Get to Know BHC – Lucinda Bateman, M.D.

by | Nov 24, 2015 | BHC News

CindyDr. Lucinda Bateman completed her BS and MS at Brigham Young University (BYU), attended the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, returned to the University of Utah for Internal Medicine residency, and became certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1991. She started a small private group practice in 1991 and practiced General Internal Medicine until 2000.

During this time, she proctored many students as Adjunct Volunteer Clinical Faculty for the University of Utah, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants (PA), medical students and residents, and was active on the staff at LDS Hospital. She was awarded Teacher of the Year four times while teaching in the Utah PA (Physician’s Assistant) program. In 2000, she was one of three Utah internists chosen by her peers in Top Doctors, a national publication.

Throughout her career, Dr. Bateman’s interest has become more focused on the diagnosis and management of unexplained chronic fatigue, ME/CFS and FM, inspired by the silent suffering of her sister, Shauna Bateman Horne.

Cindy explains, “My sister was very sick and unable to get a diagnosis or the treatment she needed. I diagnosed her with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (now called ME/CFS); Shauna also suffered from chronic widespread pain. I didn’t know it then but research published in 2012 by the National Cancer Institute showed that ME/CFS patients are at increased risk of developing certain cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma. My sister died in 2001 of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 51. A few years before her death, Shauna was my inspiration to start the Fatigue Consultation Clinic where patients like my sister could get the diagnosis and care they need. Since then, more than 1,500 patients with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia have been cared for by me and two physician assistants.”

Dr. Bateman visits with new a patient and his mom

Dr. Bateman visits with new a patient & his mom

Since starting the Fatigue Consultation Clinic in 2000, Dr. Bateman has evaluated and followed more than a thousand patients with chronic fatigue conditions. She has lectured extensively on issues relating to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. She has served on the boards of the Easter Seals of Utah, The International Association of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (IACFS/ME) and The CFIDS Association of America. She co-founded the non-profit, OFFER (The Organization for Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Education and Research) to encourage the sharing of information with patients and medical providers and foster cooperative research efforts aimed at understanding the cause(s) of and developing treatments for ME/CFS and FM. This goal led to the recent merge of OFFER Utah and the Fatigue Consultation Clinic to the Bateman Horne Center.

By renaming to the Bateman Horne Center of Excellence, Dr. Bateman gives thanks to her sister for helping her understand the tremendous unmet need that exists in the patient community.

ck_BHclinic-33When my sister fell ill she was unable to get a diagnosis or the treatment she needed. My commitment is to bring excellence in research and care to ME/CFS and FM and I think we can achieve this vision in our lifetime. Together with my volunteer Board of Directors, dedicated staff and Suzanne D. Vernon, PhD (who is donating most of her time to set up the research program), we are building a center of excellence where ALL ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia patients can have the same experience I did – an illness journey characterized by diagnosis and treatments that are provided with commitment, compassion and innovation.” said Dr. Bateman.

In 2015, Dr. Bateman was diagnosed with breast cancer. “It was my turn to be a patient,” says Dr. Bateman. “My patient experience was remarkable as I was cared for in beautiful facilities by some of the best doctors in the world whose decision-making was based on innovative genetic tests, the latest imaging technology and the most recently approved FDA treatments. Fortunately it was detected at an early stage and my prognosis is good. But it was this experience that fortified my commitment to bring this same type of experience to ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia patients.”

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To see Dr. Bateman’s bibliography of published journal articles:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/collections/bibliography/46470176/?reload=publicURL

 

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The Bateman Horne Center fills a distinct and important position in the ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia world. The three-pronged mission is squarely targeted on bringing ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia to the mainstream. BHC is working to develop standardized diagnostic tests and evidence-based treatments to improve the lives of millions of sufferers. In order for research targeting treatments and a cure to be successful, this is critical.

While this research is developing, patients need access to qualified care now. With your support, we can increase clinic staff patient capacity, expand programs that train up-and-coming medical providers, and increase education opportunities for the medical community in order to bring about greater understanding and diagnosis.

While this research is developing, patients and their loved ones need hope now. Hope comes from education and understanding, from expanded knowledge, from connection and conversation. This is what the BHC patient education programs provide; bringing patients together and empowering them with quality information that helps them live better lives today.

You can support this important work with a donation of any size.