Lisa A. Profetto, MSN, APRN

I understand that each person and situation is unique. Treatments are not one-size-fits-all. Each person’s unique situation influences the best course of treatment for them. My goal is to clearly communicate with my patients so that they understand their condition and treatment options. I strive to provide compassionate, patient-centric care that is kind and friendly. I want every patient I see to leave my office genuinely feeling heard, understood, and cared for.

I maintain a down-to-earth approach with my patients and their families. Parents often encounter a lot of judgment from others for the choices they make, and I strive to be a reassuring presence. There’s definitely some flexibility in how to parent children—while always putting safety at the forefront—and I like to work with families to find the healthcare decisions that are best for them. I’ve wanted to be pediatric healthcare provider from an early age, but this was cemented for me when I was diagnosed with diabetes as a teen. Growing up with a chronic illness made me want to help others living similar lives with challenges. It also has a lot to do with my personality and demeanor, because I like making patients comfortable with humor. Children can be quite scared of coming to pediatrics, so I try to make their visits as fun as possible. In pediatrics, I get to still be a kid myself, and that suits me. A successful visit is when patients and their families are able to communicate their concerns and feel listened to. Families say that I show them respect for their opinions, and am not judgmental, because I know parenting is incredibly difficult. I’ve been here long enough that I see my patients become adults, and even become parents of my new patients. It gives me a lot of pride to see them mature, make healthy choices, and look back on our relationship as a significant part of their lives.

As a nurse practitioner, my goal is to promote wellness. If patients are happy about how things are going in their body and their well-being, that's great. I think there's fear about coming to the doctor, especially in some marginalized communities. It can be a little scary going into a provider visit and facing weight judgment, trans judgment, and LGBT judgment. The last thing I want is for somebody to come in and feel judged. It’s the patient’s body, so let's just see how they can feel comfortable in it. I think the human body is just so interesting, and that's what motivated me to go into health care. I got into primary care because working as a nurse, I felt like I was seeing the same things over and over again. I felt like primary care was really where I wanted to go in order to prevent more chronic illnesses. I also like seeing patients of younger ages, and being more family-oriented. A successful outcome really depends on what a patient's goals are. I feel like patients tell me what they want, and hopefully we get there. The best outcome that I can think of is a patient being like, “I feel great.” Or they feel like they’re in control of the situation. I love conversations with patients and I find a lot of joy when they feel better. That's all that matters to me.