Meet our Providers: Hager Salem, MD

At Valley Health, we believe it’s important to inform our community of the services we provide and introduce you to the compassionate individuals administering this patient-centered care. We talked with Hager Salem, MD, a primary care physician at Valley Health Multispecialty Clinic | Commerce Avenue, about her passion for improving the lives of her patients.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH CARE?

A: After completing medical school at Ross University School of Medicine, I did my internal medicine residency at Brooklyn Hospital in New York. I then worked as a nocturnist at Winchester Medical Center and Warren Memorial Hospital for two years. As a nocturnist, I was a hospitalist who saw sick patients who came to the hospital at night.

Q: WHAT LED YOU TO BECOME A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN?

A: At the hospitals, I was seeing patients who were coming in sick and had no primary care provider. I was treating symptoms and illnesses that could have been prevented if the patient had a provider they regularly see. I also felt like what I was doing in the hospital was very limited because I would treat these patients, and then I would return them without any follow-up for primary care. I said to myself, “What can I do to prevent these patients from having to go to the emergency room?” This inspired me to become a primary care provider.

Q: WHY IS PRIMARY CARE IMPORTANT?

A: Primary care is important because it allows the patient to have someone who knows them, has a relationship with them, and someone they can trust with their health.

Q: WHY DID YOU JOIN VALLEY HEALTH?

A: Valley Health is the type of health system you dream of. It’s the health system you want to provide care for your own family, and I feel proud to be part of it. I live in Front Royal and feel like I have the chance to do good for the community.

Q: WHAT SHOULD YOUR PATIENTS KNOW ABOUT HOW YOU PROVIDE CARE?

A: Patients should know that I put them first. I put their values first, I put patient autonomy first, and I respect their point of view and their decisions for their own body. I focus on maximizing the face-to-face time with a patient, and visits are not rushed. I try to be as thorough as possible and encourage patients to come with a list of concerns. I make sure my patients have easy access to me, so I give them multiple ways to reach me, and I try to be quick with my responses. I focus on decreasing wait times in the waiting room. Because we have a lab in the same building, results come back within days. Patients will get a call from me or the medical assistant (usually within days) explaining these results and our recommendations.

Q: WHAT ASPECT OF PATIENT CARE DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING?

A: When my patients get better. I don’t take credit for it; I always put the credit on them. I want patients to know that they have it in them to be an advocate for themselves, and medicine is just a tool to help you help yourself.

_

To learn more or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Salem, visit valleyhealthlink.com/Salem.