Summit Medical Group Featured on WATE 6 for Telehealth Appointments

Summit Medical Group is now offering telehealth appointments. The move allows current or new patients to meet with physicians virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of going into a doctor’s office or clinic, patients can live video chat on their smart phone or computer from their homes.

Dr. Benjamin Huff gave WATE 6 On Your Side reporter Elizabeth Kuebel a look at what would be a typical telehealth appointment. Huff is a family medicine physician with Summit Medical.

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Congratulations Dr. Armand Wood!

Dr. Wood was voted Best General Practitioner in the News Sentinel Best of Knoxville 2017.

Dr. Wood was raised locally here in West Hills and has been practicing family medicine in West Knoxville since 1998. He is certified by the American Board of Family Practice and Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice.

Dr. Wood is now accepting new patients at Summit Medical Group at both the Deane Hill and Northshore locations.

 

Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that Colorectal Cancer is the 4th most common cancer in the United States?

In 2000, March was declared National Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Since then, it has grown to be a large focus for a community of survivors and supporters who come together every year to raise awareness about the condition. Colorectal cancer is the cancer of the colon or rectum, located in the lower end of the digestive tract.

So what are the symptoms?

  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Blood in stool
  • Change in bowel habits
  • Constipation
  • Passing excessive amounts of gas
  • Fatigue and weight loss

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US, affecting both men and women. However, with early detection and screening, it is often preventable.

Around the age of 50, men and women should start scheduling regular colorectal screenings. Screening tests can help doctors find and remove any precancerous abnormal growths early-on, when treatment is most effective. Screening can also detect if cancer is present in the colon. This early detection is important when it comes to successful treatment.

Take action and contact us today to schedule an appointment for a screening.

Don’t Miss Your Annual Diabetic Retina Scan

Did You Know?

  • Nearly 80% of patients with diabetes will eventually develop diabetic retinopathy
  • Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among adults aged 20-74
  • Less than 50% of diabetic patients on average comply with referrals to an eye specialist
  • Early detection and treatment can prevent up to 95% of vision loss cases
  • Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs in people who have diabetes. It causes progressive damage to the retina, the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes.
  • The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness. 

Protect Your Vision

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. However, it’s one of the most preventable vision-threatening diseases in the world. With early detection and treatment, 95% of vision loss cases can be prevented.

Contact us today to schedule this exam at our office with  RetinaVue™ Network.

Meet Dr. Edwards

Dr. Edwards is originally from Charleston, SC. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado- Boulder, in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. She then moved back south and attended the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, VA, graduating with honors.

She met her husband, a TN native, while in medical school in Blacksburg. They moved to Knoxville to complete internship and residency training at the University of Tennessee. While in residency, they both fell in love with Knoxville and have decided to call it home.

Dr. Edwards enjoys all aspects of family medicine, but has special interests in women health and preventative medicine. She has an 18 month old daughter, 2 dogs and a cat and enjoys outdoor activities, cooking and enjoying the many activities Knoxville has to offer such as the Market Square Farmers Market.

Meet Dr. Bessom

Dr. Bessom is an Athens, Tennessee native who is excited to be returning home to practice medicine. He graduated from McMinn County High School and completed a bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, finishing Summa Cum Laude.

He received his Medical Degree from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University and moved to Greenville, South Carolina with his wife to complete his internship in Family Medicine and residency in Internal Medicine. He has been working the past four years as an Internal Medicine Hospitalist and is board certified in Internal Medicine.

His primary interests are in chronic disease management such as diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, heart failure and COPD as well as cardiovascular risk reduction.

Having been in the hospital for four years, he is excited about establishing relationships with his patients and their families. Dr. Bessom and his wife (a pediatrician) have three beautiful children who are thrilled to be closer to their
grandparents. He enjoys anything associated with family time, church activities, music, reading, golfing, the Great Smoky Mountains and UT Football.