B U S I N E SS
BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON
Premier Healthcare
New independent clinic prioritizes patient wellness care with holistic approach
O
ptimal patient healthcare is at the forefront of Roy Slootheer and Amber N. Redding-Slootheer’s approach as they strive to care for their community. Both are board-certified family nurse practitioners that recently opened a new clinic located near 119th & Western in Southwest Oklahoma City. The couple has practiced for years and decided to take their experience and knowledge to a new level by creating their own practice, putting an emphasis on wellness care. “We treat the whole person: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health combined,” shared Amber. “Every aspect is important for overall health.” The husband-and-wife team blends traditional medicine with a holistic approach focusing on preventative care through diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. The goal is to use medication as needed but to help patients reduce and perhaps even stop the need for medication through lifestyle changes. They seek to treat the root of the need with a long-term healthy life. The clinic is unique in that they are independent and not attached to any large corporations. An added benefit is that they can refer patients to any hospital or specialist necessary, regardless of their affiliation. Additionally, the clinic offers same-day appointments, treating everything from minor injuries to COVID testing, with evening and weekend hours to accommodate traditional working hours. This allows them to build longer-lasting relationships with patients to continue to treat their needs.
46 April 2021
“When we previously worked in urgent care, we had many patients ask us if we could see them as their primary care provider, but we couldn’t in that setting so we decided to open a primary care clinic where we could offer that for all patients,” Amber explained. Rather than seeing six to eight patients an hour, the duo allots time to see only three to four each to provide individualized quality time. With extended clinic hours, patients can expect to be seen the same day typically and walk-ins are welcome as well, with online booking and a patient portal available. “I think that primary care is unique in the fact that you can care for the whole family. People stay with you for years and you get to know them really well and be with them through life changes and see kids grow up. I really like helping people focus more on their health and disease prevention rather than waiting until something is wrong,” shared Amber. When scheduling appointments, they accommodate patients’ comfort levels by asking their preference of gender in provider. Having both a male and female provider allows them to be sensitive to those needs, something they learned through their years in nursing. “We want to make everyone feel as comfortable as we can,” said Amber. “Stepping out on our own and taking a chance on our own privately-owned clinic has been a big step. We can take care of patients in the way we want to without having a big corporation tell us how we have to do it. It’s been a big challenge and a lot of work.”
