Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Sackzy Med

We all grow old. But that doesn’t mean we have to outgrow our adult primary care provider. And Louis Sakwe – the nurse practitioner behind Sackzy Med – wants to provide care that grows with you.

Sakwe’s specialty is adult gerontology. Before opening his own practice, he spent years in assisted living facilities helping patients recover from things like strokes, heart failure, diabetes complications and knee surgeries. Seeing these patients made him wish he could have done more before their major issues arrived.

“For me, I felt like I could have more of an impact if some of these conditions could be aggressively addressed downstream,” Sakwe said. 

In other words, Sakwe thought intentional primary care efforts could reduce the incidence of common health issues seen in adults – especially what he dubs the “trifecta” of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. That’s why he opened up Sackzy Med.

“I felt like if I could help address these conditions downstream through a primary care practice, early detection, recommending things like lifestyle modification and other treatments, medications. . . we could help control these diseases from progressing to the point where patients end up with things like heart failure, strokes, end stage renal disease and other complications,” Sakwe said. 

Sakwe also wanted his own practice because he saw a shortage of primary care providers in the greater-Richmond area.

“I've had conversations with patients who said they had to wait up to six months to see a primary care doctor,” Sakwe said. “So most of them ended up going to urgent care centers or emergency rooms.”

Primary care providers come into play, Sakwe says, because they can build a long-term relationship with patients and make sure issues are detected early or addressed before they progress.

“And, usually, insurance companies will pay for individuals to go see their primary care doctors at least once a year to get a comprehensive annual examination,” Sakwe said. 

Today, Sakwe runs Sackzy Med with the help of his wife – a nurse who checks patients in and gets them prepped before Sakwe sees them. Ever since opening its doors in Henrico earlier this year, Sackzy Med – which got its name from a childhood nickname for Sakwe – has been on a mission to provide high quality, personalized care to adults aged 18 and older.

“At Sackzy Med, we are committed to promoting wellness, preventing illness and managing chronic conditions through education, preventive care and collaborative management,” Sakwe said. “If you come in and we can detect a problem, we can initiate treatment and then refer you out to a specialist who will better handle that situation.”

Services at Sackzy Med include annual wellness exams, preventative screenings, sick visits, procedures for minor injuries, chronic disease management, immunization and behavioral services. Whatever patients are needing, Sakwe hopes to get them involved in the process.

“We try to provide personalized care based on what's going on in that patient's life,” Sakwe said. “We want to try to meet patients where they are and work with them to make sure they are actively involved in whatever plan of care we come up with.”

Reimagining primary care

By blending modern technology with a human touch, Sakwe hopes to “reimagine primary care” and build a sense of trust with his patients so they keep coming back. 

“We take care of patients at various stages of life,” Sakwe said. “Whether you're just entering adulthood, managing chronic conditions or caring for aged loved ones, we try to deliver drama-free, high-value care that grows with you.”

Another goal for Sakwe is to foster a community oriented health care ecosystem. That means prioritizing local engagement.

Earlier this month, for example, Sakwe was doing blood pressure screenings, talking about Sackzy Med’s services and answering questions from the community at a back-to-school event. He’s also planning to participate in AfroFest on Sept. 6 at the Pine Camp Arts and Community Center in Richmond, where he’ll be providing free blood pressure checks, health screenings, wellness education and fun giveaways.

“I'm going to be out in the community,” Sakwe said. “We want to be actively engaged. . . just reaching out to folks and seeing how we can help them in one way or the other.”

So be on the lookout, Sakwe says. Two good places to stay updated are through the organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

And if you’re interested in reading some fun, informational articles about health topics, check out Sackzy Med’s blog. Sakwe’s goal is to update the blog monthly with educational or inspiring stories that can positively impact the community. One recent story he enjoyed writing was about his passion for running – something he found during the COVID-19 pandemic when he had to stop playing indoor soccer.

“Working in health care is already stressful enough for all of us, so [soccer] was kind of my outlet,” Sakwe said. “So with that being gone, I had to find another avenue to be able to just let my stress out.”

That’s when Sakwe, a father of three, started running around the track at his daughter’s middle school. Eventually, a neighbor noticed and pushed him to sign up for a race. Sakwe was hesitant at first, but the encouragement gave him the “extra oomph” he needed to sign up for the Monument Avenue 10k. 

“I ran that day, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I like this feeling,’” Sakwe said. 

Next thing he knew, Sakwe had signed up for more races and found a new path to clarity and fitness. He hopes sharing his experience can help others achieve their own goals. 

“You just never know how those stories might impact someone's life,” Sakwe said. “Somebody reading it might feel motivated. . . and feel like, ‘If he can do it, I can do it too.’”

Sakwe is actively taking new patients and happy to answer any questions about Sackzy Med. For details, visit the Sackzy Med website.

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