A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION featuring Middle Georgia businesses that will help you live your best life in 2022. PHOTO BY JESSICA WHITLEY.

Amanda Harmon and Kael Crews, Nurse Practitioners

Nicholas A. Pietrzak, MD, L.L.C.

3951 Ridge Ave., Suite B, Macon

478-757-1934

info@nickpmd.com

www.nickpmd.com

What is the mission of your business?

The mission of our business is to provide quality, comprehensive medical care to residents in Central Georgia.

How has that mission changed because of COVID-19?

Our mission has remained the same since the start of the pandemic. We still strive to provide quality care to each patient. We have added rapid COVID testing in the office that provides results in under 20 minutes. This allows for faster recognition of the COVID-19 virus.

How does your practice improve lives?

Providing quality, comprehensive medical care to residents in Central Georgia is more than just treating acute illnesses. We manage chronic health conditions and screen for specific diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and others. We work with our patients to find the best treatment plan for them that is both effective and cost conscious.

What are you most excited about as your business moves into a new year?

We are excited to welcome new patients into our office. We look forward to meeting new patients, listening to their concerns and treating them as if they were our own family. We are a small office, and we pride ourselves on forming relationships with each patient.

What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?

The COVID-19 pandemic was a huge challenge for us, as many of our elderly patients were too scared to come into the office. We started using telehealth for appointments, and we were able to continue seeing and treating patients while maintaining their safety. Also, we have added rapid COVID-19 testing in the office that provides results in under 20 minutes. This allows for faster recognition of the COVID-19 virus.

What is a myth that you wish people would get over? And, what is the antidote?

People believe that doctors practice with the thought of monetary compensation in mind. The antidote to this is honesty with our patients. We explain to them what labs and diagnostic tests we are ordering and why. We also listen to their concerns, whether they are financial or personal, and we take those into consideration when making decisions on treatment.

What are you most proud of about your business?

I am most proud of the care we provide to our patients and how we treat them here at the office. We know most of our patients by name; we know their families. We really take the time to know the person we are treating.

How do you define “living well?”

I define living well as doing what brings you joy, making your health a priority, but also enjoying the things you love. Life is all about balance.

When you’re not working, how do you relax and spend your time?

When I’m not working, I enjoy reading a good book, being outside and spending time with my family and friends.

Who are your inspirations for a life well lived?

My family, friends and my patients. I love what I do for a living, so I strive to be healthy and happy so I can give my family and my patients the best version of myself.

How can our community live healthier lives?

We need more community resources aimed at healthy living, and these resources need to be easily accessible and affordable. So many people in our community don’t understand how to eat healthy, don’t have access to healthy meal options and don’t have access to physical exercise.

What are you most excited about right now in our community?

The growing downtown Macon area. There are many new places in our downtown area now, from restaurants, to dog parks, to indoor rock climbing. I’m hoping this will bring people to our community.

You might be surprised that: I wanted to be a nurse practitioner since about age 5. I never changed career paths or changed my major in college. This profession was always it for me.