Growing up as a little girl in China, Honglan was shaped daily by her grandfather who practiced traditional Chinese medicine. Honglan was nurtured by his example the way a flower absorbs the rain. As the older man employed the art of acupuncture and alternative medicine in compassionate ways, his example left lasting impressions on his attentive granddaughter. “He was connected to the whole village; he enjoyed helping all of the people and generations of families came to him. My grandfather’s influence is what led me into medicine,” shares Dr. Honglan Lu. However, at that time in China, women’s rights were very limited, and no one else in Honglan’s family for several generations had pursued a medical career. “So for me to go into medicine—that was kind of huge,” explains Dr. Lu. Dr. Lu’s initial training was from Shantou University in Shantou City, China and focused on obstetrics, gynecology and women’s health. Honglan received strong surgical training, yet recognized that so many of the women she was being trained to help were dealing with wider issues than she was equipped to treat. She felt the need to expand her training in order to help the whole person. Having already completed a full residency in Shantou, she moved to the United States for further education. In 2005 she was accepted into the St. Mary’s Family Medicine residency program. Dr. Lu appreciates the well-rounded training she received, describing it as hands-on and intense. She graduated from residency in 2008 and opened her private practice in 2009. Dr. Lu’s husband Mac, who grew up locally, is the office manager and they love that their practice is fully family owned and operated. Dr. Lu believes strongly in the holistic care of family medicine and describes what she sees happening in the medical world today as “a little silo here, a little silo there, but no one knows what silo is driving the problem.” She points out, “The medical environment, for many providers right now, is for everyone to specialize in one little thing. Not everyone can grasp and feel comfortable doing a wide range of things.” Dr. Lu, however, values keeping things in-house. She recognizes that many patients have multiple comorbidities and benefit greatly from receiving unified rather than isolated “silo care.” She appreciates the privilege of being a family doctor wearing lots of different hats. She cites examples such as doing a lumbar puncture to diagnose multiple sclerosis or an ENT scope and uncovering cancer. “I don’t think those are things most family doctors would normally do, but I have the skills necessary for those procedures,” she says, pointing out that delays in diagnoses can be costly to a patient’s overall health. 
Dr. Lu’s residency director, Dr. West, emphasized the value of family medicine and is an inspirational role model she respects to this day. “One thing he said every day was ‘be prepared for the unprepared.’” From the urgent and emergent issues to the daily wellness visit, Dr. Lu feels this mindset taught her to be a good problem-solver. “Even in a routine visit, you don’t want to miss something just under the surface.” Dr. Lu is constantly striving to be an ongoing learner, see things from all angles and overcome challenges. She expresses, “every patient is unique. I practice medicine customized to each unique patient.” This is one example of where her background in acupuncture and alternative medicine can be beneficial. “My grandfather taught me, if you do it, you want to do it well,” says Dr. Lu who cares about maintaining high standards of excellence within her practice. She has worked hard to earn and maintain a distinguished NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance) Level 3 PCMH (Patient Centered Medical Home) accreditation as a solo practice since 2017, meaning the practice meets national standards for comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, quality, patient-centered care. She was also recognized as a TCPI (Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative) health leader for demonstrating she is continuing to offer improved quality healthcare. “We are happy that we continue to maintain this high standard of care,” Dr. Lu declares. Dr. Lu loves her patients saying “every day I come to work thinking about how I’m coming to see my friends.” She feels honored that, like her grandfather, she now cares for four generations within her practice. “You don’t earn that trust in just two or three days,” she says. “My grandfather’s influence had a lot to do with how I grew. I got a lot of training from all sides which led to where I am today, but I will not forget about my roots.” Dr. Lu Family Medicine PLLC offers comprehensive, skilled healthcare for all ages and is currently accepting new patients. You can reach their office at 970-241-1370.
Dr. Honglan Lu – Dr. Lu Family Medicine, PLLC
