THREE DOCTORS, ONE MISSION

When Dr. Ann Marie Houser’s mother-inlaw was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, Houser stepped in to help in a way that combined her medical expertise, and her role as a good daughter. Accompanying mom-in-law to doctor appointments, Houser’s medically informed listening ear was hugely helpful as she took notes and asked the oncologist follow-up questions, prompting his response: “Wow! Everyone should have a doctor daughter like you!”

That oncologist’s wish came true with the formation of Doctor Daughters. A trio of personal physician consultants operational since 2023, Doctor Daughters seeks to revolutionize healthcare by offering services that fill gaps in the current medical landscape. Combining the expertise of three practicing, northwest suburban doctors—Houser, DO, a board-certified pediatrician with over 15 years of experience as a pediatric hospitalist, Kristen Maguire, MD, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, and Melissa (Missy) Drake, DO, also a board-certified emergency medicine physician, the firm acts as a helpful adjunct to clients’ physicians.

“Healthcare has advanced incredibly over the past 20 years,” says Drake, “Patients have more choices in their treatments, are more knowledgeable and are living longer—all amazing gains. But with these gains comes a large, complicated system that can be very hard to navigate and is missing links to tie all of the pieces together. We are here to fill those gaps.”

“We do not replace primary care physicians, but instead, act as their allies,” explains Dr. Maguire. “In an ideal world, everyone would have a ‘doctor daughter’ in the family. Someone with the expertise of a physician who knows what questions to ask. Someone who understands the information given in a doctor’s diagnosis and can then relay it in ways that are understandable. Someone who can handle the heavy lifting of gathering, organizing and streamlining medical records into a straightforward, accessible and regularly updated medical history compilation. These things, and more, are what Doctor Daughters provides to each client.”

The decision to band together to form Doctor Daughters came out of discussions the three doctors had through their friendships working in hospitals, parenting their children, and caring for members of their families. “Whenever we got together and discussed challenges, the same themes would always come up: The fact that medical record systems aren’t married to one another making them impossible to cross reference…the fact that patient one-on-one time with doctors was so limited. And overall? That for patients, healthcare felt like traversing a foreign land without a map or interpreter,” says Maguire.

“We were keenly aware of the complexities within the healthcare system through our clinical work,” Drake adds. “And as daughters, mothers, neighbors and friends, we often found ourselves helping others navigate through the gaps.”

Sometime during the pandemic, the three realized how nice it would be if the general public had easier access to the same physician guidance, organization and knowledge the group was providing to family and friends. And so, Doctor Daughters was born.

Initially, Doctors Daughters thought its primary demographic would be elderly clientele, and it has many clients from this group. “But our services are sought out more and more by the ‘sandwich generation’—working professionals who are navigating all it takes to care for both aging parents and, their own children at the same time,” says Maguire. “Sometimes, this can involve helping parents who live in another state, and children who have left home for college.”

Evolving with such needs, the firm recently added Campus Consult to its portfolio of services, helping students navigate their healthcare questions when on their own at college, and The Guideline, a service that clients can use to contact one of the Doctor Daughters anytime with questions or concerns regarding their health or that of a loved one.

Among its key services, Doctor Daughters:

• Researches, assimilates and organizes client medical history into a customized MedFolio™, streamlining pertinent data into one easy-to-find place;
• Offers clients personalized education about the medications prescribed by their primary care doctors, about the new diagnoses they receive, and a better understanding of the medical conditions they have;
• Prepares clients for doctor appointments by reviewing which questions to ask their physicians, and how to interpret the answers given; and
• Acts as a liaison during client hospitalizations, translating primary care physicians’ and specialists’ care plans into understandable terms for clients, which empowers clients and their caregivers as they participate in their care plan.

Thus far, feedback from both the clients and the physicians Doctor Daughters supports has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Doctors love that we reinforce their messages,” Maguire explains. “Because we are not up against the same time constraints as the treating doctors, we can spend extra time educating and answering questions that arise after one of their patients goes home. Houser adds, “One doctor told us, ‘I am so glad my patient has you in her corner. I could tell that she did not fully understand what I was telling her.’”

Looking ahead, Doctor Daughters is increasing its community outreach lectures at independent living facilities, schools, and clubs. It is also partnering for gatherings at local businesses, providing general education and helpful tips on how to be more informed and empowered around healthcare planning, and the services it offers.

“The work we do is so rewarding,” sums Houser. “Our clients and their families are so grateful for our involvement as it truly sheds light and makes them feel less alone.”

“We treat each client as we would treat one of our own family members. With the same attentiveness, attention to detail, persistence and empathy,” Drake concludes, “because nothing is more precious than your health and the health of the people you care about. We support that by giving clients the time, education, information and care it takes to provide peace of mind.”

For more information, visit doctordaughters.com and follow @doctordaughters on Instagram and Facebook.