Endocrinology

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine that relates to disorders of glands that produce hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that are released into the bloodstream to send signals to various tissues in the body and tell them what to do. There are three main categories of endocrine diseases:

  • Hormone under-production, e.g. insulin shortage in diabetes
  • Hormone over-production, e.g. hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid hormone)
  • Tumors of the glands (benign or cancerous), e.g.: thyroid nodules

It is our pleasure and privilege to serve as your endocrinology specialty providers. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. Our goal is to comprehensively evaluate your endocrine issues and offer treatment options that are personalized for you. We will do everything possible to make your experience with us both satisfying and productive. We’ve provided some information below to help you partner with us to provide the highest quality care.

Patient information

Our endocrinologists have received in-depth, specialized training in hormonal conditions and are diligent in staying abreast of the latest diagnostic skills and treatment options available to our patients. We treat endocrine system diseases such as thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, pituitary disorders, reproductive disorders, and adrenal gland dysfunction. We are at the forefront of diabetes management. Summit was among the first clinics in the nation to implement insulin pump injections. We also counsel patients on ways to maintain or improve their health, encouraging healthy lifestyles as a means to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

We require a referral for all new patient visits.  We encourage our patients to maintain a relationship with a primary care provider for non-endocrine-related conditions and general care.  We routinely send a detailed report regarding your evaluation and plan to your referring and primary care providers.

An appointment is required for all visits. If you need to cancel your appointment, we ask that you give us at least 24 hours’ notice. Not showing up for an appointment may result in a no-show fee or dismissal from the practice.

Please bring the following items to all your visits:

  • Insurance card and photo ID
  • Current medication bottles or a detailed list, including doses and timing
  • Outside test results related to why we are seeing you
  • If you have diabetes, bring your glucometer and/or home blood sugar glucose log

We understand your time is valuable and will do everything possible to keep appointments on time. If a delay occurs and you cannot stay for your scheduled appointment, we will gladly reschedule you.

  • Call your pharmacy to order a refill if you have remaining refills on a prescription.
  • You may request refills during your office visit.
  • Please allow 72 hours for your provider to approve refills outside office visits (remember this requires taking time to review your medical record).
  • Prescription requests will not be accepted after hours except for medical emergencies.
  • For your safety, we cannot authorize refills if you have not been seen for a planned office visit.

To provide you with the best possible care, we commonly order tests that will need to be completed a week or two before your follow-up appointment.

  • Results are briefly reviewed when received and then discussed with you in detail at your scheduled visit. If you miss a visit, please call to reschedule.
  • Once reviewed, results will be released to your medical record and Summit Health MyChart.
  • Occasionally, the result of a test performed outside Summit Health is not received by our providers to review. Please contact us directly if you have not heard from us regarding an expected test result.

An endocrinology provider is available by phone to handle endocrinology emergencies only.

Evenings | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Weekends and Holidays | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Outside of the hours stated above, we suggest using the emergency room for medical emergencies.

  • Patients should always contact their primary care providers for non-endocrine issues.
  • For insulin pump problems, call the free 24-hour insulin pump company support line.
  • For our diabetes patients, we will give you written instructions regarding what to do for high and low blood sugars in your after-visit summary, which can also be viewed on Summit Health MyChart.

Access your medical information online through MyChart, our secure online patient portal. Request an activation code online or during your next appointment.

All messages are checked frequently during our regular office hours. Please note that non-urgent issues will be addressed within 24-48 hours.

Clinics

Eastside Clinic
Bend, Oregon

Redmond Specialty Clinic
Redmond, Oregon

Endocrinology phone

541-382-2811 Ext. 1610

Endocrinology hours

Monday – Friday
8:00 am – 5:00 pm

We are closed for lunch 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm and on all major holidays.