If you are an adult living in the Greenville area, the staff at the new primary care center at Jersey City Medical Center at Greenville would like to see you. “We know our patients are happy to be within walking distance of care when they are not feeling well,” says internal medicine specialist Bertha Mayorquin, MD, who staffs the center during its regular weekday hours and is a member of the RWJBarnabas Health medical group. “They can walk in and we will fit them in. But we would like to see more people scheduling and coming in for well visits.”
Well visits can save patients time and money while sparing them from pain, future disability and even premature death due to conditions that are treatable if caught early. “If we can treat something early, we can prevent hospitalization,” says Dr. Mayorquin. “If we catch impaired glucose early, for example, we prevent diabetes. If we catch a tumor early, before it is late stage, we improve quality of life for the patient. If we catch high blood pressure early, we can prevent stroke and disability.”
Cost concerns should not prevent people from scheduling a well visit, Dr. Mayorquin says. Well visits are covered by private insurance under the Affordable Care Act and by Medicare, and the Greenville center also accepts charity care and Medicaid. “Our on-site pharmacy has a $4 program for generic medications for common disorders,” says Dr. Mayorquin. Adults should have one well visit each year. However, one recent study showed that only 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries take advantage of the well visit benefit.
Well visits begin with a patient screening, followed by a full physical and concluding consultation. Dr. Mayorquin says a registered patient can complete the visit in only 45 minutes. “During the patient screening, we check the patient’s vitals, review the meds they are taking, chart allergies and ask about prior medical conditions, family history and social history, and whether they have any toxic habits like tobacco, alcohol or substance use,” says Dr. Mayorquin. “We review all systems to see if there are any issues we need to target.” She also consults with the patient to address weight, diet, exercise and other goals, and discuss follow-up needs and options.
Services offered at the center include same-day visits for needs like vaccines or on-site testing of urine and blood. Patients can also schedule an appointment with a visiting specialist, such as a rheumatologist who specializes in pain disorders like arthritis, or a visiting gynecologist who comes to do Pap smears and pelvic exams. The state-of-the-art facility was fully renovated four years ago with patient comfort and convenience in mind.
“We have a great staff, front-desk personnel, medical assistants, registered nurses and a doctor on site Monday through Friday,” Dr. Mayorquin says. “Telephone consultations are also available after hours.” Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except Thursday, when hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. “so we can see patients coming out of work,” says Dr. Mayorquin. “I love being here,” she says. “The patients are so happy to have care near where they live and work.”
What happens at a well visit?
Annual well exam checklist
At your first well visit, your health care provider will get to know your background and needs, building a record that can be referred to for future visits.
Health risk assessment: Patient provides background information including demographic data, lifestyle, daily activities and self-assessment of overall health.
Medical and family history: Patient provides individual and family medical background, including parents, siblings and children.
Measurements: Healthcare provider notes height, weight, blood pressure and other relevant benchmarks depending on medical and family history.
Cognitive evaluation: Doctor evaluates patient for impairment by direct observation or in some cases, reports or concerns by friends, family members and caregivers.
Review of patient’s potential risk factors for depression: Standard screening test by health care provider.
Review of level of functional ability and safety level: Direct observation and screening questions to assess factors such as risk of falling, home safety and hearing issues.
Setting a screening schedule: A checklist of goals for as long as five to 10 years and recommendations for follow-up tests based on age, current health status and screening history.
Consultation: Furnishing the patient with information, including risk factors that may require intervention, referrals needed or recommended services and, at the discretion of the patient, discussion of advance care planning services.
To find a Jersey City Medical Center primary health care provider, call: 888.724.7123 or visit: www.rwjbh.org/medicalgroup.