Winter Park Urology Associates develop fitness culture
BY KATHY HAGOOD
Although physicians are trained in how exercise and good
nutrition directly contribute to general health, not all practice what they are
taught to preach to their patients. The excuse of a busy schedule keeps many
doctors from investing the time to take care of themselves first.
And then
there are the doctors at Winter Park Urology Associates, who don’t let excuses
stand in their way. The Orlando-area practice is a standout when it comes to
staying fit.
Most of the
14 physicians and three nurse practitioners in the group exercise on a regular
basis and maintain a healthy diet. Many are runners and/or participate in other
competitive sports. Robert Weaver, M.D., for example, is devoted to both boxing
and golf.
While some,
like Allan Klaiman, M.D., enjoy clearing their mind by exercising alone on their
bike or at the gym, several in the practice, including Rakesh Patel, M.D., stay
motivated by training with a group.
Pam Scott,
director of operations, who has been with the practice for 25 years has watched
the fitness culture evolve over the years.
“The
physicians didn’t set out to move our group in this direction, but as the
practice grew and more of those who came in were active, it did create
momentum,” Scott said.
The practice
culture is so health oriented that some staffers are participating in a “The
Biggest Loser” contest. Dr. Jeffey Brady and Clinical
Manager/Risk Manager Dorene Carter spearheaded the effort. More than 122
pounds have been lost in total by practice participants so far.
“All in all, I think this is a positive program. I see a lot
healthier lunches and snacks and hear more about exercising and gyms than I did
before,” Carter said.
Among the
most active physicians in the practice are Klaiman, David Jablonski, Brady and
Patel.
Klaiman, who
has been a member of the practice for about two decades, brought an elliptical
machine into the office about fifteen years ago. He jokes about how he first
got serious about athletic training after his wife ran the Disney Marathon in
1984.
“Being
competitive, I decided to run it in 1985 with her,” he said. “Most importantly,
I beat her. She'll claim I cheated by leaving her in the bathroom, but the
important point is, I won.”
Now Klaiman
works out by riding his bike several times a week for a total of 80 miles in
addition to hitting the elliptical. He avoids running now to be kind to his
aging joints.
“I ride as
much for my mind as for my body. Life is stressful, and this helps me to relax,”
he said “I think I would be a basket case if I couldn't clear my mind on the
bike. It's my happy place.”
He and his
wife have taken several long-distance biking trips, including one to Banff,
Alberta, and one to Mendocino, Calif. He’s talking to a friend about such a trip
to Utah in the fall.
Jablonski
came to the practice 12 years ago with a long history of fitness. He attended
Lake Highland High School in Orlando, played team sports and is in the school’s
athletic hall of fame. Then he attended the University of Virginia on a football
scholarship.
“Athletic
participation provides so many benefits, both physically and psychologically. We
all feel more energetic and are able to maintain heavy work loads without
burnout,” he said. “But for me, there has to be a competitive factor, otherwise
I’m just not interested.”
Now Jablonski
plays in an Orlando adult basketball league and has emerged in recent years as a
top-notch tennis player. He took up tennis two and a half years ago to alternate
with basketball. To continue to sharpen his tennis game he periodically takes
lessons from a pro during his lunch break.
“I really
enjoy working with partners who share these same priorities and interests and
the atmosphere really is inspiring to all of us,” he said. “I believe we do set
a very positive example for our patients and employees as well as our children.
As our lives become busier, it would be very easy to cut back on exercise as
excuses are readily available. It has to be a priority.”
Jablonski plays backyard basketball with his three children, 12, 10
and 7 years old, all of who play a variety of sports.
Brady, a
tri-athlete and baseball player, was already active when moved to Orlando in
2000 and joined the practice. His wife is a healthy cook, so that gives him a
nutritional edge.
He grew up
playing football, basketball and baseball through high school, and then went on
to play Division I baseball in college. During medical school he coached little
league baseball with some classmates, and participated in flag football,
basketball and softball games.
Brady now
plays in the Orlando Men's Senior Baseball League and in 2002 was on the team
from Florida that won the gold medal in the World Masters Games in Melbourne,
Australia.
He began
competing in triathlons in 2005 and most recently participated in the St
Anthony's triathlon in St Petersburg Fla., to raise money for the prostrate
cancer foundation through Athlete’s for a Cure. When Brady began training as a
tri-athlete, the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running were all new
to him.
“When I
started, I had difficulty completing a lap in a pool, I hadn't been on a bike
since I was 15 and running was only something you did as a part of another
sport,” he said. “It was humbling to start as a ‘newbie’ and I still learn all
the time. It’s the challenge of working to get better and seeing the progress
that is most satisfying.”
His
transition to being a tri-athlete was motivated in part because he wanted to
balance his interests in athletes with his schedule as a father of three.
“Unlike team
sports, with triathlon you can ‘play’ at 5 a.m. or late at night after my three
children have gone to bed,” he said. “My 6-year-old (Isabella) often rides her
bike with me when I run. It’s fun to spend time with her and I don't feel likes
it time away from the family. Other runs are with Isabella on her bike and my
wife (pushing) Grace and Connor in the double jogging stroller.
Brady
sometimes joins other members of the practice in races associated with the local
Track Shack and has competed with Klaiman and Jeffrey Thill, M.D., in a team
triathlon.
While Patel,
who joined the practice six years ago, began running in high school and
exercised regularly in medical school, he had let his exercise routine slip
while he was a resident.
“I came into
the group being fatter and more unhealthy than all of the other partners. I lost
25 to 30 pounds after joining the group and eating better and exercising more
regularly,” he said.
Patel joined
the MarathonFest program through Track Shack 5 years ago. Later he talked his
fellow physicians Thill, Jason Lemoine, M.D., and Christopher Webster, M.D.,
into joining the Track Shack group.
“Then our
nurse practitioner TaraAnn Bouzianis started running with us and ran her first
marathon last November in four hours,” Patel said. “Dr. Thill and I tried to
pace TaraAnn but she ran past us and never looked back after mile 13.”
Patel has run
Sedona and Chicago marathons with Thill, and the Marine Corp. marathon with
Weber.
“It’s become
a great group. When we’re on-call during the weekends, we cover each other for a
few hours so we can get our exercise done.”
Patel
currently runs with a group several days a week at 5 a.m. for a total of 20
miles, but ramps up his frequency and weekly mileage to 40 miles a week as his
marathons get closer.
“Now it’s
easy to continue to exercise regularly because of the friends I participate
with. I wouldn’t do it if I had to run alone.”
Patel shares
his love of fitness with his patients.
“This gives
me motivation to do well because I know they will ask me about my performance at
the next visit. I even have some patients that will track me on-line during a
run and email their comments on my times,” Patel said.
As with
the other physicians in the practice this allows Patel a bridge to talking with
patients about their own fitness levels.
Another
of the practice’s most active physicians is David Vaughan Jr., M.D., who has
been with the group since 1985. Vaughan runs around the lake behind the office
at least three times a week. He also is a frequent user of the elliptical
machine, exercise bike and nautilus equipment.
Vaughn
started his fitness regimen early, playing four sports in high school and
serving as captain of three. He then went on to play three sports at Harvard and
was the 1st team all-state quarterback in Illinois.
“He’s was
really the first member of the practice who was super dedicated to staying fit.
He was fit here before being fit here was cool,” Klaiman said with a laugh.
A group
doctors and nurses from the practice competed in the CNL Bank Winter Park Road
Race 10k and 2-mile run presented by Florida Hospital in March. Physicians who
participated were Brady, Patel, Lemoine, Thill and Webster. Nurses were
Bouzianis, Rosemary Gavan and Ruchi Shah.
Reporter Marc
Middleton recently did a story on the race and the associates on the “Growing
Bolder” website. See
http://growingbolder.com/249390.html
“Though we act like we compete against each other we really root for
personal improvement in race times,” Thill said. “I prepared a 6-month marathon
training program for Tara and a 6-week 5K training program for Rosemary. Being
around so many other runners/athletes in the group does inspire you to get out
there and improve.”
For more information on Winter Park Urology Associates, visit
www.wpurology.com