Dr. Elisa Washburn's hands-on approach to care stems from her 16 years as a rolfer. She worked with many people who were living with chronic pain
and wanted to learn new ways to help them. A graduate of TUCOM, TOURO Osteopathic College of Medicine in Vallejo, she has a strong background in osteopathic manipulation. Dr. Washburn is a committed advocate for her patients and believes in including them as partners in their own care.
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Meet MarinHealth Primary Care Physician Dr. Elisa Washburn
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Learn more about Elisa Washburn, DO
Elisa Washburn, DO
Dr. Elisa Washburn is a Primary Care Physician at MarinHealth Primary Care | A UCSF Health Clinic. A graduate of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - California, she is originally from Maine and did her first two years of training at UNECOM in Biddeford, Maine. She completed her Family Practice residency at Natividad Medical Center in 2009 and is Board Certified in Family Medicine. Her interests include Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Diabetes, Thyroid Disorders, Cardiovascular Disease, Geriatrics, and Women's Health. She feels her role as a physician is to partner with patients and educate them in making the best decisions for their health. Her hobbies and interests include running, hiking in nature, dance, and the arts.Learn more about Elisa Washburn, DO
Transcription:
Dr. Elisa Washburn's hands-on approach to care stems from her 16 years
as a rolfer. She worked with many people who were living with chronic pain
and wanted to learn new ways to help them. A graduate of TUCOM,
TOURO Osteopathic College of Medicine in Vallejo, she has a strong
background in osteopathic manipulation. Dr. Washburn is a committed
advocate for her patients and believes in including them as partners in their
own care.Bill Klaproth (Host): Understanding a physician’s philosophy is important when choosing whether or not a physician is right for you. So, what are the types of questions you should ask or things you should know? Well let’s learn more about Dr. Elisa Washburn, Primary Care Physician at MarinHealth Primary Care, a UCSF Health Clinic and find out about her physician philosophy.
This is The Healing Podcast brought to you by MarinHealth. I’m Bill Klaproth. Dr. Washburn, thank you so much for your time. It is great to talk with you. So, first off, what made you decide to become a physician?
Elisa Washburn, DO (Guest): I decided to become a physician after having been a Rolfer for about 16 years. I just really wanted to help people more, understand how the body worked more and just be able to do more. I had worked with a lot of people who had injuries, who had pain. I just really wanted to have a broader range of being able to help people.
Host: So, with that broader range you were talking about, is that what led you to Primary Care being able to treat the whole body or person if you will?
Dr. Washburn: Yes. What led me to Primary Care is really just wanting to address the whole person and I really liked the flexibility of Primary Care in that there’s different areas that you can go into. So, one of my areas of interest has also been osteopathic manipulation. I had a lot of study in that area and I’ve incorporated that into my practice now when it’s appropriate. I’ve also done a lot of hospital work. I really like the acute setting taking care of people that are sick and seeing them get better. And then I really enjoy in the clinic setting, getting to know a patient over time and all the different things that occur in their life, partnering with them in their healthcare. It’s really that relationship over time is meaningful to me as a physician.
Host: Yeah. so, then where did you receive your education and training?
Dr. Washburn: I received a bachelor degree in biology at San Diego State University. Following, I went to my first two years were at University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. I’m originally from Maine. When I decided to go to medical school, I did my first two years there. I have family that’s still in Maine. I realized I really missed California and as I had family on the west coast, and so I came back in my last two years and finished my degree at TUCOM, TOURO Osteopathic College of Medicine which is in Vallejo and then did my residency at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. This was an unopposed residency. I got a chance to really do everything. I really enjoyed that, and we had great teachers. They were very altruistic, very much into social injustice and caring for the underserved. That was a really great training.
Host: Yeah, so then what is your philosophy of care? How do you approach the care of your patients?
Dr. Washburn: I see myself as a partner with them in their care. I really try and educate them about different disease processes, communication is very important and really establishing open communication, understanding what their – is important to them. Because ultimately, whatever medical decision that we might come to whether it be medication, different courses of treatment, it’s their body and they have to live with the side effects or medications or just any medical decisions. So I feel like it’s really important to involve them in the process and be a partner with them and as well as advocate for them.
Host: Yeah, I love that being a partner with their care. So, I’m curious, you said you were in Maine and you loved California and came back. What then led you to the Bay area?
Dr. Washburn: I’ve always really loved the Bay area. I love the city and it’s very progressive. There’s art and music and I really enjoy that. After I did my training in Salinas, actually moved to Santa Rosa, enjoyed the time there but still was drawn to the city and when I was thinking about kind of what I was wanting long term in this phase of my career; I really felt like the Bay area really had all of the things I was looking for.
Host: And then, why did you choose MarinHealth?
Dr. Washburn: I chose MarinHealth because I felt like it really matched with my own philosophy of taking care of patients, having enough autonomy to feel I could take care of my patients in the way I feel is best but also have the resources, the support that I need, and bottom line is being able to give good care.
Host: Right. So, Dr. Washburn, thank you for your time. Last question. Is there anything else you’d like your patients to know about you?
Dr. Washburn: Yes. I’m a runner. I love this area. I’m always interested in learning more, trails, things to explore. I’m also a big fan of the arts.
Host: Well you have come to the right place for that.
Dr. Washburn: Yes.
Host: Well thank you so much for your time. This has really been fun getting to learn about you Dr. Washburn. So, thank you so much for your service to the community. We appreciate it and thank you for your time today. Thank you again.
Dr. Washburn: I appreciate it too. Thanks.
Host: That’s Dr. Elisa Washburn and to learn more please visit www.mymarinhealth.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is The Healing Podcast, brought to you by MarinHealth. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Dr. Elisa Washburn's hands-on approach to care stems from her 16 years
as a rolfer. She worked with many people who were living with chronic pain
and wanted to learn new ways to help them. A graduate of TUCOM,
TOURO Osteopathic College of Medicine in Vallejo, she has a strong
background in osteopathic manipulation. Dr. Washburn is a committed
advocate for her patients and believes in including them as partners in their
own care.Bill Klaproth (Host): Understanding a physician’s philosophy is important when choosing whether or not a physician is right for you. So, what are the types of questions you should ask or things you should know? Well let’s learn more about Dr. Elisa Washburn, Primary Care Physician at MarinHealth Primary Care, a UCSF Health Clinic and find out about her physician philosophy.
This is The Healing Podcast brought to you by MarinHealth. I’m Bill Klaproth. Dr. Washburn, thank you so much for your time. It is great to talk with you. So, first off, what made you decide to become a physician?
Elisa Washburn, DO (Guest): I decided to become a physician after having been a Rolfer for about 16 years. I just really wanted to help people more, understand how the body worked more and just be able to do more. I had worked with a lot of people who had injuries, who had pain. I just really wanted to have a broader range of being able to help people.
Host: So, with that broader range you were talking about, is that what led you to Primary Care being able to treat the whole body or person if you will?
Dr. Washburn: Yes. What led me to Primary Care is really just wanting to address the whole person and I really liked the flexibility of Primary Care in that there’s different areas that you can go into. So, one of my areas of interest has also been osteopathic manipulation. I had a lot of study in that area and I’ve incorporated that into my practice now when it’s appropriate. I’ve also done a lot of hospital work. I really like the acute setting taking care of people that are sick and seeing them get better. And then I really enjoy in the clinic setting, getting to know a patient over time and all the different things that occur in their life, partnering with them in their healthcare. It’s really that relationship over time is meaningful to me as a physician.
Host: Yeah. so, then where did you receive your education and training?
Dr. Washburn: I received a bachelor degree in biology at San Diego State University. Following, I went to my first two years were at University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. I’m originally from Maine. When I decided to go to medical school, I did my first two years there. I have family that’s still in Maine. I realized I really missed California and as I had family on the west coast, and so I came back in my last two years and finished my degree at TUCOM, TOURO Osteopathic College of Medicine which is in Vallejo and then did my residency at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. This was an unopposed residency. I got a chance to really do everything. I really enjoyed that, and we had great teachers. They were very altruistic, very much into social injustice and caring for the underserved. That was a really great training.
Host: Yeah, so then what is your philosophy of care? How do you approach the care of your patients?
Dr. Washburn: I see myself as a partner with them in their care. I really try and educate them about different disease processes, communication is very important and really establishing open communication, understanding what their – is important to them. Because ultimately, whatever medical decision that we might come to whether it be medication, different courses of treatment, it’s their body and they have to live with the side effects or medications or just any medical decisions. So I feel like it’s really important to involve them in the process and be a partner with them and as well as advocate for them.
Host: Yeah, I love that being a partner with their care. So, I’m curious, you said you were in Maine and you loved California and came back. What then led you to the Bay area?
Dr. Washburn: I’ve always really loved the Bay area. I love the city and it’s very progressive. There’s art and music and I really enjoy that. After I did my training in Salinas, actually moved to Santa Rosa, enjoyed the time there but still was drawn to the city and when I was thinking about kind of what I was wanting long term in this phase of my career; I really felt like the Bay area really had all of the things I was looking for.
Host: And then, why did you choose MarinHealth?
Dr. Washburn: I chose MarinHealth because I felt like it really matched with my own philosophy of taking care of patients, having enough autonomy to feel I could take care of my patients in the way I feel is best but also have the resources, the support that I need, and bottom line is being able to give good care.
Host: Right. So, Dr. Washburn, thank you for your time. Last question. Is there anything else you’d like your patients to know about you?
Dr. Washburn: Yes. I’m a runner. I love this area. I’m always interested in learning more, trails, things to explore. I’m also a big fan of the arts.
Host: Well you have come to the right place for that.
Dr. Washburn: Yes.
Host: Well thank you so much for your time. This has really been fun getting to learn about you Dr. Washburn. So, thank you so much for your service to the community. We appreciate it and thank you for your time today. Thank you again.
Dr. Washburn: I appreciate it too. Thanks.
Host: That’s Dr. Elisa Washburn and to learn more please visit www.mymarinhealth.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is The Healing Podcast, brought to you by MarinHealth. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.