Working at Naples Community Hospital (NCH) in emergency medicine, Dr. Diana Macian realized how much she missed the daily interaction and conversations with patients. “Emergency medicine as a whole doesn’t allow for seeing patients long enough to build relationships and make deeper connections other than in their critical moments,” says Macian, the physician at WellcomeMD in Naples. “After three years at NCH, and practicing through COVID 19, I took a leave of absence to search for the next step in my career as a physician. I absolutely loved everyone I worked with at NCH. They’re all amazing physicians and nurses. But I needed a break and to find my way back to a more personalized form of medicine.”

Macian wanted to be more involved with patient care. “I really enjoy being a patient’s physician quarterback, where I help to manage their health care. Much like their central point of reference when they need a urologist, cardiologist, dermatologist or any other kind of specialist, I can refer them out to someone in my network and follow up to make sure that everything is being taken care of,” says the 2006 graduate of Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland.

When Macian’s research led her to WellcomeMD, she knew it would offer her what she wanted most—meaningful relationships with patients. “It was the kind of environment where I could get to know my patients and they could get to know me. It’s more than just the cursory 10-minute appointment today that barely allows doctors to acknowledge the results of tests that were done and send their patients out the door with, ‘Everything looks good, see you next year.’ That’s just not who I am,” advises Macian.

Her minimum appointment time is 30 minutes. Annual physicals are 90 minutes. “I allow for the time to learn about a patient’s symptoms, as well as their stress levels, dietary, sleep and exercise habits, and their general lifestyle. I’m interested in the whole person, and not just the individual part or symptom and these are things that help me determine the root cause of their health challenge and how to tailor their healthcare plan,” says Macian.

At WellcomeMD, a focus on wellness is incorporated into the treatment program. “We have a wellness coach who is a patient healthcare advocate. If I tell my patient, ‘Let’s do a bit of diet modification,’ which may need some additional clarification, our in-office health coach can personally meet with them to find out what kinds of food they like, and not only how to modify the diet, but also help them with the modifications. Or, if I think a patient could benefit from an exercise plan, the health coach can help them determine what exercise might work best for their lifestyle. Some individuals like yoga, while others like using dumbbells, resistance bands or simply their own body weight,” advises Macian.

She notes that her path in medicine is unique. In the military Macian served an internship in San Diego, after which the Navy called her to do a utilization tour. Upon finishing the tour, she went to Washington, D.C., and then to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for a residency in emergency medicine. “I finished in Portsmouth and went back to Washington for three years. After that, I moved to Naples in 2018 to work at NCH. My husband and I wanted a safe, family-oriented community where we could raise our three children. Naples fit our checklist perfectly. Here, we feel so close to the community and love the school that my children attend. This is a great place to live. I call it my utopia,” enthuses Macian.

WellcomeMD offers concierge (membership) medicine. Physicians as WellcomeMD facilities see half the number of patients per doctor as many other concierge practices, allowing time for researching and accessing new, cutting-edge treatments. Members receive individualized care with a comprehensive, proactive approach to personal health.

WellcomeMD is located at 11181 Health Park Blvd., Ste. 2260, in Naples. For more information or to make an appointment, call 239-766-6812.