Fast action saved his leg: why primary care access matters more than ever

Frustrated at having to wait weeks or months for a primary care appointment, Dennis Rodkey, 56, turned to the web to search for a practice offering timely appointments, quality care, and a provider who accepted his health insurance.

“I came across the Penn Medicine Doylestown Health Family Medicine Residency Practice in Warrington, PA,” Rodkey said. “They had immediate appointment availability and were just 10 minutes from my house.”

Rodkey arrived for his new patient visit in January 2024. The experience exceeded his expectations. “The environment was welcoming and I felt very comfortable. Everyone was kind and helpful,” Rodkey said.

Unexpected health concern

“It was just a couple of months after my first appointment that I noticed a small, red spot on my leg,” Rodkey said. “I called my new practice, and they brought me in right away.”

Rodkey saw Soujanya Jammalamadaka, MD, a second-year Family Medicine resident who recognized that the wound on his leg appeared to be necrotizing fasciitis (NF). This rare and dangerous bacterial infection, commonly referred to as flesh-eating disease, kills the connective tissue under your skin, according to Jammalamadaka.

“Dennis did not have common risk factors such as having diabetes or being immunocompromised, but anyone can get necrotizing fasciitis through a cut or break in the skin,” she said. “Early treatment for this fast spreading infection was crucial, because it wasn’t just his leg at risk, but everything from the hip down.”

A race against time

Jammalamadaka sent Rodkey directly to the Emergency Department at Doylestown Hospital, where tests confirmed the NF diagnosis. The team started Rodkey on IV antibiotics and prepped him for surgery. Doctors combat NF with repeated surgeries to remove damaged, infected tissue (debridement). The goal is to stop the infection from spreading.

“The risk of limb loss varies widely, depending on the severity of infection,” said Jeremy Linson, MD, the general surgeon who treated Rodkey, along with his partner, general surgeon Brian Pellini, MD.

Sometimes, NF will clear with antibiotics and one or two operations, but after three surgeries, Rodkey’s infection was not improving—he would need urgent, repeated operations on almost a daily basis to conquer the infection, followed by skin grafting.

“At a community hospital like ours, the majority of operations are scheduled, and surgeons cover emergencies on a rotating basis,” says Linson said. “For less severe infections, a cure is possible with one or two trips to the operating room, but when Dennis’ infection failed to improve after three operations, we determined his ongoing treatment could be better managed at a tertiary care hospital with a dedicated acute care surgery team to enhance continuity of care, and a larger multi-disciplinary team including various specialists to give him the best chance of keeping his leg.”

Within 48 hours of his diagnosis, Rodkey was on his way to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).

“The communication was great,” Rodkey said. “When I arrived at Penn, everyone knew exactly what was going on and what I needed.”

A place patients can count on

“I can’t say enough about Dr. Jammalamadaka and everyone at my primary care practice,” Rodkey said. “Now, I have connections to other specialists and resources. They keep in touch with me and know what’s going on with my health. Whenever I have a question, they answer right away and nothing is ever a problem.”

His primary care physician gives him all the credit. “Dennis made the decision to go to the doctor’s office that day to get checked out, which led to a timely diagnosis and treatment in the very early stages, saving his leg,” Jammalamadaka said. “He also completed rehabilitation therapy, to regain strength and function in his leg.”

“I’m back to doing what I love, which is being outside and active, whether I’m at a park or hiking a trail. My health has improved 100%,” said Rodkey, who plans to keep it that way—in partnership with his primary care provider.

The Doylestown Health Family Medicine Residency Practice in Warrington, PA, is a comprehensive, dynamic Family Medicine practice staffed by board-certified Family Medicine physicians and medical residents.

“We are a young and compassionate resident team with a collaborative spirit that works to develop comprehensive treatment plans, addressing our patients as whole individuals through mutual support and shared learning,” Jammalamadaka said. “Our team-based approach creates a unique work environment where both patients and providers thrive, resulting in enhanced patient outcomes and professional growth.”