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Get to know new Vail endocrinologist Dr. Rebecca Adochio

VAIL — Dr. Rebecca Adochio is Vail Valley Medical Center's new endocrinologist. She treats all aspects of endocrinology including thyroid pituitary adrenal parathyroid and metabolic bone disorders. Dr. Adochio has expertise in thyroid cancer treatment and ultrasound guided biopsy. She also has a special interest in treating disorders of metabolism and diabetes.

Upon completion of her endocrinology fellowship Dr. Adochio began a position with INTEGRIS in Oklahoma City Oklahoma. She has been practicing both inpatient consultative services in endocrinology and diabetes as well as outpatient clinical services in endocrinology diabetes and metabolism.

Since completing her residency and fellowship in Colorado she wanted to return to the area. Dr. Adochio is happy to call the Vail Valley home with her husband and two children.

Question: What do you do?

Dr. Rebecca Adochio: I am a clinical endocrinologist. Endocrinology is the study of hormones and the glands that secrete hormones. Hormones travel through our blood stream in order to regulate various functions throughout our bodies. The endocrine system is complex and intriguing. There are all different types of hormones in our bodies including thyroid hormone insulin vitamin D steroids estrogen testosterone growth hormone and many more. As an endocrinologist my job is to figure out if any of these hormones are too low or too high resulting in various health consequences. Luckily when our hormones are not functioning properly we can often fix the problem.

Question: How did you get into this field?

RA: I find endocrinology very fascinating. As a subspecialty it overlaps with all other fields of medicine and requires an understanding of how all the systems in the body work together and communicate with one another. Most endocrine disorders are treatable and we have the tools to not only figure out why patients are not feeling well but how to help them get better. As a physician this is very rewarding.

Question: How are you different from other docs?

RA: As a specialist I can take the time to focus on a specific disease process. I try to spend as much time with my patients as I can to ensure they understand what is going awry in their bodies and how we can correct it. Education is so important when taking care of patients. The more patients understand their disease process the testing we perform and how their medications work the more successful we can be as a team to treat their ailments.

Question: Tell us a little about your background education and experience.

RA: I have a strong scientific foundation and earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. After earning my medical doctorate at the University of Oklahoma I completed my residency in internal medicine and fellowship training in endocrinology at the University of Colorado. I then began a clinical endocrinology position in Oklahoma City at a larger tertiary care and transplant center. I gained additional experience in acute endocrine care in the hospital while taking care of a diverse population in the clinic with all kinds of endocrine pathology (thyroid adrenal pituitary calcium and metabolic bone disorders) as well as a large population of patients struggling with diabetes.

Question: What philosophy do you follow in treating your patients?

RA: My philosophy is to depend as much as possible on evidence-based medicine in order to offer the safest treatment options while still exploring the newer frontiers of medical treatment. I try to share as much of my knowledge and expertise as I can with my patients in order to empower them to take control of their medical disorders and feel confident in our treatment plan.

Question: What is the No. 1 thing people should do to be healthy?

RA: Eat a healthy balanced diet be as active as possible get a good night sleep and smile as much as possible!

Question: What are you excited about in the world of medicine right now?

RA: We are constantly acquiring new knowledge in the field of medicine. We have new technologies to help us manage the complexity of blood sugar control in our diabetic population. We now have new treatment options for advanced thyroid cancer that were not available just a few years ago. These developments are exciting and being able to have more tools to help patients heal and feel better is always rewarding.

Question: What else do you want to tell potential patients?

RA: My goal is to help patients identify if they have an endocrine disorder and how we can best treat that disorder. I will spend as much time as needed to accomplish this goal and will ensure that my patients understand every step of the evaluation process and treatment approach. I will also communicate and coordinate care with their other providers.

Dr. Rebecca Adochio sees patients in Edwards Vail and Eagle. Physician referrals are recommended. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Adochio call 970- 477-5160.