May 28, 2019 by Doug Sandler
Read the full story here: http://www.dougsandler.com/news/2019/5/28/tim-ioannides-treasure-coast-dermatology
When you’re looking for a doctor, you usually consider several factors. You ask your friends for recommendations, your other doctors, your insurance company, and you look on the internet. You then choose a doctor who fits all these requirements, make an appointment, walk into the office – and then realize this isn’t a place where you’ll feel comfortable.
This is exactly what Tim Ioannides, MD, considered when he started his practice, Treasure Coast Dermatology. “I wanted to create a practice that my mother would like. A place where she would feel comfortable with the staff and be able to share her concerns,” explains Dr. Ioannides. From this simple idea, Dr. Ioannides built his practice to include five offices, serving Martin, Port St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties. STARTING UP Dr. Ioannides earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and served a medical internship at the University of Florida School of Medicine Health Science Center. He completed his residency at the University of Miami School of Medicine in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Afterwards, Dr. Ioannides entered the private sector, beginning his work at a dermatological center that focused primarily on cosmetic procedures. But, Dr. Ioannides wanted to make a difference in the lives of patients, and that’s when he decided to forge on his own. Thinking back to his original concept of “a place my mother would like,” Dr. Ioannides started his practice, from the ground up. His staff is comprised of a strong team of individuals who work well together, and come together to focus on patients, perform their duties to the best of their abilities, and help foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable. “I think it’s important to treat the people you work with well,” Dr. Ioannides says, “People are not replaceable commodities, whether they are your patients or your employees. If you treat them that way, not only do you have lots of turnover (which is bad for your business) but you are missing a very fulfilling part of your life.” PATIENTS ARE THE PRIORITY With a focus on medically driven dermatological practices, rather than cosmetic procedures, and a hands-on approach with each patient, Dr. Ioannides and his team feel very connected to their patients. More importantly, he measures the success of his practice with their focus on what the patient wants, rather than what the doctor wants the practice to be. He believes that the implementation of patients’ perspective – “a practice my mother would like” - the patients will eventually come. The staff at Treasure Coast Dermatology believes in quality face-to-face time, which isn’t always the case for other medical practices. “I don’t use physician extenders. I see patients on every visit,” says Dr. Ioannides, “And, we take the time to ensure that each and every one of our patients understands their conditions. We thoroughly explain the diagnoses as only a Board-Certified physician can.” “Plus, I enjoy getting to know my patients, too,” says Dr. Ioannides. KEEPING IT CURRENT Dr. Ioannides has been a volunteer faculty member at the at University of Miami School of Medicine since 2005. “Interacting with the residents who are training and learning, seeing their fresh perspectives, and having to explain to them why I do things the way I do helps me not only teach them better but also helps me find new perspectives into things that I might have been doing the same way for a long time,” explains Dr. Ioannides. Throughout his career, Dr. Ioannides has collaborated with his colleagues, culminating in a series of remarkable clinical trials for a skin cancer vaccine: the idea is that skin cancer acts like an infectious disease, and therefore, can be treated as one. These vaccines have been shown to dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, the incidence of certain cancers. This vaccine has shown considerable promise with helping decrease skin cancer cells in clinical trials and could potentially be the biggest breakthrough in dermatology within the last 50 years. Yet it started with a hunch that had not been considered before. “While we shouldn’t take on every crazy idea that might run by us, we should keep an open mind about alternative theories,” says Dr. Ioannides. Another unconventional concept Dr. Ioannides strongly believes in is that supplementary Vitamin D, in excess of the recommended daily amount, can help improve a variety of inflammatory skin conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and atopic dermatitis. “Many patients improve only with adequate supplementation of Vitamin D, and this is a very inexpensive and safe treatment that has helped many patients,” Dr. Ioannides explains, “After two or three months, patients who had intractable psoriasis or eczema often resolved.” THE TYPICAL DAY Though his days vary, Tim is a traditional family man. He wakes up early to exercise, finding that being active in the morning sets up for a productive day. He helps his wife get their young children ready for school, and then he leaves for work. Treasure Coast Dermatology now has five operating offices, so he often goes to multiple offices throughout the day, based on the day’s medical lineup. “I’m fortunate enough to have a core team that travels with me from office to office, which allows everyone to be on the same page, and streamlines our daily operations. I see each patient that walks through the doors personally, and so, I spend most of my workday seeing patients,” says Dr. Ioannides. COMMITTED TO HEALING With a proactive approach to healthcare, Dr. Ioannides and his staff at Treasure Coast Dermatology are committed to treating their patients with the highest quality of care. “I feel it’s an honor to have patients choose me for their medical care,” he says, “I just want to make people well.” And that’s just what his mother would have wanted.