Before deciding to become a doctor, Dr. Heidi Foley worked as a teacher. “For me, being a physician is actually a lot like teaching. You’re teaching people about health, and how to live healthier,” she explains. “Helping others is also a big part of who I am. When you are a primary care doctor there is a lot of giving, there’s a lot of taking care of people, and there’s a lot of building relationships. That’s why I find being a primary care doctor so fulfilling.”

Dr. Foley prides herself on being a versatile physician. She can help patients with a variety of issues including chronic pain, sports injuries, addiction issues, and behavioral health. She is also very skilled in treating common problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. In her practice she also performs gender-affirming care.

When treating patients, Dr. Foley enjoys being a “hands-on” physician. “In my practice I do a lot of skin biopsies, joint injections, trigger point injections, IUD placements, as well as other procedures,” she explains. “The hands-on part of medicine is something I really enjoy.”

As a family physician, Dr. Foley knows that it’s important to build strong relationships. “I often treat entire families in my practice,” she explains. “I think it’s important to really get to know each individual in that family. I think knowing my patients better allows me to treat them better.”

Providing behavioral health services is a very important part of Dr. Foley’s practice. “I do a lot of mindfulness training with patients, especially for depression and anxiety and PTSD,” she explains. “I can also suggest key resources such as websites and apps to use. I love helping patients learn more about their health so they can make better choices each day.”

When she is not busy with her patients, Dr. Foley enjoys watching her favorite sports teams including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics. She also enjoys crafting, especially with her daughter.