Dr. Gurley offers comprehensive primary and preventative medicine, and is a certified HIV specialist.
Services provided:
- Primary & Preventative Medicine
- HIV & Hepatitis Care
- Medical-grade laser hair procedures including laser hair removal and facial laser rejuvenation procedures
- Medical-grade microdermabrasion and chemical peels
- Botox and Dermal Fillers
- Massage
| Hours of Operation | |
| Monday | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Thursday | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| Friday | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
T. Douglas Gurley, MD –
Focused attention, tranquil setting
By Josh Whitten
Before founding his current, eponymous medical practice, T. Douglas Gurley, MD, LLC, the doc himself spent months working on an exhaustive business plan. In short, he did more preparation than he had to. And, as I came to know Dr. Gurley, I discovered that an above-and-beyond approach is his standard.
To wit, that caring, thorough attitude typifies the practice he established two years ago in the Midtown West area of the city – in the King Plow Arts Center complex. “I wanted to open a practice that offers the highest possible quality medical care while integrating an unprecedented level of one-on-one time with patients and an unparalleled level of technology,” Dr. Gurley says.
His primary market is the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning community, although all patients are welcome. As you might imagine when targeting this market, Dr. Gurley’s office treats a good many people with HIV/AIDS. (In 2002 he was certified by the American Academy of HIV Medicine.)
The practice has grown tremendously in its first two years, as word of his compassionate and patient-centric approach has spread. You see, by seeing fewer patients throughout his day, Dr. Gurley has time to practice “comprehensive medicine – whether that is helping you maintain your good health (preventive care) or addressing acute or chronic health concerns.”
And it’s not just the doctor who is differently focused. “We want all patients to feel they can build a relationship with me, their doctor, but also with any and all of our staff and medical partners,” Dr. Gurley says. “By doing so, we truly become a team in their ongoing health care.”
That healthful, comfortable and collaborative feel extends to the physical environment of the practice. The first word the exposed brick, loft-like feel, great artwork and soothing music brings to mind is “Tranquil.” And, again, as with all things with Dr. Gurley and his staff, such a feeling is no mistake. They understand that, in a world in which life is often too rushed, your medical care should not be.
It’s also comforting to learn that the office has, from the beginning, embraced state-of-the-art technology. The fact that it is fully automated puts it in a unique class: Only 5 percent of medical practices nationwide have this level of technology. At Dr. Gurley’s office, this means fully electronic medical records, electronic prescriptions and the use of tablet PCs and other cutting-edge devices.
The strong commitment to technology reduces the potential for medical errors – within the practice and with your other care providers, efficiently maximizes staff time with patients, affords Dr. Gurley and his staff “anytime access” to a patient’s records, and, certainly, meets – in fact, exceeds – regulatory standards and requirements.
“By embracing technology,” he says, “I can literally practice better medicine. I can spend more time with my patients.”
Dr. Gurley’s partner in life, Joel A. Bulit, is also his partner in the business. Joel, a native of Cahors, France, charmingly manages the business end of the practice, drawing on his education in accounting and economics, as well as on a career in international business.
Together, the two have created what they term, “concierge medicine.” What that means to you is focused attention, more time with your own doctor and a seamless handling of the details necessary in any medical setting.
“We not only treat patient conditions and concerns,” Dr. Gurley says, “we take care to connect with that person very individually. By doing so, our posture with each patient is different. We relate to them in the way that’s needed to serve them best. So that they are comfortable asking for and getting exactly what they need.”
As a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, and as an AAHIVM-certified physician, Dr. Gurley is poised to provide primary care, HIV care, Hepatitis care, STD treatment, and much, much more. His practice also includes a counselor and a neuromuscular therapist, so psychological and massage therapy services can be prescribed and received under one roof.
As we talk, Dr. Gurley does not want to just talk about the “easy, familiar” aspects of an in-town, gay-focused medical practice; he jumps right into the nitty gritty of his work. Work to which he is obviously very dedicated.
He talks of performing anal pap smears on gay men (to detect cancer), the importance of broaching such subjects with patients, and, notably, the fact that he learned this procedure from a San Francisco colleague who is the guru of anal cancer. He also speaks of the lesser known MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. You know it as “staph” infection, but you might not know your risk of it or the seriousness of such a diagnosis unless you have a physician like Dr. Gurley whose patients very naturally open up to him, discussing the full range of their health care concerns.
Our conversation eventually runs the gamut from HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (or PEP, more commonly known as the HIV “morning-after pill”) to dealing with crystal meth addiction, which has become all-too-prevalent in the gay community.
“I just have to reiterate that, whatever the issue, you have to be comfortable talking with your doctor,” Dr. Gurley says, “and I am proud that we have created an environment in which I regularly hear from patients that they do feel empowered and at ease to discuss their health with me and my staff.”
Dr. Gurley, et cie, also are adept at gauging the unexpressed needs of their patients, and one need they saw was for a safe, effective hair-removal technique that could be applied to most any area of the body, including the scrotum, buttocks and perianal areas. So, the doc became trained in and is now offering state-of-the-art “cool” laser technology that maximizes both comfort and results. It safely and permanently removes hair from all parts of the body.
“And this is not just a cosmetic issue,” the ever-vigilant Dr. Gurley reminds me. “For instance, if you shave an area, you create an entry point for disease – like that staph infection we talked about. So hair removal can be for purely cosmetic reasons…and/or it can address very real health issues.”
It may interest you to know that Dr. Gurley earned his undergraduate degree (cum laude) in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry, from Samford University, and earned his M.D. at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in Birmingham.
The doctor practiced in Little Rock and LaGrange before settling in Atlanta in 1997. Dr. Gurley opened his current, solo practice in August 2004.
He makes a point of telling me that he is on the staff of Piedmont Hospital, which he proudly notes has been named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation. He posits that this is important because it gives him and, more importantly, every one of his patients, access to one of the finest hospitals in the country – and the many other fine medical professionals associated with it.
All told, T. Douglas Gurley has become well-established, well-recognized and highly regarded in the community. Perhaps more important, he is well-regarded among Atlanta’s medical community.
As Dr. Gurley likes to acknowledge, “there are a lot of great medical providers in Atlanta.” Yes, but just learning more about this innovative medical practice and its diligent leader makes me feel better.
T. Douglas Gurley is an Internal Medicine physician focusing on gay men’s healthcare. He can be reached at 404-888-0228, and his office is located at 659 Auburn Avenue, NE Suite 156 Atlanta, GA 30312. Information from and about Dr. Gurley is provided for educational purposes. Always consult your health care provider for specific advice or treatment.
Josh Whitten is an Atlanta-based writer with 20 years’ experience writing about health care topics, especially those affecting the LGBTQ community.
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