Meet Dr. Rahul Koranne

Rahul Koranne, MD, FACP

Internal Medicine
HealthEast Maplewood Clinic
651-232-7800

Dr. Rahul Koranne grew up in New Delhi, India and attended medical school at the University of Delhi. He completed his internal medicine residency at the State University of New York in Brooklyn and a fellowship in gerontology at the University of Minnesota. Board certified in internal medicine and geriatrics, Dr. Koranne joined the HealthEast Maplewood Clinic on May 9, 2005.

What made you decide to practice medicine?

“My parents are both physicians and growing up, medicine was all around me - at the dinner table, late night calls, medical students coming over to discuss topics and the constant gratitude from patients we ran into on the streets. I was intrigued, and when the time came to decide, it seemed the most natural thing to do. After seeing my first few patients, I knew I had made the right choice for me. Medicine is all about people skills and healing. Many of my friends chose computers (even my brother chose that) but I felt I was working with the most valuable resource on earth.”

What made you decide to select your specialty?

“Internal Medicine was the obvious choice because it is so wide in scope. My residency in New York was the busiest and most rewarding time of my life. From the 5 am subway rides, to writing progress notes, to the constant action during the day and night. In the evenings, the satisfaction I felt brought a lot of peace.

“I had heard a great deal about the geriatrics fellowship at the University of Minnesota and that brought me to Minnesota. I feel geriatrics is the specialty of the future and that as the population grows older there will be need for ‘gate-keepers’ and primary care MDs who practice comprehensive care and treat the whole patient, not just one particular system. Also, geriatrics was a nice compliment to my internal medicine knowledge.”

Dr. Koranne’s practice interests include cardiovascular and respiratory health and care of patients with diabetes and hypertension.

Why did you choose HealthEast?

“I was at St. Joseph’s for a year during my fellowship (in 1999). I lived in downtown St. Paul and walked to work in the skyways. I fell in love with St. Paul and when I started looking to move back to the Twin Cities, the first website I looked at was HealthEast. I remember the morning I called Dr. Kolar (Executive Medical Director, Physician Services) and still remember the excitement when he called me right back. I remembered that HealthEast had a small town hospital feel to it. The culture of HealthEast was closely knit and amazing things were happening in its hospitals. Yet, it felt like a small system and a nucleus of strength and innovation in the Twin Cities medical community.

“I chose the Maplewood Clinic because of the commitment and excitement of the doctors and staff. The clinic has a bright future that I wanted to be part of.”

What is the most important thing you tell your patients about staying healthy?

“The cliché ‘prevention is better than cure’ IS true! I constantly tell my patients that your physician is your partner and that both of our goals is maintaining and improving your health. Going to the doctor is not just for the sick. I think it really should be for the healthy so that they can maintain their health. This is the reason getting regular preventative physicals is one of my top recommendations.

“I also like to stress the physician-patient partnership. Patients need to know what is going on with their body. Once they have all the information and thoroughly understand it, they help me make the right customized decisions for their care.”

What advice do patients ask you for most often?

“Questions about medications top the list. My philosophy is to use the least number of medications that are evidence based. My patients appreciate that. Also, I stress the importance of knowing ‘why’ you are on these medications. Questions about smoking, alcohol, depression and sexual dysfunction also almost always bring forth very frank discussions on these important topics.”

What do you think your patients value most about you?

“My cheerfulness, energy and ‘can-do’ attitude is what most patients have told me they value most. Also, my philosophy on partnering - rather that one sided advising - really strikes a chord with health care consumers who are ever becoming more technology savvy and involved in their own health.”

Professional activities

Dr. Koranne has been an instructor for the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support course throughout the state of Minnesota. He is a member of the American College of Physicians – American Society of Internal Medicine, the American and Minnesota Medical Associations, the American Geriatrics Society and the American Medical Directors Association.

Personal interests

Dr. Koranne is a disciple of yoga and an avid reader. He also enjoys painting and cooking and speaks fluent Hindi and Marathi.

Speaking to community groups about health

“I love community talks. It is a unique opportunity to make a difference in health on a large scale. The most interesting talk I ever did was 6 years ago in St. Paul, talking to folks over 60 about their sexuality and sexual problems. I have also given talks on heart health, cholesterol, hypertension, prostate health, what to expect at a physical, physician-patient partnership, dementia, congestive heart failure, and last but not the least, ‘what is an internist?’”

To request that Dr. Koranne speak at your community event, please e-mail webInfo@healtheast.org.