Doctor Spotlight: C. Ron Byrd

Finding a doctor you like and trust can be difficult.

A study by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 59 percent of Americans focus on doctor-patient relationships and personality when choosing a physician. Delivery of care or a patient’s-own-health outcome came second, at 29 percent.

When it comes to making patients feel both comfortable and taken care of, Austin-based family medicine specialist Dr. C. Ron Byrd fits the bill. Described as “compassionate,” “professional,” and “insightful,” Dr. Byrd has been wowing patients for over 25 years.

Background

Following his graduation from Baylor University, Dr. Byrd attended the Louisiana State University School of Medicine and graduated in 1992. From there, he completed post-graduate training at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas. Before opening his private practice in 2001, Dr. Byrd worked at clinics in the Austin area. He’s been featured in the Super Doctors list of outstanding doctors every year since 2005.

Dr. Byrd is board certified in Family Medicine and participates in the American Board of Medical Specialties® Maintenance of Certification (ABMS MOC®). The program provides tools to physicians in order to maintain their certification through continuous learning and self-assessment. Certification Matters™  describes participation in MOC as “…a commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing self-evaluation,” which shows engagement in “measuring and improving his or her practice.”

At Dr. Byrd’s practice in Westlake, patients can see him or Carol Lynn Langer, PA-C for wellness visits, sick care, minor surgeries, immunizations, EKG tests, and more. They accept most insurance plans.

What makes Dr. Byrd great

As Dr. Byrd’s website states, their goal is to provide the “highest quality of care with personalized attention in a friendly, courteous environment.” Lauren Hanigan, a patient of Dr. Byrd’s for about four years, thinks he greatly achieves that.

“Dr. Byrd and his associates are great about identifying the root of an issue instead of immediately prescribing to solve the problem,” said Hanigan, who has referred friends and coworkers to Dr. Byrd on a number of occasions.

According to Hanigan, in order to assess what’s truly going on with a patient, Dr. Byrd will dig deeper into their lifestyle practices, including exercise, sleep, caffeine, and alcohol habits.

“I typically receive more holistic suggestions followed by a check-in, with a plan to discuss further action after the fact,” Hanigan said.

Dr. Byrd has many positive reviews online, as well, including from Jeff T., who has seen Dr. Byrd and his staff for almost 15 years. He wrote on Yelp that they’ve always been “very professional, knowledgeable, and courteous,” even despite having over eight health insurance plan changes. On top of that, Jeff said he’s never had excessive wait times.

The importance of primary care

Physicians like Dr. Byrd are making a big difference in the world, due in part to really getting to know their patients and not just throwing prescriptions at them. This is vital, according to Dr. Karen Carlson, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“When doctors see people regularly, we come to understand who they are, so we can interpret their symptoms in a much better context” Carlson wrote. “That really improves a doctor’s ability to make a diagnosis.”

The data overwhelmingly agrees. Adults in the United States who have a primary care provider have 19 percent lower odds of premature death than those who only see specialists, according to a report by Primary Care Progress.

The study also found that older patients who had a high continuity of primary care saw 13 percent fewer hospital admissions than those with a low continuity of care. Plus, an increase in care across all demographics could reduce hospital admissions by 6 percent, according to BMJ.

Yet, America is still behind when it comes to primary care. A study by Medicare Advantage found that 44 percent of Americans haven’t visited a primary care physician in the last year. Another study by Henry J. Kaiser Foundation found that 23 percent of Americans don’t have a primary care provider at all.

Fortunately, exemplary family doctors like Dr. Byrd make office visits and check-ups as painless as possible. Literally. With a holistic approach to care and his personable bedside manner, it’s no wonder Dr. Byrd is a top choice for many.