In modern medicine, too often healthcare feels like it’s the patient versus the world. Long wait times, minimal time spent with the doctor and a lack of genuine connection make up the fabric of Western healthcare, often leaving patients feeling isolated and undervalued. Dr. Mike Stone’s practice turns this model on its head, placing community and connection at the heart of healthcare.
As the Founder of Nexus Medicine, and Chief Medical Officer of Wild Health, a precision medicine practice that distinguishes itself through a personalized approach to every individual’s needs, Dr. Stone strongly believes that the best health outcomes occur when each patient is given the time and care they deserve.
“When you start leading with real connection and love for your patients, it unfolds in amazing ways,” he says, reflecting on his deeply personal approach to healthcare. Rather than managing hundreds of patients, he maintains a small panel to ensure that each individual receives the attention and understanding they deserve.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Stone shares that there were times he was “the only doctor for an entire county,” a responsibility he did not take lightly, that ultimately inspired him to envision a better way.
“While I have no regrets about my time spent in emergency medicine, it became increasingly frustrating to see only 5% or 10% of patients come into the emergency department, where I felt like I was really adding value to their long-term health and life,” he says. “For the other 90% of patients, I was seeing an acute exacerbation of a chronic, poorly managed illness.”
He further explains, “If somebody is quite obese, has diabetes, high blood pressure, and a leg infection, they’d come into the emergency department and I could treat their leg infection. But they’d still go home and be obese, have diabetes, and have high blood pressure. They’d end up cycling through this almost revolving door of suffering and morbidity.”
Dr. Stone points to the pressures of the Western healthcare model as a significant contributor to this issue, sharing that in a typical 8-hour shift where he’d see 30+ patients. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that on average, he’d “spend less than five minutes with a patient.” I got frustrated with not having the time to really form a deep connection with them or be able to address the root cause and underlying issues that were bringing them into the emergency department,” he continues.
Determined to change this, Dr. Stone currently leads a concierge practice at Nexus Medicine and leads a team of healthcare professionals at Wild Health who work together to create a sense of community for each patient, something that he believes doesn’t otherwise exist in healthcare.
“It’s rare that you have a healthcare team that leans in with you and a health-oriented community where you get to see the team walking the walk,” he adds. This aspect of community is a key feature of Dr. Stone’s approach to Conscious Medicine.
Medicine as a community event makes up the foundation for his philosophy, along with living in joy and fostering deep communication with patients. He combines this framework with a team-based care model that includes health coaching and care coordination to enable “holistic allostasis”.
“My approach is very holistic, considering things like nutrition, sleep, social connection, joy, resiliency, physical training, and community. All of those things are equally and vitally important,” he says. ”Then, the allostasis aspect is the concept of adding intentional stress to an aspect of your health, recovering from that stress appropriately, and then adapting so you can handle more of it in the future and be stronger across whatever metric you’re considering.”
This approach was born after more than 20 years spent as an emergency physician, serving marginalized populations. Dr. Stone previously worked at urban trauma centers in both Oakland, California, and Brooklyn, New York.
When asked how he feels being able to provide this life-changing treatment to patients, Dr. Stone describes it as “amazing,” and that if he could work with just one patient and meaningfully improve their life, it’s all worthwhile.
“Being able to do this for dozens of people over the years is a privilege,” he concludes. “My patients are always seen. They can bring any problem, big or small, and they have a crew of people who truly care about them. People want to be part of the community, and when you’re able to offer that in a health-focused, conscious, and vulnerable way, it’s pretty magical.”
Dr. Stone’s commitment to the community extends beyond individual patient interactions. At Wild Health, the sense of belonging and mutual support is fostered not only between doctor and patient but also among patients themselves. Group wellness activities, communal workshops, and regular health retreats are all part of creating a network where individuals support each other’s health journeys.
By prioritizing genuine connections and fostering a supportive community, Dr. Stone is not just treating illnesses—He is building a healthier, more connected society. His vision for medicine as a community event is paving the way for a new era in healthcare, where every patient feels valued, understood, and supported on their path to wellness.
Visit his websites, www.wildhealth.com and www.nexuspdx.com, or listen to his podcast episodes to learn more.