For Dr. Mara Windsor, this is a more-than-typical night. As the co-owner of Dr. Housecalls of the Valley, Windsor receives requests from both local and traveling musicians in Arizona. Their needs often range from getting a before-show IV to mending last-minute injuries.
An artist can call in if they’re feeling sick or were wounded before a show. She will then drive to the venue where they’re performing or even help them in their hotel room or traveling vehicle. Some patients go directly to Windsor’s house, especially if they’ve worked with her before.
According to Windsor, it’s not unusual for her to become close with her clients, as she often acts as a family doctor for them. Her clients also see her loyally, choosing her as their primary care physician whether they’re in the area or calling her from tour.
“She saved our father’s life and caught his cancer,” said Sela Poulos, a member and triplet in her band, Just Seconds Apart. “We owe a lot to her, and then she practically became a part of the family.”
Windsor has been working with the Poulos triplets for around two years, forming a tight-knit relationship with them. After she helped Sela, Alex and Ari Poulos’ father find his cancer, she went on to treat the triplets any time they needed medical care before and after performances and while on tour.
Sela Poulous described the trajectory of Windsor deciding to specialize in the care for musicians at the same time as the band’s blossoming music career as “kismet.”
If the twins are in a hotel in Seattle, dealing with laryngitis, or need to know where to go to receive immediate medical attention out of state, they can call Windsor, and she’ll help them.
Being able to provide service over the phone is convenient for Windsor, especially when her personal life gets busy, or when there’s an emergency after her typical working hours.
“If you Googled us, it would say we were closed, but (clients) know that I always answer the phone,” Windsor said. “I have a family and three kids and three dogs, so I can’t do everything all the time.”
Windsor also provides service out of her house in other cases where a client needs emergency attention, but Windsor can’t get to them immediately.
The most recent example was when Tanner Tate, the drummer for a local band, Prefect, injured himself the day before a show in San Diego.
“I was using a knife to cut some pieces of rubber, and my knife slipped and just went straight into my pointer finger on my left hand,” Tate said. “If any of my other friends had a problem with a gash or they needed something done before a show, I would totally send them her.”
Windsor glued Tate’s wound and prevented him from getting stitches, which would have made it impossible to drum the next day.
Luckily, Windsor has plenty of experience with medical emergencies. Before she became involved with Dr. Housecalls of the Valley, she spent a lot of time doing hospital work and practicing emergency medicine.
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Windsor started experiencing burnout. That is when she found a job posting by Dr. Steven Lipsky to work as a traveling doctor for various urgent care needs in the area. What started as an opportunity to work under Lipsky as a doctor turned into Windsor buying the company from him.
Windsor has since collaborated with Blake Marum, an EMT and second co-owner of Dr. Housecalls of the Valley. Together, they travel to patients in need using Marum’s truck or Windsor’s Mustang.
“That’s the kind of care that we provide,” Windsor said. “It’s urgent care, it’s concierge care, whatever it needs to be to fit the situation and the urgency for the patient.”
