Dr. Kevin C. Harrison, D.O.
Internal Medicine
http://www.richmondcenterforhealing.com/
I made my first appointment with Dr. Harrison because I needed someone who was willing to look at my thyroid disease from a perspective less conventional than that of my primary care physician (who only measured TSH and only prescribed Synthroid). In Dr. Harrison I found a young man who was willing to treat my thyroid disease based on my symptoms rather than the test results on a sheet of paper. He will do all available thyroid tests and he will mix and match synthetic and natural thyroid hormones until he finds the combination that works for the patient. He also provides various types of complementary IV services for people with a number of illnesses. Patients drive from all over the state to see him both for issues with their thyroid gland and his complementary therapies. His office is about 20 minutes from my home.
Even though the old primary care physician had diagnosed my severe vitamin D deficiency, it was Dr. Harrison who treated it with success because he took all of the complications into account. One of the complications is of course lupus. He is a great diagnostician with a sense of humor. One day I went in for an office visit about my thyroid. After taking my vital signs (yes, he does that himself) and poking and prodding. Dr. Harrison told me that I was having a lupus flare. That was the first time in over 40 years that a physician recognized that without me telling him. My thyroid disease is an autoimmune disease and Dr. Harrison knows a lot about underlying autoimmune issues, That makes him a perfect primary care physician for someone like me - who has autoimmune issues that must be treated by separate specialists.
He has you come into the office one week for the blood drawing and the next week for the office visit. He generally schedules at least 1/2 hour for each patient and he goes over each item on the lab report with me face to face. I know that I am what most physicians consider to be a difficult patient. Because of my background I read too much and ask too many questions. When they see me coming they often have a look of sheer distaste on their faces. Dr. Harrison's smile tends to be more amused. As in, this is going to be interesting. He listens intently and remembers what was said. He treats me with respect.
And if I need what they call "a sick visit," he will see me at the end of his appointments for the day. I feel really lucky to have met this physician. If you have Hashimoto's or Graves in addition to your lupus, or you need chelation therapy, Glutathione, or IV vitamin treatment, you will find him quite impressive.