Dear Doctor: Purvi Parikh
The allergist and immunologist passionate about advocating on behalf of others
Whether you are an expert on allergy and immunology or only know the basics, you’ll likely learn a lot from a conversation with Dr. Purvi Parikh. The doctor, policy advocate, and media contributor is an expert in her field and shares her knowledge in an easy to digest and engaging way. Have you heard the latest on the hygiene hypothesis? Or that it can take years, even a decade, for an allergy patient to be properly diagnosed? These facts and many more in our profile below!
Both of my parents were doctors so I grew up around medicine. I knew I wanted to either work directly with people everyday or advocating for people. I considered law, but gravitated toward medicine because I thought I could personally make a bigger impact advocating for others here.
In my work, I’ve been able to combine my two interests: healthcare and policy. I love advocating for my patients one on one when they come see me, and on a global scale through several organizations and nonprofits I’m involved with.
I was a political science major and wanted to do something related to health policy. In medical school, I went to Washington DC every year. I saw that all these laws relating to health care were made by people who didn’t know much about health care. You wouldn’t want a non-mechanic fixing your car, so why should this be any different?
As physicians, I believe we’re best positioned to know what patients need and should be involved in the conversation.
I continue to advocate in DC multiple times per year to this day. I’m also involved with a nonprofit the UN Foundation, specifically their vaccine program called Shot At Life, which works to supply vaccines to areas of the world that don’t have them. I went with the group to Zambia and it was such an eye-opening experience. Mothers would wait four hours in 90 degree heat to get these vaccines.
Day in the Life
I specialize in allergy, asthma, and immunology. That means food, environmental, medication, asthma, and allergic lung conditions. I also treat patients with immune deficiencies who are born without functioning immune systems. I treat patients of all ages.
My job involves lots of detective work, especially for complicated immune deficiency patients. It’s rewarding to be the one person who helps tie it all together. Even for allergy and asthma patients, it can be really debilitating and we can help them get their life back.
Allergies are becoming more frequent and more severe. One explanation is the “hygiene hypothesis”, which poses that by using or overusing things like antibacterial soaps and sanitizers, we are shifting our immune system and reducing our good bacteria. This is supported by the fact that there are fewer allergies in rural communities.
On Technology
The continued shift in medicine toward technology makes things both safer and more efficient. I have access to electronic medical records, appointment reminders, billing, it’s all streamlined online. I can also see a patient’s full medical history digitally which allows me to make better medical and prescribing decisions.
We need to make the complicated healthcare system easier to navigate.
Apps make it easier for patients to get their meds, get to appointments on time. Telemedicine is a really interesting thing on the forefront. I personally think it’s helpful when used in conjunction with in-person visits, but for people in parts of the country without as much access to in-person specialist care, it can be invaluable.
On Compassionate Care
Compassionate care to me means considering the whole patient as if they were your own family or friend. If you always put yourself in their shoes, it automatically leads to compassionate care.
I like sitting down with someone one on one to explain a situation in detail. I understand that some of these diagnoses can be overwhelming. Taking a few extra minutes helps with a treatment plan. After a visit, I really like communicating via email in between in person follow ups. It cuts out phone tag and creates a written record, where anything I explain can be referred back to later.
A lot of physicians don’t get exposure to allergies in their training. For this reason, not everyone realizes how severe they can be, how to diagnose, and how to treat them. We’ve found some medications that are under-prescribed.
Sometimes allergies can be stigmatized. We need to reduce this. There are ten deaths per day in the U.S, from asthma and two per day from life threatening allergies. Many of the immunodeficiencies we treat are under-recognized. The average patient has a ten year delay in diagnosis because these issues aren’t always on the radar of other physicians.
On Learning and Teaching
You are a lifelong student when you work in medicine.
It can be difficult to keep up with all the news and advances in the field, but we have national and local conferences to learn about new advances. There is always lots of reading to be done, but never enough time!
I am a spokesperson for The Allergy and Asthma Network, which is a non profit advocacy group which is a great resource for patients and family members. I have to stay up on everything because of my involvement with media through this organization.
My foray into the media world happened by accident. I was asked by a physician to go on a news program to talk about the flu. Being on air where you can be asked anything forces you to stay on top of your game!
Lightning Round
I love what I do because…I get to meet a variety of people on an everyday basis and be apart of improving their quality of life
I could talk for hours about…health policy and how there should be more physicians involved in creating and drafting healthcare policy
If I weren’t a doctor I might be…an attorney or some type of advocate for others
I’m passionate about…traveling any chance I get!
Favorites
NY neighborhood: I love all of New York, but if I had to pick, I’d say the East Village.
App: Postmates for food delivery. I try to cook, but there never seems to be enough time!
Exercise: Traditional exercise can be boring but I always have a fun time dancing. I love to dance and was a member of various dance teams. I also have taken up running and boxing (which in some ways is similar to dance)
Guilty pleasure: Indulging at nice restaurant for fine dining and great dessert.
You can find Dr. Parikh at Allergy & Asthma Associates of Murray Hill.
Know a great female doctor in NYC? We’d love to meet her, introduce us here!
