Caring for the Whole Person

Dr. Rodger C. Mattson, who recently opened an office in Owasso, is one of those doctors to whom a good bedside manner is still a priority.

Over the last century, the medical world has made great strides in healthcare and the treatment of disease, with a greater understanding of the human physiology than ever before. While today’s doctors have advanced far beyond their counterparts of a century ago in knowledge, it sometimes seems that personal attention and care have been sacrificed somewhere along the way. However, there are still physicians out there who make a special effort to communicate with patients rather than rushing them through appointments like they are on an assembly line. Dr. Rodger C. Mattson, who recently opened an office in Owasso, is one of those doctors to whom a good bedside manner is still a priority.

“One of the reasons I opened my own practice rather than joining one that was already established is because I didn’t want people telling me how many patients I had to see per day and how long I could spend with each patient,” Dr. Mattson relates. “I like spending time with people, getting to know their families and concerns.”

Still, Dr. Mattson also realizes that the patient’s time is valuable, so he addresses another problem that has become a part of today’s medical landscape: waiting. “I don’t like people to have to wait,” he says, noting that when you make an appointment at his office you can expect your appointment time to be respected. He points out that if an emergency were to delay your appointment for more than 15 minutes, you would be notified immediately rather than left sitting in the waiting room, watching the clock tick precious time away as you wonder what the problem is.

Medicine is actually a second career for Dr. Mattson. In the mid-nineties, he honorably retired after 17 years as a Presbyterian minister to pursue a medical degree. After graduating from medical school at Oklahoma State University in 2000, he completed his residency in Oregon before returning to Oklahoma to open a clinic in Chelsea, after which he moved his practice to Owasso. When asked what he feels his former ministry brings to his practice of medicine, Dr. Mattson answers, “I really view life as a gift from God. We all have a responsibility to use it wisely and to the best of our abilities. I believe it is what we’re called to do. My background in philosophy truly helps me to treat people with dignity, to respect their wishes.” One of the things he has observed along the way in both his ministerial and medical careers is the effect that stress has on the body. “Stress lowers our ability to stay healthy and fight off disease,” Dr. Mattson notes. “For instance, in the case of lower back pain, studies show that there is often a clear correlation between getting better and your own sense of well being, meaning and happiness. Being grounded and happy in life is just so important to your health.”

Rodger C. Mattson, D.O., P.C., is a graduate of O.S.U.’s School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he serves as a member of the faculty. He is board certified in Family Practice Medicine and is a member in good standing of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association and the American Osteopathic Association. He is affiliated with Owasso’s new Bailey Medical Center and takes patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Dr. Mattson’s office accepts all major insurance companies (the office bills directly), accepts several forms of payment including Mastercard, Visa, local checks and cash and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.