Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Offutt
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From a very young age, I had a strong curiosity about biology and people. Becoming a medical doctor was a natural progression of this curiosity. Initially, I worked as a physician in a rural Texas setting taking care of patients of all ages and types—newborns to geriatrics, outpatient, inpatient, obstetrics, and emergency care—very much enjoyed this calling. However, about 5 years into practice, the administrative structure of being a doctor changed, and many of the ways of practicing and interacting with my patients transitioned to less personal care. This was done in an effort to improve “productivity” for the system, but it resulted in de-prioritizing the doctor-patient relationship. I could see a sinking quality of care and burn-out on my horizon, so I left and started my own practice, and eventually went back to school. I had also realized that my knowledge bank was insufficient to address the needs of complicated patient cases. I took several courses in functional medicine first, and eventually, completed a Masters of Science in Health Sciences through George Washington University in Integrative Medicine. Sadly, I had never even heard of these kinds of approaches to patient care during my original medical training and family medicine residency. This additional education was an incredible blessing, as I was able to help so many more people who were long suffering—unheard and overlooked in the medical model that had evolved. As my desire to learn continued, I found additional sources for ongoing education in the realm of chronic, complex diseases. One of the most significant scientific learning communities was the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, also known as ILADS. This group of caring physicians, researchers, and other clinicians further encouraged me to be curious about the deeper causes of chronic disease using science as the foundation for discovery. ILADS educators would carefully and professionally seek to understand and research the underlying causes of the diseases provoking long-term suffering in so many people. Although the name of the organization includes the word “Lyme,” the educational content was so much more broadly encompassing and helpful in the clinical setting. I continued to attend. I had been taught very early in my medical education that Lyme disease did not exist in the state of Texas. I believe that there was a remote time when that was probably true, but with the migration of animal vectors and nature of humans to explore and travel, that strongly professed opinion is long antiquated. Also, as a physician called to serve my patients, I wanted to learn more about what else might be driving inflammation, which is a significant part of almost every disease. I have learned that it could be Lyme disease, but is commonly so much more. As I continued to learn over the years, currently in my 25th year of clinical practice, I have wanted to give back to those who have helped me learn more about the nature of chronic, often complex, inflammatory illnesses. Therefore, I began service on the ILADS board about 5 years ago, and currently serve as the Board President. This has been a calling built on gratitude and humility, while also connecting me with so many wonderful people. The threads that weave ILADS into a strong organization are based on a unified desire to help patients to suffer less and live better lives, which is the reason I wanted to be a doctor from the beginning. ILADS started 25 years ago when a small group of doctors and researchers wanted to improve the lives of patients, but their approaches to care did not align with what was being recommended in the healthcare guidelines. They banded together to work through the challenges that this posed. With courage and compassion, they helped the organization grow and educate thousands of doctors over the years. ILADS continues to grow today. We held our 25th Annual Scientific Conference in San Antonio in November 2024. It was a wonderful success, full of emerging science of clinical relevance, and included an anniversary celebration. We will be back in San Antonio again this October to learn together, and encourage excellent approaches to patient care. We will also have our 13th Annual European Scientific Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, in May 2025.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Treating patients using an integrative medicine approach is taking the high road for my personal integrity, but it has not always been a smooth road. As I mentioned in my story, what I have learned was not taught in the conventional medical teaching environment of my original allopathic medical training. I don’t blame anyone for this oversight, as I did learn a significant amount of foundational medical science and information. It was just incomplete. I have come to understand that many of the diseases that we treat with pharmaceutical medications, often indefinitely, actually have an underlying cause that has not been adequately considered or addressed. When a patient goes to the doctor with a health-related problem, that doctor is responsible for giving the patient advice and strategies to address that problem. However, due to several influencing factors and time constraints, most concerns are addressed with a prescription, a procedure, or a referral. This is true for both primary and specialty care. While these are some of the tools that I use in everyday practice, there is so much more to offer in an integrative medicine setting. Integrative medicine is quite different from alternative medicine, and it better addresses the patient’s comprehensive health needs. When it comes to Lyme disease and other chronic infections or environmental exposures, all of these exist in the state of Texas, and the veterinary community and people who work in the wildlife sector of our state are well aware of this. However, the typical physician has not been trained to consider it in the evaluation and treatment of patients. And, even if considered, most do not have the training and tools to intervene. In fact, I was taught by some of my teaching physicians and mentors, whom I respected deeply, that patients who thought they had Lyme disease were likely suffering from a psychiatric illness. As I have subsequently continued to be a discerning physician, I have learned that this is simply not true. Although many who have chronic persistent infections or environmental exposures may have some anxiety and depression due to neurologic inflammation and persistent health problems, the fact that a patient thinks there is a deeper cause for chronic symptoms is quite logical. I have been told by patients over the years that other doctors think that I am “weird,” “off,” “a quack,” and other descriptors that imply that I lack clinical skills and intelligence to be able to assess and treat my patients. However, these negative comments have been well overshadowed by the positive outcomes I have witnessed for many of the patients I have treated. As I get older and continue to seek wisdom and my divine calling, I hope to continue to treat patients with these integrative medicine principles and to encourage other healthcare professionals to do the same. Now that “Long Covid” has been recognized by the medical community, I am optimistic that our clinical professionals seeing patients will become more open to understanding that other infections and exposures can also cause “Long” conditions. One example of such a condition would be rheumatoid arthritis. If 1.5 million people in the United States currently are suffering with rheumatoid arthritis, what if a significant percentage of those patients were also discovered to have an infection of a chronic nature with a bacteria called Bartonell? Looking into this possibility for these patients could result in a treatment that reduces the burden of this infectious pathogen, while also using therapies to promote improved immune balance. Doing this could divert the patient away from the need for a biologic drug. These drugs do give symptomatic relief to many by blocking pathways in the inflammation pathways, but they do not treat infection or persistence of a pathogen. These drugs, in fact, alter immune strength and the warnings for these drugs are often related to severe infection or certain types of cancers. These drugs also cost thousands of dollars each month. If we could look for a deeper cause of this autoimmunity, treat that cause and the consequences of its “long” presence, we have a new trajectory. The patient would have improved quality of life, could avoid medication with risks, and would potentially save millions of dollars over a lifetime by preventing progression, complications, surgeries, medications, specialists, and extensive monitoring. Simply starting with curiosity about why a patient gets an autoimmune disease or other long-standing health condition is a great start. We all know that we cannot resolve every health issue, but we can improve the quality of life of many, reduce polypharmacy, prevent more diseases, and reduce premature death by looking more deeply at what is potentially causing an illness.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Heart & Soul Integrative Medicine?
I am the Medical Director and Co-owner at Heart & Soul Integrative Medicine, where we redefine health care by integrating the best of conventional medicine with proven alternative therapies. Our mission is to provide personalized, comprehensive treatments that heal the whole person, not just the symptoms. Our team of dedicated practitioners brings expertise in multiple disciplines, ensuring that each patient receives care that is tailored to their unique health needs.
I am also the President of the Board of Directors for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), a nonprofit, international, and multidisciplinary medical society dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other complex inflammatory diseases. I also serve on the Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Advisory Council for the state of Texas.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I love collaborative work. I am a preceptor for the Physician Training Program for ILADS, and I have collaborated with clinical professionals around the United States, as well as some in other countries to work through complex patient care strategies. I would love for every health care professional and researcher with an interest in learning more about underlying causes of diseases to join ILADS. I would also love for anyone with a heart for this work to support our organization through donation, volunteerism, awareness promotion, and fundraising. We focus on educating healthcare professionals and promoting solid research to continue to learn about the best ways to approach and prevent long suffering vector-borne diseases. https://www.ilads.org/ is the website for the non-profit I have been discussing, where more information can be found. As for me personally, I see patients in Marble Falls, Texas, although San Antonio was my home for 7 years. I continue to serve many patients who live in San Antonio and the surrounding areas. I always appreciate support through prayers for my patients and their families as many have experienced significant health and logistical challenges. I am inspired by advocacy for patients afflicted with the types of conditions mentioned. I would be happy to talk to any healthcare professionals who want to learn more about this meaningful work, and I am always willing to collaborate with a patient’s physician to coordinate a plan of care based on these principles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://heartandsoulintegrativehealth.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyoffuttmd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amyoffuttmd/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-offutt-a65b42241/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amyoffuttmd1413
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heart-and-soul-marble-falls?osq=heart+and+soul+integrative+health
