Meet our Team of Office Assistants

At The Arthritis & Infusion Center, we understand that patients expect a good experience in all areas of their visit to Dr. Hulon Crayton’s practice. To ensure that our clinical and administrative tasks are completed with accuracy and exemplary service, we’ve put together a team of outstanding Office Assistants. These individuals make it their daily mission to support our other team members in assuring that our medical practice runs efficiently and effectively.

 The Arthritis &  Infusion Center Office Assistants

(L-R:  Megan Gibbs, Carla Lancaster, Corinna Crayton, and Crystal Luterman)

Megan Gibbs’ major responsibility is Insurance Verification and Financial Assistance, when needed, for Infusion patients.

Carla Lancaster’s major responsibilities are answering phones, scheduling new and follow-up patients for appointments, as well as scheduling patients Dr. Crayton refers to outside specialists.

Corinna Crayton provides part-time backup in several areas of the medical practice.

Crystal Luterman is the smiling face patients see when they first enter the practice. As receptionist, Crystal greets and gets patients checked in, answers the phone, and schedules appointments as backup to Carla Lancaster.

Although everyone has their individual, assigned tasks, providing excellent customer service is everyone’s foremost priority! 

Dr. Crayton, the area’s most tenured Rheumatologist, reminds his patients that “Pain is not normal. We can help!” No referral is necessary to see Dr. Crayton, but be certain to check with your insurance provider prior to contacting the office to make sure of your coverage.  Or, ask your Primary Care physician to refer you to our medical practice.
 

Spread the Warmth END 2013

The Spread the Warmth Initiative ended on March 31^st, but not before we received a large shipment of blankets that were so very special, they were wrapped in red ribbons!

Dr. Hulon Crayton and the staff at The Arthritis & Infusion Center decided that the Children’s Home Society of Florida would be our recipients this past winter season.

“We never seem to have enough blankets to go around since our kids need to stay warm, may be in transient, and must take their belongings with them. We are so very grateful to Dr. Crayton for this donation,” said Ms. Felicia Robinson Cook, Director of Development for CHS.

And who could possibly have known that March would have been one of our coldest months in recent history? We would like to thank everyone who donated blankets to this worthwhile cause. We have already chosen our recipient for next year’s “Spread the Warmth” campaign, which will start in November of next year, so “stay tuned” as to how you can participate!

Communicating with your physician – THE most important component in your health care involves just two steps!

#1 – KNOW your physician:

Dr. Hulon Crayton has been practicing Rheumatology since 1990, which makes him the most experienced, longest tenured, Rheumatologist in this region. In addition, he is Board Certified in Rheumatology, has maintained his licenses in good standing with all state licensing boards, and also completed his Master’s Degree in Hospital Administration, which makes him specially qualified to run The Arthritis & Infusion Center.  (* See additional information below.)

#2 – Communicate honestly with the physician you trust!

Most important, Dr. Crayton maintains there is no such thing as “cookie-cutter medicine”:  “I have learned over the years that what works for one patient may not work for others. If some medicine, or treatment plan, doesn’t work; or, if there are side effects, patients need to TELL me!”

There are no lab tests or x-rays that can show pain. “And, I’m not Bill Clinton in that I can’t ‘feel your pain’,” said Dr. Crayton with his usual humor. “Some patients tend to try to be stoic and push through the pain. I’d rather they open up about what’s really going on in their body. Communication with a doctor is THE most important component of good health care.”

“I really care about how my patients are doing under my treatment plans, but all too often they don’t want to complain. I wish they’d drop their politeness! When I ask how a patient is doing, ‘feeling fine’ is a reflex answer. The face a patient displays to the world is one thing, but I need to know what’s really going on, physically and emotionally, to provide the utmost in medical care.”

Teamwork is very important for doctor-to-patient and doctor-to-doctor relationships, and Dr. Crayton has a proven reputation of really listening to his patients in order to help them, and their families, cope with the changes rheumatic diseases may cause in their lives.

Some rheumatic diseases are very serious and can be hard to diagnose and treat, which is why it is very important to choose a rheumatologist who has the most experience in the region for treating rheumatic disease … and that person is Dr. Hulon Crayton! No referral is necessary. Learn more about Dr. Crayton at drcrayton.net.

·        Additional footnote information about Dr. Crayton:

What is a Rheumatologist?

A Rheumatologist is an internist who received further training in the diagnosis/detection and treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases. Also called “rheumatic” diseases, these conditions affect the joints, muscles, and bones. Rheumatologists treat arthritis, certain autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal pain, and osteoporosis. There are more than 100 rheumatic conditions, to include (but not limited to): Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and tendinitis.

Why Choose Dr. Crayton?

In addition to his four (4) years of medical school, three (3) years of residency, and (2) years of fellowship training, Dr. Crayton has been practicing his specialty for almost a quarter of a century!  During that time, Dr. Crayton has compiled extensive training, and experience, in the successful treatment of his patients. Dr. Crayton has a commitment to life-long learning and frequently completes appropriate continuing-education courses.

 

Dr. Crayton is a much sought-after consultant who advises other doctors about a particular diagnosis and treatment plan. In other cases, Dr. Crayton acts as a manager of infusions needed by the patients of other physicians.

Meet our Team – Nurse Hillary Chaffer

At The Arthritis & Infusion Center, we take great pride in building a team of dedicated professionals. Hillary Chaffer is one such staff member, who has her LPN license and is continuing her nursing education at Gulf Coast State College.

When interviewed, Hillary shared her thoughts on the importance of the services provided by Dr. Hulon Crayton: “The majority of people we see every day are in pain. I enjoy watching the process of prevention, holding off the deterioration of their body and joints. It is so rewarding to watch patients become absolutely transformed from walking stooped over to not even requiring surgery for their disability,” said Ms. Chaffer. “I also love helping people learn about their ailments, from providing the availability of networking groups, which help in coping with their conditions, to providing tangible things they can do, with diet and exercise, to help offset the ravages of their disease.”

 Hillary Chaffer, LPN

 
Ms. Chaffer’s career track took her from nursing home care, where she could only dispense medications, to working for Dr. Crayton, where she gets a lot more satisfaction by taking an active role in the oversight and care of people suffering from arthritis and other Rheumatologic or connective-tissue diseases.

When asked to answer the question – Who is Hillary? She thought a moment before responding – “I can remember as a young child, we had to write adjectives that spelled out our names, and showed who we were as a person.  For ‘H’, I wrote ‘hilarious’; ‘I’ was for ‘inventive’; and for the first ‘L’, I wrote ‘laughing’, but I don’t remember the rest. I’d say I’m kind of like an onion on ‘Shrek’, where you peel back numerous layers.” Then, she broke out in even more laughter at comparing herself to “Shrek”.

But life isn’t always light hearted for Ms. Chaffer. She often provides a type of personal hospice service to animals who have been turned over to shelters due to their serious illnesses, and owners not able to pay for the medicines and treatment. Hillary does get a lot of joy from her marriage and her avocation as a Certified Feline Groomer.

Staff often refers to Hillary’s “upbeat and caring” personality, so important in a team environment, and Dr. Crayton has said he cannot imagine a person better suited to help care for his patients.  Hillary, and Dr. Crayton, would like to remind you:  “Pain is not normal. We can help.”  Contact the practice to see what makes their entire team so very special. 

Are Rheumatologists pain management doctors?

First of all, it’s important to understand what both doctors do – specifically.

According to The American College of Rheumatology, a Rheumatologist is an internist who received further training in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases, which affect the joints, muscles, and bones. In addition to arthritis, they treat certain autoimmune diseases (when the body comes under attack by its own immune system), musculoskeletal pain, and osteoporosis. There are other conditions they treat to include:  rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and tendinitis to name just a few.

On the other hand, a Pain Management doctor is someone who is an authority on managing pain in their field, which may include neurology, anesthesiology, or even psychiatry.

When you feel you need pain management, your first call should be to your primary care physician, who will assess which specialist would be right for your condition. In addition, you should only seek pain management for chronic pain that focuses on your ability, or inability, to function in daily living activities. Remember:  some pain medicines may be addictive.

Dr. Hulon Crayton is a board certified Rheumatologist and owner of The Arthritis & Infusion Center. Within his practice, it sometimes becomes necessary to prescribe pain medications for certain specific conditions; however, Dr. Crayton does refer patients to pain management specialists if needed. Dr. Crayton always tells his patients:  “Pain is not normal! We can help.” You can ask your primary-care physician to refer you to Dr. Crayton; or, if your insurance allows, you can self-refer to our practice.