The physicians who have joined together to form the Health Associates of South Philadelphia come from diverse backgrounds. However, our paths have intersected because we share a single vision of our practice.
Our primary goal is quality medical care. Starting from the strong foundations we have received from medical school and residency, we hope to continue to broaden our knowledge and increase our skills in patient care. As primary care physicians, we must not only be versed in our own field but be familiar with indications for referral to sub-specialists and available to guide our patients through the sometimes-confusing webs of medical treatment in the 21st century.
We don't seem to see patients as quickly as other doctors, because we try to be attentive to the needs of each individual patient, and sometimes those needs require more of our time. And we consider it important that every patient be treated with the same consideration, regardless of means, educaton, illness, or social status. The broad range of patients we see attests to this -- affluent and poor, young and old, health-conscious and non-compliant, people of every gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.
We feel teaching is an essential part of everything we do. In addition to participating in teaching programs for medical students and housestaff, we have students in pharmacy, physicians assistant and medical assistant schools rotating through our office. We feel that the greater our patients' understanding of their health, the better we can help them care for it -- so we often hold special teaching programs aimed at patients with diseases like asthma and diabetes, although most counseling and instruction is provided one-on-one by physicians during office visits. But teaching goes beyond the formal programs: Every interaction with another physician, nurse, or other professional is an opportunity to exchange information, and this exchange benefits us and our patients.
Accessibility is important, and we continually try to find the balance that allows patients to contact us when they feel it is necessary, without compromising our ability to attend the care of other patients. Some of our providers have early morning, evening or weekend hours because we understand that many people can't get off work any more easily than we can.
Community service is a commitment that all of us have pursued individually; we use the opportunity of having our own practice to make it a
joint commitment as well.We are an independent practice, not part of a large corporation or health system, and can allow more time for each patient. We accept many health plans and can usually continue to see our patients regardless of changes in their health coverage. We enjoy being generalists and are interested in the whole patient: physical, mental and spiritual.