Dr. Galindo Receives United Healthcare Hero Award
Julio Galindo, MD, Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Holzer Health System, recently received the 2024 United Healthcare Hero Award! The United Hero Award, presented by United Healthcare, recognizes healthcare providers for delivering highly rated patient experiences, based on specific targets in patient experience surveys, including getting needed care, care coordination, and doctor-patient conversations.
Selection for the United Hero Awards is driven by extraordinary achievement on patient-experience surveys. This means that award winners are ultimately chosen by the people healthcare providers serve — and the honor recognizes the high-quality care these providers deliver to their patients and to the community. Dr. Galindo talks about what it means to win such a prestigious award, saying, “It’s a great feeling! I am pleased to provide exceptional care and be part of our terrific staff.”
Dr. Galindo has an impressive provider history that is tied to phenomenal patient care. He says, “After working at The Ohio State University’s James Cancer Center as a Pain and Palliative Attending Physician from 2012 to 2015, I delved into many medical areas that provided great experience. I have been working as Hospital Medicine Physician in multiple ICUs across different states, including Kansas, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In these roles, I took care of critically ill patients. Given the severity and acuity of patient illnesses, I went through multiple courses with the American College of Chest Physicians in 2017 and 2022; where I was able to learn about Critical Care Ultrasound Cardiovascular and Lung Mechanics care. This skillset was instrumental in my decision to work at my current location.”
Dr. Galindo is passionate about providing the community with important facts regarding serious medical issues, in particular hypertension and heart failure, two serious issues that cause problems for many individuals on a yearly basis. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high. Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure readings are consistently above 130/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Blood pressure is measured as two numbers. The top number represents the pressure when the heart pumps blood; the bottom number represents the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
“Hypertension is a serious condition that often leads to other health problems, such as heart diseases, strokes, and kidney failure. Many people with hypertension have no symptoms; that’s why a checkup with your doctor every year is important. Some people may experience symptoms such as nosebleeds, headaches, fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath,” says Dr. Galindo.
Dr. Galindo discusses what can cause hypertension, saying, “Common causes are physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, and an unhealthy diet that is high in salt, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Other factors include sleep apnea, thyroid disorders, valvular heart disease, vitamin/B1 deficiency, localized vasculitis in the kidneys, systemic vasculitis and disorders of the adrenal glands, which are situated at the top of each kidney. Common facets of life, such as aging and pre-existing health issues, can even cause hypertension. As we age, there can be an accumulation of cholesterol and calcium, which can create increased blood pressure.”
“There’s also a common condition called Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, which consists of a disproportionate acceleration of a heart rate to any oxygen demands by the body, resulting in excessive contraction. This leads to a condition called Tachycardia Induced Cardiomyopathy, a condition that can sometimes go along with mood disorders, autoimmune disorders, and anxiety. It can get worse through the use of tobacco, energy drinks and weight loss drugs that contain amphetamine derivatives.”
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. This results in inadequate blood flow to organs and tissues, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling in the lower body, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. This medical diagnosis can come from many health factors, such as coronary artery disease, heart valve problems, and heart muscle damage.
According to Dr. Galindo, “Heart failure can be a long-term complication of hypertension. It can happen if a patient goes through life without having hypertension treated. Internal anatomical problems can create negative structural changes to the heart. An example of this would be heart valves. As the valves age, they can be filled with calcium and be more limited in their ability to pump blood out. Valves can also degenerate and leak backwards, which creates leakage in the lungs. A Coronary Disease or a narrowing of the coronary arteries can make the pump weak, causing shortness of breath and potentially resulting in an enlarged heart, which would worsen the leakage.”
Dr. Galindo talks about the importance of sleep and minimizing stress, saying, “A person who has untreated sleep disorders can develop an insufficient heart that may be weak, stiff or massively large. If someone struggles to sleep or wakes up suddenly, there is communication between the brain and heart that triggers a silent release of epinephrin, which causes an increase in stress. Even a person who has high levels of stress can receive serious medical diagnoses, such as hypertension and heart failure. An uncontrolled heart rate can be very problematic; the faster the heart goes, there is the likelihood of escalation. The heart can negatively remodel itself due to high levels of stress.”
What can be done to prevent hypertension and heart failure? First off, it’s vital that people have their yearly medical checkups. Visiting your doctor on a consistent basis allows you to have screenings and discuss any health issues you are dealing with. Dr. Galindo says, “If a patient comes in for their checkup, we will catch any inconsistencies and determine what needs to be done to get a patient back to better health. These visits allow us to see how we can treat a particular issue and move forward with a proper care plan. For example, certain people with high blood pressure may be prescribed medication that helps reduce their blood pressure numbers. But in order for us to come to these conclusions, we have to look at the broad spectrum of a patient’s situation. I implore everyone to schedule annual doctor visits.”
Secondly, if you commit yourself to a healthier lifestyle, there is a greater chance that you will not have hypertension or heart failure. “Diet modification is key. Eating more vegetables and fruits is a great way to modify your diet. It’s also important to minimize fast food and processed food. Then, there is exercise, which is just as important. If you consistently exercise, you are reducing stress and weight. The combination of eating better and increasing exercise is a potent mix, one that can transform many layers of your health for the better,” says Dr. Galindo.
Dr. Galindo is happy to help patients and provide them with proper expertise. He raves about the Holzer culture, saying, “Holzer is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. Holzer is a physician-oriented institution that promotes growth, kindness, and excellent care. If a patient comes to Holzer, they can expect to be treated with respect, receive quality care, and experience organizational cohesiveness. Our departments work well together and provide results in an efficient manner.”
Dr. Galindo loves interacting with patients and building relationships with them. He says, “I treat my patients like they are my family. I believe in patient autonomy and pride myself in being on the same page with patients. It’s important that everything is explained clearly, so we have a mutual understanding of any situation. After proper explanation, patients have a better understanding of what’s going on and can offer their input. This allows patients to be more in tune with their care plan.”
Dr. Galindo is currently accepting new patients at our Gallipolis location. For more information, or to make an appointment, visit www.holzer.org or call 1-855-446-5937.
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