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Georgia Health Center to Join NMC
Georgia, Vt.-- Northwestern Medical Center is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Georgia Health Center, located in Georgia, Vermont. The transition to NMC as an affiliated practice will be complete on April 1, 2010.
“As we work to retain primary care within our service area, we are very excited to welcome Georgia Health Center to the hospital family,” said Jill Berry Bowen, NMC Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Susan Saferstein, physician manager at Georgia Health Center, states the increasingly complicated nature of health care delivery made the concept of affiliation with the hospital an attractive opportunity. “Medicine has gotten a lot more complicated than it was when I started practicing 26 years ago,” she said. “In primary care, it’s difficult to run a practice without additional support.”
One of the opportunities they are most looking forward to as a result of the acquisition is the implementation of an electronic health record for their patients, which is slated to launch in the fall of 2010. “The EMR will be good for patients. We will be better able to manage the complexity of their care once it is in place,” said Dr. Saferstein. “Joining with Northwestern Medical Center will help us move into the 21st Century.”
Patients can expect the same high quality, personalized care that they have always received from the providers at Georgia Health Center. “Our charge will be to maintain our caring, supportive approach to our patients and find the best of both worlds,” said Dr. Saferstein.
In fact, there will be few changes to the current practice as a result of the acquisition. According to Sidney Phelps, NMC’s Physician Services Manager, the biggest change for current patients will be billing statements will now be sent from NMC, rather than Georgia Health Center. Phelps states that the first time patients receive care at Georgia Health Center after April 1st, as part of the transition, they may need to complete a new registration form that aligns with the new computer system..
Phelps adds that over the summer, patients may notice some improvements to the facility, including enhancements in the registration area to ensure patient privacy.
“Patients can be assured that they will continue to see the same providers and receive the same high quality care they’ve come to expect at Georgia Health Center,” said Phelps.
The Georgia Health Center staff includes 16 individuals, including three physicians, three mid-level practitioners, other clinicians and support staff. -- end-- |
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