In an age of ever-increasing health care specialization, Dr. Larry Heath of Fauquier Health Internal Medicine at Lake Manassas is a renaissance man. Rather than focusing on a narrow specialty, his objective is to get a broader sense of each of his patients. This holistic approach is a result of long experience and diverse training in internal medicine, emergency room care, urgent care and infectious diseases.

"I like to see a spread of different types of cases and people," he explained. How is he able to diagnose and treat such a variety of people and problems?

"That's what makes internal medicine so exciting and challenging. You handle so many different issues. You really need a breadth of experience. As an internist, I like to deliver a high percentage of services myself, without referring out to specialists any more than necessary.

"Outpatient care is all about problem-solving," said Dr. Heath. "If you listen, your patients will always tell you what the problem is. Even if what they say sounds confused, there are clues there."

When asked about doctors not having enough time to listen and talk to patients, he shrugged and offered an upbeat smile. "They're right. There isn't enough time. But you do it anyway. Empathy is the greatest word in the English language. You use your own experience to understand where they're coming from."

Dr. Heath is pleased to be working in Gainesville. "People in this community are great. They listen, they engage, they want the help."

Dr. Heath is not just a well-rounded physician, he's a well-rounded citizen who believes that just as he has a responsibility to the whole person, he believes he has a responsibility to the whole community.

Dr. Heath earned his bachelor's degree in biological sciences at Stanford University and his doctor of medicine degree at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. Prior to his arrival in Gainesville, he was director of Emergency Services in Stockton, CA where he also ran a consultative practice in infectious diseases and taught clinical medicine. He has also served as a volunteer with CareMedico in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Dr. Heath has worked at the Fauquier Free Clinic on a regular basis since he moved to Virginia last year. "I saw about a dozen patients just this morning. There are a lot of sick people who can't afford health care. It's sort of like a mini-war zone in the health care system."

For an appointment with Dr. Heath, please telephone 703-743-7300