Patricia S. Mikes, MD MBA
Northwestern Medicine Physician Network Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine
Hinsdale Magazine Group (HMG): What inspired you to pursue a career in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine?
Dr. Patricia Mikes: When beginning my pulmonary career at Yale, I intended to become a teacher and researcher. Although successful, I wanted more excitement than the lab could provide. I’ve always been drawn to complex cases that require critical thinking and fast decision-making. Managing complex cases where patients have multiple underlying conditions requires a deep understanding of how different systems in the body interact. The required broad knowledge base and the energy of collaboration with colleagues across disciplines motivated me to pursue this field.
HMG: What is your care philosophy?
Dr. Mikes: Management of disease is a joint effort between a patient and the care team. I work with patients and their advocates to craft a management plan that values listening and compassion while practicing sound judgment around current medical science.
No one wants to be sick. Patients tell me they appreciate my ability to explain complex medical situations in easily understandable terms and give them the available tools to manage their condition with some degree of control.
HMG: Are there any emerging treatments or therapies that you’re particularly excited about?
Dr. Mikes: There has been an explosion of targeted biologic/antibody therapies across all medicine. In Pulmonary Medicine, one can target specific drivers of severe asthma and COPD with these medicines by simple monthly shots. I have offered these to my patients for the past 20 years with amazing results and I continue to work closely with the pharmaceutical developers in a national program to educate physicians and patients to the benefits of these therapies which now have become the standard of severe asthma care.
I care for patients with all forms of pulmonary disease. Areas of my particular interest and expertise include asthma, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, and sleep disorders. Our understanding of these disease states is rapidly progressing, making newer treatments available every day. Keeping up with these evolutions is challenging but a necessary part of the job.
HMG: What role has continuous education or professional development played in your journey?
Dr. Mikes: Throughout my career I have served on medical school faculties at Yale and Northwestern medical schools, giving me the academic curiosity that keeps my job interesting,
Midway through my career, I obtained my MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. I used these skills as Medical Director for large physician groups, healthcare payors, and institutions needing process restructuring. These skills and insights have given me a perspective on the business of medicine that informs the quality and efficiency of my practice today.
HMG: What do you do to unwind and relax after working in such a demanding field?
Dr. Mikes: Spending time with family and getting outdoors helps me recharge. I also enjoy reading and exploring new places – it allows me to step back and reset so I can return to work focused and energized.
Patricia S Mikes, MD MBA
University Affiliated Physicians
911 North Elm Street, Ste. 328, Hinsdale, Illinois
630-222-2951
[email protected]
uapchicago.com
