Do you have patients on L&I that just are not recovering but you cannot figure out why? Do you have
patients who cry during their office visits? Or patients who are so frustrated with the system that you
spend the majority of your visits counseling them? If you do, there is assistance available to help…the
Master's Level Therapists (MLT) Pilot Program.

What can MLTs do for my patients?
Help workers overcome obstacles that are impeding their recovery from work-related injury
or illness by providing brief therapy to assist workers with a variety of mental health issues including:
depression, anxiety, anger, frustrations, and addictions.
MLTs may also help workers cope with chronic pain, accept a disability or develop a new normal
that aids in life during the recovery period.
MLTs can also help provide information that may aid in your requests for mental health
evaluations and other referrals (such as behavioral optometrists) and provide workers with assistance in
locating and accessing community resources (such as food and rent assistance).
How do MLTs help workers?
MLTs have a Master's degree in the field of social work and/or counseling. Each referral is
granted 8 initial sessions and an additional 8 sessions may be requested, if needed, to help the injured
worker return to work in a timely manner or aid them in accepting that they may not be able to
return to their previous employment . MLTs use their counseling skills to assist workers in
identifying their own strengths while also educating on skills and resources that assist workers in
coping with chronic pain, frustrations, anxiety, depression, and other issues.
How does a doctor make a referral?
Contact Dr. Lang's office with the worker's name, claim number and reason for therapy
referral. We contact the worker and schedule an appointment either in-person or via tele-health,
whichever is easiest for the worker.
What are the MLTs hours?
Our therapists have a variety of hours available, including evening, daytime, and weekend hours.
Besides seeing workers in the Olympia office, telehealth can be done through most smartphones or laptop
computers via Zoom, Google Duo, FaceTime and other apps. We will explain the systems to the workers
and aid them in using the various apps if an in-person visit is not convenient.

• COVID-19 Protocol
  To provide patients and staff with protection against potential exposure our office is
  implementing the following protocols:
  1.Any patients with a cold, sore throat or respiratory symptoms (coughing, sneezing) should
  reschedule their appointments until they have fully recovered. Telephone conference with the
  provider can be scheduled to discuss urgent matters.
  2.All patients can wait in their vehicle until the provider is ready to see them. Please announce
  your arrival by calling (360)491-0459.
  3.Prescriptions refills should be submitted through your pharmacy if possible, you can also call
  our office for electronic refills of most medications.
  We appreciate everyone's cooperation and understanding of the current environment and
  our dedication to providing safe care for all patients while helping to prevent the spread of
  COVID-19 in our community

CDC COVID-19 SYMPTOM SCREENING QUESTIONS:

• Fever or chills?
• A new cough?
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?
• Fatigue?
• New muscle or body aches?
• New headache?
• Sore throat?
• New loss of taste or smell?
• Congestion or runny nose?
• Nausea or vomiting?
• Diarrhea?
  

​
This past year has been a year of growth! As they do every year, our providers have attended medical conferences to keep current on the advancement of science and medical progress. Technology advancements have been made throughout our practice to ensure the best patient care possible. We continue to pride ourselves on a quality compassionate health care for all.

Dr. Lang spent the year and is currently the President of the Thurston Mason County Medical Society, a group that supports health and well being to all in our community. Dr. Lang is also one of fourteen members on The Industrial Insurance Medical Advisory Committee (IIMAC), which advises L&I on safe and effective treatment for injured workers.

2016 will mark Nurse Practitioner Becky Peterson's 15 year mark with the practice and we are proud to have her and her expert knowledge and skills available to our patients.
​
We wish you and yours a very Happy New Year! 

When Samira was a child she dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. She was blessed with hard working and supportive parents who encouraged and challenged her to fulfill her dreams. At the age of 14 Samira became specifically interested in the field of neurosurgery. Her father needed to have back surgery and her father’s doctor at the time left a lasting impression on her. He was a kind man who treated her father and his entire family so well that Samira was inspired to become a doctor in the neurosurgery field as well. She wanted to also help bring relief to patients by improving their quality of life as this doctor had done for her father.

Samira works as a full time as a Nurse Practitioner for Robert Lang MD, Inc. She is also working on completing her schooling for the Doctorate of Nurse Practitioner degree, which she hopes to complete by the end of 2016.  Although she doesn’t have a lot of spare time beyond work and her studies, Samira does enjoy watching movies, gardening, and taking an active role in helping local teens build character, self-confidence, and a sense of community as one way to help these teens resist negative influences.

When asked what she likes most about her job, Samira answered, “Helping patients.” Samira is a skilled and compassionate health care provider and we are so pleased to have her as part of our team. Her knowledge and interest in our patients’ care has surely brought them relief just as her father’s doctor did for him.

Dr. Robert Lang is the current Thurston-Mason County Medical Society President.  The Thurston-Mason County Medical Society (TMCMS) is a non-profit professional organization, a constituent of the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) and the American Medical Association (AMA).The Thurston-Mason County Medical Society, or TMCMS, provides valuable information to local physicians such as medical journals and national health information.  They are also a great resource to patients in the area who are looking for new providers, information on insurance, and community health organizations. The TMCM has a new website where you can find all of this important information, www.tmcms.org.

    One of the ways the TMCMS is helping the community is by being an asset to patients who have Medicare or Medicaid and are having a difficult time finding a new physician. TMCMS has reached out to local physicians asking them if they accept either of these insurance plans and has created a contact list for the community on their website. Dr. Lang and all of the providers in his Neurosurgery practice accept Medicare and Medicaid.

    Dr. Robert Lang has also been attending the meetings of the Thurston County Safety Net Council on behalf of the medical society for the past six years – since his first Presidential term.  Dr. Lang is encouraged by the strong support of the medical society and the entire Thurston and Mason County medical communities in the worthy medical causes they support for our local community.