Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2019

Michael Szymanski, MSN, FNP Nurse Practitioner, Kootenai Clinic Family Medicine Tell us a little bit about you and your family: My wife and I are family nurse practitioners, and we love challenge and adventure. Along with our three sons, we lived in a small Nepal mountain village managing a tuberculosis leprosy hospital from 1995 to 2000. Why did you pick your specialty? I’ve worked 30 years in family practice medicine as a nurse practitioner. But the past 11 years, I’ve worked as a primary care provider for people 60 and over. Helping people prevent disease, or live the best life possible with a disease, is my calling. What can patients expect when they first meet with you? I am extremely passionate about living the best life possible spiritually, emotionally and physically. They can expect someone to listen, be compassionate and guide and motivate them to live well. What are some of your hobbies? Boating, fishing, skiing, boat camping, and backpacking. Our family has been involved in village development work in Nepal for 24 years. What drew you to Kootenai Health? I’ve lived in Coeur d’Alene for 14 years, and I’ve come to learn through experience that Kootenai Health and the local medical community offer exceptional health care services. What is your favorite healthy tip? Believe you can act 40 even when you’re 80. Eat three healthy meals, and exercise at least 30 minutes daily. Work to a healthy weight and this is possible. To schedule an appointment, call (208) 625-6000. Bridget Thompson, D.O. Pediatric Hospitalist, Kootenai Clinic Hospital Medicine Tell us a little bit about you and your family: My family and I have been living in Rhode Island but we are natives to Washington State. I attended Washington State University as an undergraduate and Pacific NW University for medical school. I have two amazing children, a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, who are also excited to be back on the West Coast. Why did you pick your specialty? I love the kids and their families. I may also be a big kid at heart. Interacting with children and observing the world from their point of view is invigorating. Whether helping them with preventive care, a current illness or an ongoing concern, I am being provided an opportunity to impact their future. What can patients expect when they first meet with you? Besides asking the typical “doctor questions,” I enjoy interacting and playing with the children when I have spare time. Talking with the family and child (depending on age) and doing a physical examination allow me to gather a lot of information, but so does play. I will work with you as part of my team. What are some of your hobbies? Coffee, spending time with my kids, biking and skiing. What drew you to Kootenai Health? The opportunity to be a pediatric hospitalist back in the Inland Northwest at a hospital that values the patients and the community they serve. What is your favorite healthy tip? Seat belts save lives! As of August 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants and toddlers ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Many convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for two years or more. 12