Pub. 4 2020 Issue 1

primary care physician. In this position, she can start the conversation about why it is important to have a relationship with a doctor for continuity of care. “People aren’t taught those things unless they are already involved in health care or have a family member who has had health issues,” Sakata states. When patients arrive for an ankle injury or URI, she sees an opportunity to get them educated about having a family doc to help them stay otherwise healthy. “I tell pa - tients that it’s like having a car — if no one ever told you that you needed an oil change, how would you know you needed one prior to something going wrong?” When discussing the need for more family physicians in states such as Utah, Sakata says there needs to be more training opportunities and further innovations around true team-based care. “I think there are two answers here: what is ideal and what is possible. When people see family medi - cine done well, that is an inspiring and beautiful thing. Family medicine done well is individualized human care; it’s meet - ing the patient where they are and assisting them with get - ting where they need to go. Without meaning to sound like a broken record, it’s setting up the patient for success. Having more residency spots and having institutional support from the heads of health care systems is critical; we need as many family docs as we can get, but I don’t think we will get there through training alone. I am a very strong believer in team-based care, but it needs to be done appropriately, or you lose the individual. As soon as people feel like they are a number instead of a person, you lose the magic and the heart of health care. Team-based care consists of the M.D. and the APP sharing patients, both of them getting to know the patient well and determining who needs to see the patient and when. It takes incredible institutional support.” Having grown up in Silicon Valley, and having won her high school’s first Technology Award as a senior, Sakata also has strong feelings about incorporating more tech into health care. “But it is paramount that health care should always be people-driven and technology-assisted, never the other way around.” As Sakata is now living and working near the state’s capital, she is involved in legislative advocacy when time allows. She believes advocacy is important because “there is so much that happens outside of a clinic’s doors that affects what goes on inside of them. Whenever I feel frustrated in clinic, nine times out of 10 I can trace that frustration to some - thing that is out of my immediate control: a social deter - minant of health, a state or national policy, or some other circumstance of ‘the system’ that blocks a patient from what they need. When I was in college, I had a professor who advised us to always ask two questions of a situation (thank you, Richard T.T. Forman): Why aren’t things a little bit different? And why aren’t things very different? Apply - ing these questions to health care helps me find a way forward, and getting involved with advocacy is just a part of answering these questions.” Thea lives in Cottonwood Heights with her partner Edwin and their dog, Barkley Maxwell von Muttface, Esq. On her days off, you can find her puttering in her garden, fly casting with a hope that it becomes fishing, or trying to ski away from anyone who might nominate her for Jerry of the Day. She also really likes maps. 2065 South 2300 East Salt Lake City, UT 84109 801.244.3445 www.totalbodypilates.com A good Pilates practice has profound effects both physically and mentally. • Better balance • Increased muscle tone • Better posture • Improved agility • More strength • Gains in flexibility • Weight loss • Relief from chronic pain and injury • Better recovery from pregnancy • Increased mental acuity • Improved endurance and athletic prowess Specializing in post-rehab, chronic back pain & athletic conditioning. Our clients include REAL Salt Lake & Ballet West. Online classes available. Operating with COVID 19 safey measures G Ask about our instructor certification 15 |