Hometown Health Care
How Dr. Asia Standifer’s passion for preventive medicine is making a big impact in Polk County.
PHOTOS BY MADI ELIZABETH | DESIGNED BY MADDY LAROCK | DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH POLK CONCIERGE MEDICAL GROUP
“With great family and a whole lot of faith and hard work…you’ll be able to get through anything” says Dr. Asia Standifer, DNP, APRN, Nurse Practitioner, the owner of Polk Concierge Medical Group.
This independently owned medical practice specializes in weight loss, testosterone replacement, body contouring, and general internal medicine. Standifer, a 2003 graduate of Mulberry Senior High School who earned her doctorate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, began her concierge medical practice with just a few clients in April of 2023, but now, just two years later, she has more than 1,100 patients in her care.
In general, Standifer’s background is in internal medicine, but her passion–and the mission of Polk Concierge–is preventative medicine, which could mean weight loss for one patient, but could mean optimizing hormones or vitamins for another. When working in the critical care unit at Tampa General Hospital earlier in her career, she found herself asking “How do I keep people out of my ICU?” Polk Concierge Medical Group was truly born out of Standifer’s own experience. Several years ago she was struggling with her weight and high cholesterol, and she was on blood pressure medication. She quickly realized that she had to make a change to improve her health in a permanent way. She worked hard–using a combination of nutrition and medication–to lose 60 pounds, which made her realize that she could help other people find the same success.
Being a concierge medical group means that insurance is not accepted and all services offered must be paid for by the patient. Being a concierge practice actually gives Standifer and her team the freedom to evaluate why a patient may be feeling off without restrictions from insurance companies or the need to document a specific diagnosis. A patient at Polk Concierge is able to be at the center of their own wellness journey–whether that means forming better sleep habits, sticking to a nutritional plan, or combining medication with lifestyle practices.
Dr. Standifer is proud of the place she calls home. “My family has been here for generations,” she explained. “It’s the heart of who I am.”
Pictured from left to right: Kaniya, Jasmine, Ysatis, Dr. Standifer, Anton
She considers herself lucky to be able to serve the community where she grew up and she sees Polk Concierge as an opportunity to give back. One of the ways she does this is through the Gibson-Standifer Scholarship Foundation, which provides funding for students pursuing degrees in healthcare. She is also looking forward to helping out at the Boys and Girls Club once the organization’s new Workforce Readiness Center opens in Mulberry. Standifer wants students from Polk County to understand that they don’t need to go to a big university in order to have a big impact.
Polk Concierge Medical Group is for anyone who wants personalized care. Standifer and her team take a one-on-one approach with clients based on listening and creating a plan together because they understand that there is no one medical plan that works for everyone. Standifer explained that she will not prescribe GLP-1 medication (i.e. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) to patients who are not the right candidates for it. When talking with a patient, she determines if they are in the right place, mentally and physically, to start a weight loss journey. She also ensures that a patient understands the side effects of their medications and how to mitigate them. Accountability is also important according to Standifer. She and her team are always accessible by phone call, text, or email to advise patients and remind them they are not alone.
Connecting with patients and hearing their stories is one of the most fulfilling parts of the job for Standifer. When Christina Edouard-Bouldin became a patient, they bonded over the fact that both of their daughters are in nursing school. Standifer said that it is people like Christina who give her the confirmation that this is what she is supposed to be doing full-time.
Christina was happy to talk about the care that she has received at Polk Concierge. She appreciates the professional atmosphere and the fact that the providers are attentive to her distinct personal needs and willing to work around her busy schedule.
Standifer is well-aware that talking about weight and hormones can be a difficult or embarrassing experience for a client. Polk Concierge is a safe space for people to bare their souls on these topics and get the personalized help that they need to feel better and to embrace their own wellness. She appreciates that her patients allow her to care for them and refer their friends and family.
Standifer’s daughter, Kaniya, is even following in her mother’s footsteps by working at Polk Concierge as a medical assistant while attending nursing school at Polk State. Her husband, Anton, and cousin, Jasmine, are part of the ‘family business’ as well. At Polk Concierge Medical Group, patient safety comes first and the team will do whatever they can to make sure their patients feel supported, cared for and heard.