What our Patients Are Saying About Our Physicians

What our patients are saying about our physicians

Being a patient at St. Luke’s takes you back to what medicine used to be. My doctor knows me and each member of my family personally, beyond what is written in our medical charts. Dr. RJ Heck has a great sense of humor, and he knows each of my kids and their personalities. That creates a huge level of trust. We know he is looking out for us and will stay on an issue until it is resolved.”

I call him RJ, not Dr. Heck. It’s a small thing, but it means a lot. Not many people are on a first name basis with their doctor.

RJ has a calm demeanor that puts his patients at ease, and he is great at explaining things. I appreciate that both as his patient, and as a former nurse.

Our family has been patients at St. Luke’s Family Practice for years. When my youngest was little, she put a toothpick in her ear! After a quick text, Dr. RJ Heck came in to meet us at his office, even though it was an evening when the office was normally closed. We joke about that incident now, and our family has built a great relationship with him through the years since then. There have been multiple times we have been on vacation and someone in our family needed care. Each time, Dr. Heck was just a phone call or text away. He has even met us at our car to perform a quick assessment, diagnosis and next steps regarding prescriptions and care.

Our family has had a relationship with St. Luke’s Family Practice for 10 years. I can’t say enough good things about this practice, Dr. RJ Heck, and the other doctors who work there. We don’t have to go through any hoops to talk to our doctor or get the care we need. We have access to our doctor by phone day or night and can get help right away. One time, I thought I had a bad cold. I reached out and Dr. Erin Kiesel called me back within minutes. Even though it was a Saturday, based on my symptoms, she asked me to come into the office. She diagnosed me with pneumonia! If I was a patient in a different medical environment, I would have assumed it was a bad cold and not gotten the care I needed because of long wait times to see a doctor. I’m so glad I was diagnosed and treated right away at St. Luke’s Family Practice.

The doctors at St. Luke’s Family Practice are amazing human beings. They are always receptive to our calls, always on task, and they treat you like family. The doctors are expert caregivers, professional and well-educated, with a focus on the human aspect of the care they provide. That makes a huge difference, because the human touch is so important.

What our patients are saying about St. Luke's Family Practice

Prior to being patients at St. Luke’s Family Practice, my family was taking care of our health in a very discombobulated way that lacked a holistic healthcare management approach. It felt like a cattle drive approach every time we needed care, because that’s how the traditional health care model works. The patient experience at St. Luke’s Family Practice is exactly the opposite. We have direct access to our doctor, everyone in our family is treated like an individual and we feel secure knowing our care is being managed holistically. Because of the personal, accessible relationship we have with our doctor, my family actually looks forward to wellness visits each year.

Care at St. Luke’s reminds me of the way it used to be, where doctors are more in tune with you as an individual, and the doctor is really there for you. You just can’t put a value on that! Most people can’t even fathom what that means because they can’t imagine being taken care of in this way.

I tell a lot of people about St. Luke’s Family Practice. 24-hour care is available when you need it. The doctors are professional, well-educated, and compassionate and treat you like a friend. They help guide you when dealing with specialists. It’s incredible that this type of care is available here in our community.

Being a patient at St. Luke’s feels like having an old school family doctor. The kind of doctor who knows you and your family, who knows and remembers your history, who you've built a personal relationship with, and who you've developed a deep level of trust with. It’s so unique and special to know your doctor beyond an annual appointment or emergency.

St. Luke’s Family Practice is a remarkable place to receive care. There’s just no comparison.

What our patients are saying about the care they recieve

My son was riding an electric scooter and accidentally hit his head on the corner of a wall. With blood on his head, I put him into the car and started driving to the hospital, calling Dr. Heck on the way. Instead of waiting hours in the Emergency Room to be seen, Dr. Heck met us at his office, where he first examined then gave my son 10 stitches, all in about 15 minutes. That was an amazing experience, and the way medicine should be!

The care at St. Luke’s Family Practice is very convenient. It’s great to get what you need right away, through a text or phone call to your doctor, and if you need to be seen in the office, you can see the doctor within hours of calling. It’s a huge time saver to have this type of access to your doctor. You’re not waiting days for an email response or test results, or weeks for an in-person appointment or waiting in a doctor’s office waiting room or ER with other sick patients. If you’re a worrier, that’s a huge benefit!

Over the years, my daughters and Dr. Heck also have also built their own relationships. He has worked closely with me and my youngest to manage her asthma. He has called in prescriptions at all hours of the day and night, and even seen us over weekends, if needed. During the pandemic - due to COVID-19 restrictions - my youngest daughter had to go into the office alone for an in-person appointment. Because of the relationship they had built over time, she wasn’t afraid to go in alone, and I trusted she that was receiving great care. While my older daughter was away at college, I was so comforted knowing she had continued access to Dr. Heck for her care, even from two states away. From a Mom’s perspective, having such great access to our doctor has been invaluable for my family, from the toddler years through the young adult years. Being a part of St. Luke's gives us all such peace of mind.

Being a patient at this practice brings such peace of mind. The care they provide is amazing. Both of my kids were out of the country for their studies and they were able to text and Skype to get the care they needed. As a parent, it’s invaluable knowing your child has access to health care 24/7 while overseas.

What our patients are saying about our mission

The unique healthcare model St. Luke’s Family Practice uses means that as a Benefactor, we get direct access to our doctor, which is a great benefit for me and my family, but it also means we are helping uninsured families in our community to receive care.

It’s such a blessing for our family to be Benefactors at St. Luke’s Family Practice. We love that the money we spend to have access to our amazing Dr. Heck not only provides our family with the best care, but also allows St. Luke’s to serve other families without insurance right here in our community.

I love the fact St. Luke’s Family Practice is a faith-based practice. I also appreciate the unique social justice component of this practice and knowing that my money goes to help others in the community receive the care they need. Giving back to others for the greater good is important to me.

Occasionally before an appointment I have noticed through the reception area the faces of the families, both young and old, waiting to receive the free treatment that St Luke’s is providing. Many times, the look in their eyes can say a lot to the person standing across from them like myself. Whether it’s a concern for themselves or the anxiety over the small child in their arms, their worry is visible. During those tiring times, it must be comforting to know they are going to see a physician and receive the attention they need without the additional worry to pay for it. There’s something that is satisfying about that, knowing you may have helped in a small way as a Benefactor of St. Luke’s.