Meet Our Providers

Our office not only has excellent providers, but an exceptional support team as well. When you come to Highlands Family Medicine, you will be greeted by our friendly, professional front desk staff. Your experienced Medical Assistant will then escort you back to your appointment. We have a skilled billing team in our office who is able to speak with you personally about any billing concerns you may have. We are also proud to offer the services of our referrals specialist, should you need a referral to a specialist at any point in your care. Highlands Family Medicine has been serving the Highlands neighborhood since 1969, and is excited for you to be part of our family.

Joseph Bednarek, M.D. grew up in Billings, Montana. He attended medical school at the University of Washington, and completed his residency training at Mercy Medical Center in Denver. Dr. Bednarek enjoys developing relationships with his patients of all ages. His home life is very full with his wife Jill, twins Claire and Luke, and their younger brother John. He enjoys drawing and painting.

Erika Kenney, M.D. Dr. Kenney has recently left Highlands Family to assist her husband at his practice in their transition to an electronic medical record system. While she is sad to be leaving patient care, she is hopeful that she will be able to help her husband’s office move forward with this new technology. We wish her well!

Lauren Kolfenbach PA-C grew up in Grand Rapids, MI. She attended PA school at the University of Iowa and subsequently worked at a gastroenterology office in Chicago. She then practiced at Swedish Family Medicine. She has had papers published on childhood depression and irritable bowel syndrome and enjoys serving as a peer editor for a national medical journal. She and her husband, Jason, stay busy running after their daughter Isabella, and son Hayden.

William LeCoq, PA-C was a fire medic in the Denver metro area for 27 years. He has extensive emergency medicine and family practice experience. Bill attended the MEDEX Northwest Physician Assistant Program at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine in Seattle, WA. Bill and his wife raised four children and love to hike, camp, and ski.

Blaine Olsen, M.D. is a Colorado native. He attended medical school at the University of Colorado. Dr. Olsen speaks Spanish, and takes special interest in pediatrics and sports medicine. He enjoys spending time with his wife Shawna, and daughters Tessa and Lucy. He enjoys running, skiing, and cooking.

Miriam Reece, M.D.  grew up in Colorado. She attended medical school at Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, and completed her residency training at Swedish Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. Additionally, she completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Reece practices both Family and Sports Medicine, and also has particular passions for preventative medicine and women’s health. Outside of the office Dr. Reece likes spending time with her husband Marc, as well as hiking, camping, marathon running, skiing, reading, gardening, and listening to live music.

Virginia Richey D.O. attended medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri, and completed residency at St Joseph Hospital in Denver. While Dr. Richey enjoys all aspects of family medicine, she has special interests in sports medicine and child and adolescent medicine. Dr. Richey is also trained in osteopathic manipulative medicine. She spends her spare time enjoying the mountains, biking, playing tennis, gardening, cooking, and listening to music.

 

Tips For Talking To Your Doctor -

Don't be afraid to speak up. It's important for you to let your doctor know if you don’t understand something. If you don’t ask questions, your doctor will think you understand everything he or she has told you. The following are some tips on asking your doctor questions during the exam:

• Ask every time you don't understand something.
• If you have questions before the appointment, just write them down and ask them during the exam. Be sure to write down the most important questions first to make sure they get answered.
• Tell your doctor when you need more time to talk about something.

Taking written or recorded information home with you can help you remember information and instructions any time you need to. Your doctor is a good source of accurate information you can trust. The following are types of information you can take home with you:

• Notes that you have taken during the appointment. It's ok for you to write down the information your doctor gives you. Sometimes it helps to bring a friend or family member with you. They can help write down the answers to your questions.
• Written instructions from your doctor.
• A tape recording. Ask your doctor if it's okay to bring a tape recorder to the appointment.
• Brochures or other educational materials. If there aren't any available, ask where you can find some.

Make sure to follow any instructions your doctor gave you during the appointment, like taking medicine, scheduling a test or scheduling an appointment with a specialist. If you’re confused or if you've forgotten some information, it's ok to contact your doctor.

Read more information provided by the American Academy of Family Medicine through their website, FamilyDoctor.org