Hughes Health PLLC

10/11/2022

08/19/2020

I wanted to update everyone that I left Vance Medical and focusing my time
On homeschooling kiddos. This is short just a quick update. Check here for updates in the future.

09/19/2018

Since the spring I was planning to return to work and then one thing after another seemed to need attention first. I needed to take my family practice boards for recertification and that took the whole summer. The next day from taking my boards a home was for sale next to my parents and so now we are moving to boise next to grandma and grandpa. We are just starting a remodel and I get to be project manager. Just when you try to make plans life happens to make plans for you. I’m so excited to spend time with my kids in the new garden and have a fun summer after our summer was mom studying and babysitters. At this point I’m not making any plans to return to work soon. I appreciate Tami Sandmeyer and her support with all my patients. Take care and God bless, Melinda

05/09/2018

I’m returning to work part time and will be partnering with Tami Sandmeyer NP at Alpine Wellness Clinic. I will be starting June 1st. I need to update website and open my schedule for appointments. Looking forward to partnering with former patients and new patients on their health journey.

05/01/2018

There is some exciting news coming. Please stay tuned and I will be able to share with you next week.

09/15/2017

I am so blessed to be the mother of my 3 little ones and I'm enjoying it so much and so are they. I am sorry to say that I am not going back to work as anticipated. I'm going to stay home as long as needed. So with that said it could be a couple years, not sure. I'll post here if life changes, as it sure does.

04/05/2017

Eagle Health and Wellness will be closing as of April 1, 2017. With Dr. Elstun on sabbatical and Melinda Hughes taking maternity leave many factors have lead to this difficult decision to close the practice.

If you are an established patient of Dr. Elstun your paper chart and electronic chart will remain at the existing office for a few months.

Melinda Hughes PA-C will be taking maternity leave for ~6 months and all her paper patient charts from 2010-2014 will be stored at Total Body Wellness Clinic, 26 S Baltic Pl #100, Meridian, ID 83642, phone (208) 884-7564. You can contact the above office to get a copy of your paper chart. If you have been seen at Eagle Health and Wellness then you also have an electronic chart from 2016-2017 and can contact Eagle Health and Wellness for patient portal access.
When Melinda has completed maternity leave and has decided where to practice she will have several ways to communicate this to you: By page Hughes Health, email,and Total Body Wellness Clinic.

Melinda can not prescribe or practice medicine until she is working with another physician, so as of March 31,2017 she can not refill your medication. Since Dr. Elstun was Melinda's supervising physician and still available as the physician owner of Eagle Health and Wellness please contact your pharmacy and have them send your refill request to Eagle Health and Wellness. If they can send an electronic medication refill, Dr. Elstun will be able to refill medications quicker.
I know this is sudden and with many working parts the decision and implementation of closing the practice did happen quickly.
Please take care and be well, Melinda

07/07/2016

Melinda Hughes, PA-C was born and raised in Meridian, Idaho. Melinda was taught at a young age to be a pioneer of new ideas as she was homeschooled. Melinda graduated from High School in 1996 and then attended Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon. There she earned her Associate in Applied Science, with highest honors, specializing in Surgical Technology.

Melinda returned to Boise and worked full time at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center as a Surgical Technologist, in trauma surgery, while also attending Boise State University full time to
finish her Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.

As Melinda worked with many health care professionals, she learned there were several different options in addition to doctors and nurses. For instance, she met several P.A.s (Physician Assistants) and learned that they have the same education base as doctors.

However, P.A.s are trained as generalists; therefore, they can change specialties at any time; whereas medical doctors train in one specialty area and very rarely change specialties. This career diversity offered the broad medical range she was looking for in her practice.

Melinda graduated from B.S.U. in 2003, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Health Sciences and then took a year off to serve on a medical mission trip. Melinda traveled to Chile for a surgical exchange program and was able to assist in surgery and helped develop a cultural/medical exchange, which she found extremely rewarding.

Melinda was then accepted to the Duke University Medical School Physician Assistant Program,which was the first PA program in the U.S., and it continues to be one of the top three PA schools. At Duke the Physician Assistant’s education program is four years of medical school condensed into two years. Melinda graduated in 2006 completing the Physician Assistant Program from Duke with a Master of Health Sciences.

She then joined Terry Reilly Health Services in their mission “to care for the underserved.” In her four years of service at Terry Reilly, Melinda was concerned about the limited knowledge of health care professionals in nutrition and integrative medicine. In her quest for answers to this
concern Melinda has extensively studied, developed expertise, and treated the following areas: Nutritional Medicine, Functional Medicine Integrative Medicine, Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.

These areas include: (see the following chart)

(this chart did not cut and paste in order)
ADD/ADHD/Autism Digestive Disorders
IV Therapy
Allergies GERD, Reflux, Low Libido(Sex Drive) Pregnancy Planning
Anemia Heartburn, Ulcers, Lupus Postpartum Health
Annual Exams/Physicals Irritable Bowel Synd, Memory problems
Amino Acids Crohn’s, Ulcerative Men’s Health Procedures:
Arthritis Colitis, parasites. Menopause &
Asthma IUD placement, Pap.
Autoimmune Disorders Food Allergies Mood Disorders:
Breast Health Fibromyalgia Anxiety, Bipolar, OCD,
Candida/Yeast Gout Depression, PMS. Psoriasis
Chronic Fatigue Headaches, Migraines Scar Therapy
Detox Heavy Metal Problems Skin Rashes
Diabetes Hormone Imbalances Multiple Sclerosis Sports Physicals
Eczema High Cholesterol Neurotransmitters Thyroid Problems
Endometriosis Hypertension Obesity Uterus Problems
Erectile Dysfunction Insomnia Period Problems Weight loss
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS)
Andropause
skin biopsy, mole removal, wart removal,

Melinda cares for her patients by relating to the whole person by finding and treating the root cause of their problem and not just treating the symptom. She is a passionate learner, and it gives her great joy to teach her patients, thereby empowering them with the knowledge to understand their medical circumstance so that they can be a part of the healing process with Melinda as they understand their bodies and take control of their health. Melinda is married with two children and enjoys spending time with family and friends in outdoor Idaho.

What does PA-C mean?

Physician Assistant Certified.

To earn and retain this designation a Physician Assistant must pass the national certification board exam every ten years and complete 100 CME every two years, which confirms that the
individual has maintained a high level of expertise in all specialties of medicine.