PAID ADVERTISEMENT Prevention Is The Best Cure FIG 1 Dr. David Samsami has invented a simple, at-home pap smear test- which he hopes will change the game for female reproductive health. a pivotal encounter with a patient about three years ago. "Pap smears are t's not every day that a doctor has a background in engineering. Yet, it may be the perfect a very sensitive thing for women. It needs both spe-- combination for Dr. David Samsami, a family medicine practitioner at Windward Family Clinic. "I wanted to become a com- cial trust for the patient to go to the doctor and get a pap smear, "One day, I had this patient of mine, a young pa- most women are familiar thing now is about preven- tient, she called and made an with applicators, whether for tion." appointment, and she was medicine or tampons. So he due for a pap smear, and she developed an "applicator" that people who live in rural areas canceled and again made an contains a cervix brush, cell (like the neighbor islands), appointment and canceled, preservative and a barrier that those who shy away from and this continucd for a num- keeps everything contained. ber of years, Two-and-a-half, three years, then I realized she be able to utilize the at-home military, who may not have Samsami, reasoned that ple to the exam room. Every- puter engineer," explains the Hawai'i Kai resident, "In the last portion of my studies, I needed to study biology and physiology, because I wanted to understand medicine tech- He also notes that it helps nology." As it turns out, he liked these kinds of sensitive medi- working with people much more than machines. Choosing family medi- eine was, from there, an easy Dr. David Samsami holds the patent for his invention of an at-home pap smear choice. Ideally, the patient would cal procedures, and deployed hadn't done it." test, send it to a diagnostic lab ready access to a specialist or When his patient finally and then receive results from even a regular doctor. showed up, her pap smear their doctor. The test would be showed she had invasive cer- able to detect STDS in addi- tion is faster, and that means vical cancer. test. ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTO "Prevention is high, detec- "You're all the time in con- tion to cervical cancer, to boot. later complications become It haunted Samsami, who Samsami was able to get the less and less. Procedures and tact with everybody, and your areas that required a little ex- thing," he says. knowledge is very broad," tra specialty knowledge. As a he says of the specialty. "My result, his education took him practice, to do a lot of wom- is well aware that patients are patent for his device in Au- health care costs go down," he youngest patient is about 2 through a variety of fields, en's health: gynecology. pap busy with work, family and gust, and is currently looking summarizes. weeks old, and my oldest one including obstetries and gy- smear or ordinary health other issues. passed a few months ago at necology. 103." "That's part of my daily for a licensed distributor. And that, surely, is a goal all "This is in favor of a lot of of Hawai'i can rally around. maintenance." "Why wouldn't anybody "We learn delivery and In 2004, he moved to Ha- try to find an easier way?" he health care providers, insur- ance companies, because it Working in his native Caesarian and everything. wai'i and resumedl his medical asked. Stockholm, Sweden, often If you end up in a rural area, practice. saw him stationed in rural the family physician is every- To contact Dr. David Sam- So, he set about doing it brings down the cost quite a sami, call Windward Family And it was here that he had himself. lot, and it brings more peo- Clinic at 247-7770. FIG 2 PAID ADVERTISEMENT Prevention Is The Best Cure FIG 1 Dr. David Samsami has invented a simple, at-home pap smear test- which he hopes will change the game for female reproductive health. a pivotal encounter with a patient about three years ago. "Pap smears are t's not every day that a doctor has a background in engineering. Yet, it may be the perfect a very sensitive thing for women. It needs both spe-- combination for Dr. David Samsami, a family medicine practitioner at Windward Family Clinic. "I wanted to become a com- cial trust for the patient to go to the doctor and get a pap smear, "One day, I had this patient of mine, a young pa- most women are familiar thing now is about preven- tient, she called and made an with applicators, whether for tion." appointment, and she was medicine or tampons. So he due for a pap smear, and she developed an "applicator" that people who live in rural areas canceled and again made an contains a cervix brush, cell (like the neighbor islands), appointment and canceled, preservative and a barrier that those who shy away from and this continucd for a num- keeps everything contained. ber of years, Two-and-a-half, three years, then I realized she be able to utilize the at-home military, who may not have Samsami, reasoned that ple to the exam room. Every- puter engineer," explains the Hawai'i Kai resident, "In the last portion of my studies, I needed to study biology and physiology, because I wanted to understand medicine tech- He also notes that it helps nology." As it turns out, he liked these kinds of sensitive medi- working with people much more than machines. Choosing family medi- eine was, from there, an easy Dr. David Samsami holds the patent for his invention of an at-home pap smear choice. Ideally, the patient would cal procedures, and deployed hadn't done it." test, send it to a diagnostic lab ready access to a specialist or When his patient finally and then receive results from even a regular doctor. showed up, her pap smear their doctor. The test would be showed she had invasive cer- able to detect STDS in addi- tion is faster, and that means vical cancer. test. ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTO "Prevention is high, detec- "You're all the time in con- tion to cervical cancer, to boot. later complications become It haunted Samsami, who Samsami was able to get the less and less. Procedures and tact with everybody, and your areas that required a little ex- thing," he says. knowledge is very broad," tra specialty knowledge. As a he says of the specialty. "My result, his education took him practice, to do a lot of wom- is well aware that patients are patent for his device in Au- health care costs go down," he youngest patient is about 2 through a variety of fields, en's health: gynecology. pap busy with work, family and gust, and is currently looking summarizes. weeks old, and my oldest one including obstetries and gy- smear or ordinary health other issues. passed a few months ago at necology. 103." "That's part of my daily for a licensed distributor. And that, surely, is a goal all "This is in favor of a lot of of Hawai'i can rally around. maintenance." "Why wouldn't anybody "We learn delivery and In 2004, he moved to Ha- try to find an easier way?" he health care providers, insur- ance companies, because it Working in his native Caesarian and everything. wai'i and resumedl his medical asked. Stockholm, Sweden, often If you end up in a rural area, practice. saw him stationed in rural the family physician is every- To contact Dr. David Sam- So, he set about doing it brings down the cost quite a sami, call Windward Family And it was here that he had himself. lot, and it brings more peo- Clinic at 247-7770. FIG 2