It was Dr. William Gaines’ hometown pediatrician who served as the role model who set him on the path to becoming a doctor. “He was just a wonderful person whose caring, expertise, and ability to reach out to others I really wanted to emulate,” Dr. Gaines explains. During medical school, however, Dr. Gaines decided to become an internist rather than a pediatrician. “After a while, I realized that general pediatricians are, fortunately, caring for generally healthy children. Older people, of course, accumulate more physical problems, the understanding and treatment of which served to better satisfy my medical and intellectual curiosity.”

As a doctor of internal medicine, Dr. Gaines spends a lot of time partnering with his patients to help them manage their illnesses. “Unfortunately, no matter how much we try, we still can’t cure a host of medical problems including diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease – yet – but these illnesses can be effectively treated and controlled with appropriate medications, procedures and lifestyle modifications. It’s important that patients and their doctors work together on these problems in order for patients to be as healthy as they can be.”

Dr. Gaines has been practicing internal medicine since 1986, and clearly enjoys working in Auburn. “The people that we serve have been very appreciative of the care that we provide, and I have been fortunate to develop trusting long term relationships with many of my patients and their families. In addition, because I work with a great group colleagues here in Auburn, I have the utmost confidence that my patients are well cared for when I am away from the office. My fellow internists, advanced practitioners and the support staff who work with us, as well as my specialty colleagues throughout Reliant Medical Group constitute a great group of people who are dedicated to patient care. I like to tell my patients that you don’t just have me taking care of you, you have the whole team.”

According to Dr. Gaines, many new medical technologies have really benefited patients. “There’s no doubt that the quality of patient care and comfort has been increased through the use of high-tech imaging, laparoscopic surgery, as well as the ability of patients to self-monitor and self-treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. We’ll see even more advances in the future, and the key will be making the most effective use of new technology and treatments as they continue to evolve, in the context of strong and trusting doctor-patient relationships.”

When not busy treating patients in Auburn, Dr. Gaines enjoys running, skiing, playing softball and other sports. Dr. Gaines is a big baseball fan, following the Red Sox very closely. When he can find the time, he enjoys listening to jazz music. “I really love ‘classical jazz,’ the music of composers and performers like Duke Ellington, who influenced so many others.”