geriatricians are skilled in navigating the labyrinth of psychological and social problems that often arise in conjunction with aging. Geriatricians approach each patient’s needs individually, and their special training helps them deal with critical aging issues, such as memory loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, mobility and Alzheimer’s disease.
There are fewer than 7,500 practicing geriatricians in the U.S., or approximately one for every 43,000 Americans. Fewer than 25 geriatricians practice in the immediate Joliet area.
The Will County Community Health Center said it Joliet, is proud to have a specialist on staff who can monitor medications and understand how they can interact to affect a senior’s wellbeing.
“Geriatricians don’t simply diagnose a physical problem and treat it; they collect information about patient, lifestyle, community and family,” CHC said in a news release. “If you have a senior loved one, a geriatrician could make all the difference.”
For more information about geriatrics or the myriad of other primary health care services available through the CHC, call 815-727-8670. The Will County Community Health Center is located at 1106 Neal Ave. in Joliet.