By MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ
Dr. Barb Blasko, founder of ShowMD, takes the translation out of treatment. When riders come to her saying that their horse ducked out of a one-stride and they fell right into a standard, or that their back hurts because their horse has an active hind end, she instantly understands. In fact, she might even be in riding clothes herself in the treatment room!
“I’ll watch videos of what happened with patients and know what’s going on. You don’t have to explain to me what chipping in is or leaving long–I know all the lingo!” Blasko tells The Plaid Horse.
In a traditional hospital or physician office setting, white coat-wearing doctors can be intimidating to anyone, not to mention difficult and frustrating in the communication department.
“A lot of times at horse shows when I’m seeing patients, I’m trying to show, too—so I’m there in my breeches and boots, taking care of people, and I think there’s just a different level of comfort. Even if I don’t know them as an individual yet, I know them on an equestrian level, and I think that makes a huge difference.”
Medical School Resident Equestrian
When Blasko’s peers in medical school saw an abandoned stack of textbooks in the library, they knew she had traded books for boots for a few hours. “Everyone in my medical school used to laugh at me because I would take a break from studying, go ride, then come back and keep studying,” she recalls. “They all thought I was crazy because even the day before a big test, I’d go ride horses.”
The reason? The same as for many other riders: “When I was in college and medical school, I made it a priority to ride horses because they kept me mentally grounded. They gave me an outlet, it was something I loved to do, and it really helped me to be able to take my focus off school and on something else.”
Blasko still excelled academically and even managed to lease a horse and ride through residency, the hardest part of a doctor’s life, but she had no idea that she might one day combine her medical profession with her life’s greatest equine passion. If she had known then, she says, “I would have started ShowMD way earlier. That’s my biggest regret.”
Common Complaints
Since the organic beginning of ShowMD, Blasko had become known as “the doctor” at the horse show and patching friends up as needed, which snowballed into opening a mobile trailer office on the show grounds to treat all kinds of patients. Since then, Blasko has been expanding not only her business, but equestrian medicine as a whole.
“Probably the most common reason people come in is because they fell off and got injured and need whatever body part examined,” says Blasko. “After about two years of ShowMD, I invested in an X-ray machine because people needed X-rays. It was a big financial investment but worth it because I use my X-ray machine every day. If people come in and they repeatedly ask for a service or something I don’t have, I feel compelled to try to figure out how I can provide that service.”
That is how ShowMD came to outgrow its original trailer and acquire two mobile offices and a permanent facility at the Desert International Horse Park, complete with IV rooms, treatment rooms, and a lobby. There’s even a pharmacy on-site so patients can go straight from the clinic to pick up their medications.
“It’s like a regular medical office, but I get to walk outside and see horses jumping around, so it’s pretty amazing,” says Blasko.
Understanding the time constraints and scheduling difficulties that come with being an equestrian, ShowMD is a flexible office offering everything from routine healthcare to concierge care and handling emergencies. Some riders in the past have even come in for replenishing IV treatment and then found out their course walk is running early, “So we discontinue the IV and the fluids that are going, and we leave the IV in the person and then they go walk and then they come back and finish,” says Blasko.
“We are athletes, it’s a demanding sport. It’s a lot of physical work, a lot of times we’re outside and face all kinds of elements,” says Blasko, “ShowMD is multifaceted in terms of getting people feeling better.” If patients need specialty services, like to see a cardiologist or dermatologist, ShowMD arranges those appointments, but in their office, common requests include routine physical examinations, blood work, imaging, MRIs, trigger point injections, ultrasounds, TENS therapy, and even massages.
The ER is for Everybody
Riders are not the only patients on Blasko’s chart. “I provide primary care services and coordination of healthcare because a lot of times, trainers work seven days a week and they really just don’t have time to go to the doctor.” Being conveniently located on the horse show grounds means business owners don’t have to miss a day of work or potential customers for their medical needs.
ShowMD looks out for everyone on the showgrounds, especially grooms. “If they get injured by a horse stepping on them, biting them, or something else, there’s a discount I give to the grooms because they work really hard. I groomed for a long time when I was in high school and college to pay expenses, so I know what they do, and it’s a hard job,” says Blasko.
“A lot of them don’t have healthcare insurance. They don’t know where to get care, and sometimes they’re afraid to go to hospitals. A lot of them take horse medication, so part of my job is educating them also on alternatives and where to actually seek medical care,” says Blasko.
“I still work in the ER as an ER doctor, and I see people that are not necessarily documented or don’t have insurance and we care for everybody in the ER and I wanted to bring that to ShowMD.”
To Blasko, the horse community has given her everything so she’s committed to giving back the very best care. Looking into the future, she’s hoping to add a pediatrician to her already impressive team of ‘horse wise’ healthcare professionals and keep expanding operations. Blasko says, “The horse shows have all been so supportive of ShowMD, and the people have been especially wonderful.”
When Blasko sees patients in the ER, they’re often unhappy and bitter about waiting, but when people visit her office at the horse show, they’re impressed with the quality and expanse of care and very appreciative. Says Blasko, “That reaction is what keeps me going and pushes me to reinvest in the business and keep developing different services that I can offer to this community.”
“Barb has been our concierge physician for the past few years. As a rider herself, she totally understands the complexity of our industry and how to best care for us as riders and trainers. ShowMD has helped us navigate the medical system which has become very complex. We are so grateful to know she is always available for us.” —TRACI AND CARLETON BROOKS, BALMORAL
“Having ShowMD at Desert International Horse Park gives us all a great sense of security knowing there is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor right on site. Barb treats everyone at the show with the highest level of care and compassion.” —STEVE HANKIN, PRESIDENT & CEO, DIHP
“Best conversation I’ve ever had with a doctor in my life. She actually listened and actually made sense!” —MEGAN MCDERMOTT, OWNER, COUNTER BALANCE LLC, WINNER OF MULTIPLE NATIONAL AND FEI GRAND PRIX
