Saltzer Medical Group’s newest location at 9850 W. St. Lukes Drive, Nampa, off of Midland Blvd, near the Treasure Valley Market Place is opening soon!

Sunday, January 22 – Quick Care

Monday, January 23 – Orthopedics and Rehabilitation

Monday, January 30 – Dermatology, Occupational Medicine and Psychology

Wednesday, February 1- Idaho Ostoporosis Center

For more information call (208) 463-3000

All services will be moving from their current location in the St. Alphonsus Nampa Health Plaza near I-84 and Garrity.

Saltzer Medical Group is proud to announce our new location, opening late January.  Our new location will include Dermatology, Occupational Medicine, Pain Management, Psychology, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation, Idaho Osteoporosis Center and Quick Care.   

9850 W. St. Lukes Drive, Nampa

Next to Treasure Valley Marketplace

Watch here for further information

Our Portico location, next to St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center has a variety of specialties.  Family Practice, Pediatrics, ENT, Orthopedics, Neurology, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Dermatology, General Surgery, Occupational Medicine and Audiology.  We also have on-site x-ray and lab services.

Quick! In one breath list all of the specialties and ancillary services offered at Saltzer. Well, that would be a challenge for anyone, including me and I talk about our services all the time. I am writing this to make sure everyone knows about all that Saltzer has to offer our patients. Then watch weekly as I cover each of the services in detail.

Specialties and Ancillary Services: Family Practice, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Orthopedics, ENT, Neurology, OB/GYN, Opthalmology, Pulmonology, General Surgery, Rheumatology, Dermatology, Sleep, Occupational Medicine, Endoscopy, Pulmonary Function Lab, Medical Imaging (including MRI, CT, General and Vascular Ultrasound), Hearing and Balance, Idaho Osteoporosis Center, Rehabilitation (Physicial and Occupational), Allergy Clinic, Lab, Anti-Coagulation Clinic.

Wow! Please come back next week and I will give an overview of Family Practice, the services they provide and the wonderful doctors we have in that specialty.

Like you, I have spent much time recently thinking about business, the economy and what lies ahead. One thing I do know for sure and what I have already heard more than once is that a big advantage the Treasure Valley has over many other areas is our pool of skilled laborers is quite large because of recent lay-offs. This has been reflected in the number of businesses looking to make our area their home as they consider expansion.
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1. Having 2 locations in Nampa available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm and 1 location in Meridian for walk-in injured workers 5 days a week from 8am to 5pm.
2. Friendly and experienced staff available 5 days a week.
3. Getting patients in promptly and back to work quickly.
4. Developing a customized treatment plan for each employer and employee.
5. Case managing from the initital visit throughout the referral process.
6. Dedicated in cost effective return to work.
7. Timely “Return to Work” report turnaround.
8. Insurance authorization with referral coordination if necessary
9. Over 30 years experience.
10.Board Certified in Occupational Medicine combined with a Masters in Health Admininstration.

Because almost all of us have to work within our lifetime, and because that work-span can often exceed 40 years, it is beneficial to know what to do if you should have an on-the-job injury. We may go years without an injury happening to us, but when it does, it is in the best interest not only for ourselves, but also our family to be somewhat informed.

The first important thing to know is that you should always notify your supervisor immediately after an injury occurs. Along with this, make sure that you fill out the proper paperwork. Although you have sixty days to fill out your workers compensation paperwork, it is always good to do it immediately. If not, over time the circumstances surrounding your injury may become more vague thus increasing the chance that you may not get all of the benefits that you are entitled to. Along with this, even though you may believe that what occurred was quite minor, conditions often can and do change. A sprain may worsen overnight, or, a cut may become infected or any number of conditions may arise.

Secondly, seek out a provider, or encourage your employer to offer you a provider highly skilled in occupational medicine. Providers in occupational medicine can vary greatly. Often, providers can range from a mid-level, all the way up to a board certified and residency trained occupational medicine physician. Think of it like this, would you go to an optometrist for a toothache? Of course not, therefore you should try (and you have the right) to see an Occupational Medicine physician for your work-related injury. The reasons for this are numerous, but the most important is that they are the most skilled in identifying what your condition is and how to treat it. In most cases you will feel better, much faster!

Finally, when choosing a qualified provider, take a look at where they work. Are they a part of a multi-care specialty group? This is extremely important because often we may need other forms of specialists for second opinions or referrals. At Saltzer Medical Group we not only have a board certified and residency trained occupational physician (Dr. Howard Shoemaker), but we also offer Orthopedics, Ophthalmology and rehab services, just to name a few specialties. When your providers are a part of a multi-specialty group, communication between providers about you and your condition becomes much easier and thorough which can only benefit the person who is most important, you.

RICE = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate

The RICE method often helps with many types of joint and muscle injuries. The method will ease pain and help speed recovery. The RICE method is very helpfully if you use it right away after an injury.

REST – For most injuries, rest the area until the pain decreases. However, For simple sore muscles gentle stretching will reduce stiffness more quickly.

ICE – Ice is the most effective treatment for reducing inflammation, pain and swelling of injured muscles, joints and connective tissue. The cold helps keep blood and fluid from building up in the injured area, reducing pain and swelling. For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice for 20 to 30 minutes every 2 hours. More than 30 minutes doesn’t help heal the injury any faster, you can cause damage to the tissue.

COMPRESSION – Between icings, wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage to help control swelling and provide support. Begin wrapping at the farthest point away from the body and wrap towards the heart. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the extremity. So, if the extremity becomes cold, blue, or tingle, re-wrap!

ELEVATE – Raising the injured area for the first 24hours above your heart will allow gravity to help reduce swelling and draining excess fluid. The less swelling present, the faster an injury will heal.

Dr. Shoemaker, an Occupational Medicine Physician, has been at Saltzer Medical Group for over 2 months now. He is very happy to be back in the Treasure Valley working with his “Team”. His “Team” consists of 3 key people.

The Director of Occ Med, Tom, who he met while working in Oregon, chose to move to Idaho to continue working for Dr. Shoemaker. Tom has 20 years experience in various Health Care related positions.
His assistant, Lynn, who had previously worked with Dr. Shoemaker, was delighted to come back to work for him. Lynn has worked in Occupational Medicine for 4 1/2 years and is currently working towards an Associate degree in Health Sciences.
And last but not least, me, Lynda. I also had previously worked with Dr. Shoemaker. I returned to nursing to work for Dr. Shoemaker at Saltzer Medical Group after a short hiatus. I have 20 years of nursing experience and 5 of those years were spent in Occupational Medicine.

Dr. Shoemaker and his “Team” come together with many years of experience. With the combined knowledge of the “Team”, it’s by far one of the best in the Valley.
If you or anyone you know could benefit from a Board Certified Occupational Medicine Physician, get on the phone and call us at 884-2965.

Dr. Howard Shoemaker is now with Saltzer Medical Group in both Meridain and Nampa, Idaho! I can’t tell you what a relief this is for me personnally as well as professionally.

I first started working with Dr. Shoemaker and his nurse Lynda some four years ago. That was when I discovered that I had a passion for this line of work. Through Dr. Shoemakers indirect influence and Lynda’s direct influence, I made the decision to go back to school (after 20+ years) to obtain an Associates Degree in Health Sciences. I felt that through this degree and a certification as a Medical Assistant I would be able to give more of myself to the area of work comp and the injured worker. I can’t begin to tell you how they both have influenced me; both professionally and spiritually and how good it is to be a part of his Occupational Medicine team again.

Dr. Shoemaker has over thrity years of experience in the world of Occupational Medicine. His willingness to treat injured workers and to assist them in their rehabilitation process is commendable. Dr. Shoemaker prides himself on his specific protocols which help him to return the injured worker back to a full duty status sooner.

I value Dr. Shoemakers’ experience and the knowlege that both he and Lynda posses and am truely blessed to be a part of the Occupational Medicine team here at Saltzer Medical Group. If you have experienced a work related injury, I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Shoemaker and his staff to you. So if the occasion should arise, we would be glad to see you and to help serve your needs as a work comp patient.