Dear Doctor: Navya Mysore
The primary care physician — and medical director of One Medical’s Tribeca office — on bringing an integrated approach to New York City.
Navya Mysore, MD, medical director of One Medical’s Tribeca office, leads a team of 10 people in a unique primary care model that harnesses a true family practice. The office’s administrative team, for a modest yearly fee, offers a wide array of services, from immunizations and customized travel health consultations, to women’s and mental health services. Dr. Mysore gave us some insight into how her Canadian upbringing and education prepared her for an integrated practice model, and how that has come to endear her to a wide range of New Yorkers.
“Having a Canadian background influenced me in many ways, from training to practice! I vacillated as a young person between interests in paleontology, anthropology, and psychiatry. Most of these interests had some common threads — the thrill of discovery, as well as the history of individuals. I love to know what makes people tick and make certain decisions in their lives. That left potential fields of study somewhat open. In Quebec, we have a system of Cegeps which are preparatory, pre-college programs. To make a long story short, I applied to multiple programs as I had a hard time choosing what to study. I was in India that summer, and my grandmother said, “I think you have it in you to be a healer, and you should pursue that.” So I decided upon pre-medicine, though I still took a lot of other electives.”
When I got to my third year of medical school, my mentor told me, “you need to like the bread and butter of your field” and I realized my interest in variety on a day-to-day basis was a good fit for family medicine. I did a fellowship in women’s health and pediatrics — that’s my niche aside from family medicine — and practiced for seven years in Montreal. I had three generations in my practice — patients would bring both their kids and parents in to see me. I got to witness the dynamics of the entire family. It was incredible.”
One Medical’s innovative practice model
One Medical is really about putting patients first. Our average annual physical length is 40 minutes, with follow-ups of at least 20 minutes. We really think of appointments as an opportunity to establish great doctor-patient relationships. Our providers are encouraged to build their patient panel, and I absolutely love my patients.
We’re also not really concierge in the way people usually understand it. Our membership fee is low, and it comes with many benefits, like access to our 24-hour virtual medical team, being able to message your provider directly, and the option to renew your prescriptions through our custom app. We also have features like Treat Me Now, where you can describe your symptoms within the app and get promptly called by our virtual medical team, and a travel service wherein a practitioner tells you what medications you’ll need depending on where you’re traveling, whether that’s malaria pills or high-altitude medicine.
Tech’s important role in getting things done
One Medical has a real startup feel. After the week-or-so onboarding process, new hires go to San Francisco to meet the CEO and everyone in leadership. I love the culture because of its commitment to forward thinking and constant technological improvement. Our EMR is homegrown, and we’re now in the second generation of that system. It makes our jobs as providers truly easier. For example, when I order blood work for a patient, that order will show up as a task on their app, and will also be delivered to their phone with specific instructions for how to prepare for that test.
With referrals it’s the same idea; our team will check first to see that a referral fits with a patient’s insurance, and a reminder will then pop up in the patient’s email to make an appointment. We have a phenomenal administrative team that will spend hours on phones getting prior authorizations for tests so that our patients don’t have to go through that painful process.
The Canadian Difference
It’s this emphasis to family medicine and treating holistically that I wanted to bring with me to the US. In my training, it was always encouraged to dig a little deeper, to figure out what else is going on in a patient’s life. We were taught to ask questions like, “why are your migraines more prominent this time of year/month,” or “what has caused your sudden spike in blood pressure?” It has always been a part of my training that the body is not comprised of separate, isolated elements, but is rather a single working organism that combines our mind and body.
What resonates with New Yorkers
New Yorkers are increasingly interested in holistic medicine, and I think it’s because there is more and more emphasis on quality of life. There are so many things we can’t control, and people are realizing that health and the care they receive are among the factors within their power. I have a number of people who come to see me because I have a Canadian background. Among them are European, Canadian, or Australian transplants who tell me they would like to experience care the way they did back home. But I also get alot of native New Yorkers who are seeking a true family medicine experience.
Some patients are also not used to the fact that they do not need see a specialist for every medical issue. So there’s a bit of gentle reeducation, and after a few visits they realize family physicians can take care of most general health issues and save them a lot of expensive co-pays. I devote myself to my patients, and in return they want to take care of me. Once, I responded to a message around 9:45 PM, and that patient responded with multiple thank yous while urging me to turn off my laptop and rest.
Lightning Round
Favorite patient amenity: Our bathrooms! They are awesome. We have actual towels in addition to Q-tips, hair spray, tampons, pads, mouthwash, diapers, bobby pins, personal flossers — everything you could need or use is in there!
Preferred restaurant in the Tribeca area: Laughing Man which is literally around the corner. It’s my favorite coffee spot, and is owned by Hugh Jackman. I have been trying to meet him for months, to no avail!
Activity you enjoy as a break in your day: I love my patients but I also love my team. We have a lot of fun working together, and there is no better break than a quick chat filled with laughter. At the end of the day exercise also keeps me mindful, I really enjoy hot yoga and I’m an avid runner. I love Modo Yoga and Y7 both in Williamsburg!
If you were going to offer one piece of advice to New Yorkers on their general health, what would it be?
Take a couple of minutes and sit in silence. Listen to your thoughts and focus on your breath. It’s so easy to get carried away with all that we do but it’s important to remind ourselves that health and happiness are a priority.
You find Dr. Mysore on social media at @dr.navyamysore and can learn more about her at One Medical here!
Know a great female doctor in NYC? We’d love to meet her, introduce us here!
