Randy Anderson
Early this past March, Randy Anderson noticed a lump under his skin in his abdomen area. He had his suspicion of what it was.
“I wasn’t experiencing any pain, but after I Googled it I was pretty confident it was a hernia,” Anderson shares. “I scheduled an appointment with my primary care provider, who took an ultrasound and confirmed my suspicion.”
While many people self-diagnose online, the best rule of thumb is to schedule an appointment with a provider who can diagnose and outline a course of action; together you can develop a treatment plan. Having a partner in your care can lessen fear and anxiety. His primary care provider referred him to Drew McRoberts, MD, general surgeon with Portneuf Surgical Specialists.
“He is well-known in the community and so my doctor referred me to him,” said Anderson. “I don’t have a 
lot of health issues and don’t go to hospitals regularly. I was very impressed with my experience with Dr. McRoberts and the Portneuf Medical Center staff.”
After Anderson was diagnosed with a hernia, he wanted to schedule the surgery as quickly as possible. “I am a Wildland firefighter, so my schedule can get pretty hectic,” said Anderson. “I wanted to have it all taken care of before summer because that is when work gets very busy with trainings and I didn’t want to have any health issues lingering.”
Reflecting on his first appointment with Dr. McRoberts to discuss treatment options, Anderson said, “He was great and really took the time to sit and talk with me about the surgery and recovery time and to learn more about me. We talked for around 30 minutes about everything, and I was just really impressed he took that much time with me. Once I let him know I had a narrow window to have the surgery because of work, he was very accommodating and scheduled the surgery for a couple of weeks later, which was nice.”
In late March, Anderson went to Portneuf Medical Center for his surgery. “Dr. McRoberts had explained the surgery to me in great detail, so I wasn’t nervous and knew I was in good hands,” Anderson shares. “Everyone was helpful and super friendly. I was very impressed with the amount of professionalism and personal care I received from everyone involved. After I woke up, I was given food and coffee and was able to go home within the hour.”
Three weeks after surgery, Anderson went in for a post-surgical check-up with Dr. McRoberts. “I’m doing great now,” said Anderson. “I’ve been a firefighter for 30 years and haven’t had very many surgeries. Overall my whole experience was barely an inconvenience and it didn’t set me back from work at all. I would definitely recommend Portneuf Medical Center and Dr. McRoberts to the community.”
To learn more about Dr. McRoberts, please click here. If you are experiencing symptoms of a hernia, talk to your primary care provider about a referral to Portneuf Medical Group.