Horizon Health provider Kristin Pratt, CNP, bases her De Smet practice on getting to know her patients, finding out what makes them tick and using that information to tailor the care she provides to their individual experiences and needs.
Teri Zwieg drives miles to see Horizon Health De Smet provider Kristen Pratt, CNP. He trusts the top-notch care he received from her in Huron and continues to get in De Smet.
“When you first come in and sit down for a visit with me, I want to know more than what the paper might already tell me – what conditions you have,” Pratt said. “I want to know you. If I can learn what makes you tick, then I can help you make your healthcare tick. Then, we can really make changes together.”
Pratt’s approach to patient care is successful. She has patients who followed her from her previous practice in Huron. Teri Zwieg drives from Huron to De Smet to see Pratt for his chronic heart condition. His family members switched their care to De Smet once they saw the excellent care their father received. Willow Lake residents Edith Atkins, and her husband Jim, tried Horizon Health in De Smet to get more personalized attention. They met Kristin and never looked back.
“We think the world and all of Kristin,” Edith said. “We could not have made a better move than what we did here. We tell a lot of people that – you want a doctor that cares, go to De Smet. I feel comfortable here.”
Kristin recalls a situation where a 14-year-old patient presented with symptoms of acute appendicitis. An impending snowstorm was making it treacherous to drive further than De Smet to deal with the problem. Kristin’s diagnosis was correct. She connected him with a local provider who was able to remove the appendix before his condition worsened. As a result, his family gets their care from Kristin and recommended her to their extended family members.
“Some of the most rewarding aspects of working with patients is truly getting to know them, getting to know their families, seeing them grow,” Kristin said. “When you diagnose someone with a new problem, it’s exciting to see where they started and to see them make lifestyle changes and to be excited about it and to really improve their health.”
Kristin knew at a young age that she wanted to help people. When her grandfather was diagnosed with leukemia, she saw firsthand the impact caring healthcare providers have on their patients’ lives.
She chose healthcare as a result and started her career as a nurse. She knew quickly she wanted to continue her education to do more for people and their families.
“I wanted to take care of families from babies to the elderly and get to watch them grow,” Kristin said. “That’s why I chose family medicine.”
Being part of her patients’ lives, seeing their children grow and knowing them on a personal level brings the work she does every day full circle and gets her out of bed every morning.
“Patients continue to inspire me to come to work to continue to do what I do,” Kristin said.