The People of Primary Care
Meet Dr. Mike West: Caretaker of stories, families, and one moody donkey named Gracie
Welcome to our new series, The People of Primary Care: the human stories behind the healthcare you receive at your doctor’s office or healthcare hub.
For Dr. Mike West, a family physician at Drs. Nash, Prangley & West in Dundas, family medicine is all about stories.
In this bustling clinic, listening to his patients is what keeps Dr. West going. After practicing here for 23 years, he not only knows the stories of individuals, but of families and generations.
“It really is fulfilling to be able to sit down with somebody and know their backstory,” he says. “It helps you care for them and make health care choices because you know where they’re coming from.”
Becoming a family doctor
It was one impactful patient story that cemented the trajectory of his career.
As a medical resident in the late 80s at Queens University, he spent a night at the bedside of a patient who was HIV positive. At the time, there were very limited options for care and treatment, along with significant stigma that led to social isolation.
“We spent almost the entire night just chatting, hearing her life story,” says Dr. West. “I’m not sure what I was able to provide other than a big set of ears to listen and some connection.”
Her story made such an impact that he still remembers the smell of patchouli in her room over three decades later. “It’s essential for family medicine,” he says, “to be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
Leaning on the team
From Dr. West’s perspective, this applies to your team as well. In a busy office, having a team that holds each other up is everything.
“We have a really strong group of interdisciplinary healthcare professionals working out of the Dundas Hub,” he explains. “Team-based care makes our work as family physicians easier.”
As the lead physician for the Dundas Family Health Organization (or “FHO” – a group of family physicians that work together to provide more comprehensive access to care for patients), he also sees the support that physicians within the FHO provide to each other. “If any of us are sick or need someone to cover our office, there will be a quick message that goes out and a number of hands will go up offering to see patients or help out.”
Within his practice, the team is close-knit and the magic of storytelling helps them understand and care for each other.
“We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and we grieve together about loss,” he explains. “We all know each other’s stories within the group here, and that makes the day go by a bit faster.”
This is especially true on hard or particularly busy days. “When I hear the group of them laughing or telling a joke, it just lifts your spirits. You realize there’s a community out there that’s supporting our patients.”
Life outside the clinic
This community is filled with caring people whose lives extend beyond the doors of their office or clinic.
For Dr. West, this extension leads right down the long driveway to his farm. When he’s not in the office, you’ll find him stewarding the land, including tending to Gracie, his donkey, who is “moody, but lovely,” six goats, and countless chickens.
He also spent many years as a swimmer at the highest level, winning one bronze and one silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. “I don’t have the medals at the office anymore,” he says through a laugh. And these days, he’s traded swimsuits for farm boots.
“If I could, I’d be outside 24/7,” he says.
Spending time in nature is something he also recommends to his patients. “Depending on where patients live, we look on Google Maps and find green space,” he says.
This is a concept called “nature prescribing,” a research-backed framework where healthcare providers can prescribe time in nature as part of their patient’s treatment plan. “I just know the healing value of being outside of your head in nature. It’s so powerful,” says Dr. West.
Where to go when you’re in Dundas
“What I love about Dundas is my choice of options for a quick lunch on the go, because for many family docs, it’s like, ‘what is lunch’, you know, we barely have time,” he explains. His top three? Picone’s Fine Food for a sandwich, The Burnt Tongue for soup, and Detour for coffee and a sweet treat.
True to his love of nature, he also plugs the mountain bike and hiking trails throughout the area. If patients are looking to spice up a hike, he recommends they download the Merlin Bird ID app to identify birds or the iNaturalist app to contribute to biodiversity science and track the plants and animals you see.