3 columbushosp.org Building doctorpatient relationships Vilma Rodriguez-Cline, MD, MRO, family medicine and occupational health doctor In medical school, Dr. Vilma Rodriguez-Cline shadowed a family doctor during one of her clinical rotations. She saw how her mentor built relationships with patients to provide them with better care. “I liked that,” she said. “I liked the idea that family medicine is families first. That inspired me.” Throughout her career, RodriguezCline has focused on getting to know her patients and supporting their well-being through whole-person care. She provides care to patients in two different ways: as a family medicine doctor at Lindsay Medical Clinic and as an occupational health doctor at Columbus Community Hospital’s Occupational Health Services. ‘I wanted to help’ Rodriguez-Cline’s journey began in El Salvador, where she lived until age 10. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to help in some way,” she recalled. When a family member became ill, she accompanied her relative to doctor visits. “That sparked in me wanting to help people,” RodriguezCline said. “That’s always been my calling.” After receiving her medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, she completed residency training in family practice at the Cedar Rapids Medical Education Foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and at Creighton University Medical Center, also in Omaha, Nebraska. Rodriguez-Cline joined Columbus two years ago. In the family medicine clinic, she provides all the services you would expect from a primary care provider: ● Performing wellness exams, providing immunizations, discussing healthy lifestyles and helping her patients stay up to date on health screenings. ● Managing chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes. ● Treating acute illnesses, such as sore throats. ● Performing minor office procedures, such as mole removals. “I like to take time to listen to my patients,” Rodriguez-Cline said. “Life is just so fast, and you’re moving from one thing to the next. Sometimes you just need to slow down and get to know each other.” Keeping workers well Occupational medicine is Rodriguez-Cline’s other specialty. Preemployment, return-to-work, Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exams and employment drug screenings are among the services she provides to area employees and employers. “It’s more of a specialized medicine that has grown recently,” RodriguezCline said. “It used to be more about doing work comp cases — if someone had an injury at work, then they would go to an occupational health doctor. But what we also do is a little bit of preventive medicine as well.” That might mean providing workers with information to help prevent hearing loss, back injuries or chemical exposures. A creative outlet Rodriguez-Cline is married and has two adult children with whom she enjoys spending time when they come home from college. She also paints with acrylics, often choosing beautiful flowers, landscapes and seascapes as her subjects. “It gives me a sense of peace,” Rodriguez-Cline said. “It’s a relaxing thing to do.”
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