News - Saratoga Family Physicians opens in Wilton

A new facility called Saratoga Family Physicians opened up this summer. Both are affiliated with Saratoga Hospital, but are separate entities. Wilton Medical Arts and Saratoga Family Physicians are open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The key services at Wilton Medical Arts is Urgent Care, open 90 hours a week and is supported by a laboratory that not only draws blood but does much of the testing on-site. They also have a full range of Medical Imaging Services, including regular x-rays, ultrasound, digital mammography, CT, MRI and Dexascan (for osteoporosis).

They also offer an Occupational Medicine Program and a Hearing Shop. There are two radiologists on staff every day. The Urgent Care facility is staffed by mid-level providers like physicians assistants or nurse practitioners but also has a regular physician on-site almost everyday of the week.

Douglas Cushing, VP of Communications at Wilton Medical Arts, boasts the facility saw more than 103,000 patients in 2007. Each year that number continues to grow.

The focus is customer service and this kind of facility is designed for the patient who doesn’t have a regular physician. Although Wilton Medical Arts/Saratoga Family Physicians takes almost any kind of health insurance, they do have financial assistance for those who do not. Thirty percent of patients who were seen this past year did not have a regular physician.

One of the most common reasons to come to Urgent Care is a sore throat and Mr. Cushing admits that the number of patients who have come in to have a tick removed has increased considerably. (Tick season) started very early this year.

The public appeal of the Urgent Care setting is that you are seen on a priority basis such as if you needed stitches you are better off coming to Urgent Care where you will be seen right away as opposed to the Emergency Room where you could sit for several hours before being seen.

Urgent Care sees between 80 and 90 patients a day and two or three patients a day should really be seen in the emergency room.

Cushing said that Urgent Care does see its share of patients who come in with severe abdominal pain (burst appendix) and severe chest pain (heart attack) who really should go to the hospital emergency room. However, the purpose and rational behind building Saratoga Family Physicians was that they were uncomfortable expanding the Urgent Care facility because patients with real medical emergencies should really go to the hospital.

Due to the increasing costs of health care for many Americans who do not have a primary health care physician, it has not only taken a toll on many Americans but has taken a toll on providers as well. Many physicians have to see many more patients and work longer just to break even.

Many doctors are not making as much money now as they were ten or fifteen years ago. Cushing acknowledges overwhelming fatigue and burnout with personnel working in the medical field which is one reason why so many doctors are choosing to go into specialized care.

“We knew there was a problem with access to primary care in the community, we knew there weren’t enough providers and this is a dynamic that’s happening across the country,” Cushing said. “It’s getting more difficult each year for primary care physicians to stay in solo, private practice. Expenses are going up at a faster rate than the reimbursement. And this has been happening for many years now. That’s not good for the patients or the physicians.

“We are typical to most communities in the U.S.’ you know we are a few primary care physicians short and you’ve got some physicians who are two or three years away from retirement or ready to retire early, because they say, hey it’s just not worth it anymore with[out] the ability to make what you were [making] several years ago.”

William Malone, MD, is the endocrinologist on staff at Saratoga Family Physicians. The number of new patients that Malone saw in the first two weeks was the projected number of patients expected for the first three months. Diabetes has seen a dramatic increase in this country due to poor diets and sedentary lifestyles.

“We the public are our own worst enemies,” Cushing said. “Americans are looking for the magic pill.”

Because of the demand, Cushing is looking to hire a second endocrinologist by next summer.

For pain management, the doctor on staff is Gordon N. Kuhar MD and the Family Practice

Physicians are as follows:

Randy Burchell MD

Daniel Eldredge DO

Jean Flanagan MD

Robert Nielson MD

Paul Okosky MD

Kenneth Schwartz MD

Kathi Kondo PA

If you have further questions about Wilton Medical Arts Urgent Care/Saratoga Family Physicians, call them at:

Wilton Medical Arts

3040 Route 50

(518) 580-2217 or 2218

Monday-Friday - 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday - 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Sunday – 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.