Oxford Region Patient Newsletter – December 2024

Timber Ridge Office Moving December 23

Offering MRI, CT, Radiation

Although we’re moving less than a mile down the road this month, our Timber Ridge office, now called Ocala West, has more space to better serve you. In addition to brand new patient care rooms, this updated environment includes:

  • In-office MRI and CT so you won’t need to travel elsewhere.
  • Radiation Center. This state-of-the-art center will provide Intensity-Modulated Radiation and RapidArc therapy as well as Radioactive Seed Implants at this new, convenient location.

Expect the same staff, same providers, and same expert care at this beautiful new Ocala West location: 11363 SW 95th Circle, Ocala, FL 34481. (352) 351-2801


Wednesday’s Focus is Women’s Health

The wellbeing of our female patients takes center stage each Wednesday. That’s when our nurse practitioners at our Oxford Ocala office devote their appointments to only seeing our female patients. Their support and expert care include treating:

  • Incontinence (urinary and fecal)
  • Recurrent UTIs
  • Pelvic prolapse
  • Sexual and pelvic floor dysfunction
  • Painful bladder

To schedule your Wednesday appointment with Angelika Agudelo, APRN, Jennifer Steen, MSN, FNP-C, or Stephani Heald, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, call (352) 430-0705.


Thinking of You This Holiday Season

As 2024 draws to a close, our thoughts are with those of you who are still recovering and rebuilding from the hurricanes. While several of our offices were damaged, we want to extend a sincere thank you to our team members who have worked tirelessly to make sure service isn’t interrupted during this difficult time. We hope if you’re displaced from your home, that you have a return date in the near future.

This holiday season we thank you for placing your trust in us. Our warmest wishes for good health, peace, and joy in the coming weeks and throughout the new year.


Phreesia Makes Registration More Convenient

You can’t escape it. Registering for an appointment at a medical facility is part of the process. But with Phreesia, AUI has made that process easier. Instead of registering when you arrive, which sometimes can mean waiting in line, Phreesia lets you register in the comfort of your home when the time is convenient for you. Here’s how Phreesia works.

  1. Prior to your visit, you will receive a reminder about your appointment. You’ll also have the ability to review and update your health information.
  2. Upon arrival at your appointment, if you haven’t already completed or reviewed your health information, you will be given an iPad to complete it in person. Our staff will happily help you with this process if needed.

We know that registering for each appointment is inescapable. But with Phreesia we hope it’s a bit more convenient. Learn more about the convenience of online check-in with Phreesia.

Oxford Region Patient Newsletter – August 2024

Pharmacist Now on Your Care Team

Your best care happens when everyone is working together on your behalf. That’s why we’ve opened a pharmacy for AUI patients needing medication for prostate cancer or erectile dysfunction. When your urologist, pharmacist, and other AUI specialists are working together, they can help ensure you’re receiving the treatment that’s best for you.

If your insurance plan qualifies, the AUI pharmacy has a home-delivery service available for AUI patients needing prescriptions filled for prostate cancer or erectile dysfunction. Simply tell your AUI provider that you want your meds delivered to your home, or call the AUI pharmacy at 727-241-4994 to make your request. NOTE: Not all insurance plans will cover home delivery. Give us a call to find out if yours does.

One more benefit…

Prostate cancer medications are costly. That’s why we’ll apply for funding on your behalf to make them more affordable.

We hope you’ll take advantage of our home-delivery pharmacy service. We think having an entire team of AUI specialists working together will help ensure the best care possible.


 

6 Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance (and 1 simple resolution)

Hormones play a critical role in how we feel. So when our body produces less hormone (common as we age), the results can be troubling:

  • Lack of energy and fatigue
  • Reduced sexual desire or sexual performance
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Reduced mental focus and memory
  • Weight gain or loss of muscle
  • Hot flashes

Sound familiar? Hormone imbalance can really have a negative impact on your life! But you don’t have to live with it.

At AUI we can provide you with hormone optimization, the result of more than 80 years of research into how to naturally resolve the effects of hormone imbalance (including testosterone and estrogen) in men and women. It involves placing tiny pellets (about the size of a grain of rice) under your skin during a quick office visit. The pellets dissolve slowly over a few months, releasing a steady stream of hormones into your bloodstream.

Our patients have been so pleased with the difference these tiny pellets have made in their lives. We invite you to email wellness@auihealth.com or call us at 352-430-0705 if you’d like to learn more or get started.


 

6 Travel Tips if You’re Experiencing OAB

As many as 40% of women and 30% of men experience overactive bladder (OAB), the sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control. During travel, when bathrooms may be hard to locate, a little advanced planning can go (and go and go) a long way to avoiding OAB mishaps.

Here are six tips to help you get to the bathroom on time.

  1. Know the rest stops. A restroom locator app is a big help regardless of your destination.
  2. Strengthen your bladder. Before leaving, practice urination at scheduled times instead of every time you have the urge. Doing Kegel exercises (pelvic-squeezing exercises for men and women) will strengthen your bladder muscles.
  3. Watch what you drink and eat. Coffee and carbonated drinks can make OAB worse. So can citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy foods, and those high in liquid (like cucumbers and watermelon).
  4. Consider a prescription. Your doctor can prescribe medications that can help control your need to pee. For women, estrogen creams or tablets may provide relief.
  5. Pack accordingly. Wear clothes that are simple to get off. And bring a day bag with absorbent liners, medications, and extra underwear.
  6. Talk to a urologist. If you’ve never talked to a urologist about OAB, contact us for an appointment to learn about treatment options. You don’t have to live with OAB.

Don’t let an overactive bladder keep you at home. Our AUI specialists are dedicated to finding a solution that’s right for you.

Learn more about OAB.

Navigators Help You Manage Your OAB Treatment Journey

Making decisions about your OAB treatment and follow-up care can feel overwhelming and confusing. Your OAB navigator is a member of your care team who will make your journey easier by:

  • Helping you understand your diagnosis
  • Coordinating communication between you and your provider in-between office visits
  • Helping you get your treatments scheduled
  • Evaluating your response to therapy
  • Connecting you with one of our OAB Specialists if advanced therapies are needed

With your navigator’s guidance you can be sure you’re getting the attention you need to overcome OAB and get back to a more satisfying quality of life.


 

Clinical Trials Can Be Lifesaving

The newest treatment advances come through clinical research trials. Such trials give patients access to expert knowledge and promising treatments before they are widely available.

Your participation in a clinical trial means you’ll receive regular and careful medical attention from the Oxford Ocala research team including urologists and other medical specialists. And you’ll play an important role in advancing medicine.

AUI’s Oxford Ocala region currently offers two clinical trials. Both are for patients with prostate cancer. They follow strict guidelines to ensure your safety. Ask your doctor if one of them is right for you.


 

Upcoming Webinar: Dr. John Lynam

You don’t have to live with bladder control issues

Bladder control issues may have you running to the restroom too frequently or worse, not getting there in time. Such issues are frustrating and can really affect your quality of life.

Join Dr. John Lynam as he explains simple lifestyle changes, medications, and more advanced treatments available for bladder control in men and women. His overall message: you don’t have to live with it!

Dr. Lynam’s presentation will take place on Thursday, September 19.  His webinar covers a wide variety of causes and treatments. REGISTER NOW.