Physical Therapy, Medical Weight Management & Virtual Urgent Care Now Offered in Palm Beach County
A national leader in providing the highest-quality outpatient care, ٺƵ Health adds new clinical services at its locations in Palm Beach County.
Photo: Capehart Photography 2018
NYU Langone Health is expanding clinical services at its outpatient physician offices in southeast Florida as part of its mission to enhance the quality of care in the communities where its patients live and work.
“Since opening our doors in Florida roughly two-and-a-half years ago, we’ve become an important clinical resource for residents in southeast Florida, offering a wide network of clinical care,” says Andrew Rubin, senior vice president for clinical affairs and ambulatory care at ٺƵ Health. “We are particularly pleased that we have also become ‘a home away from home’ for many who travel between New York and Florida each year.”
“We’re now expanding our services in Palm Beach County to further address the needs of our patients, and to provide a more integrated, holistic, and personalized healthcare experience.”
2020 Brings New Services
ٺƵ will soon begin offering the services of its world-renowned Rusk Rehabilitation at ٺƵ Medical Associates—West Palm Beach, located at 101 North Clematis Street, Suite 110.
Physical therapist Nicole Cox will work one-on-one with patients to create a customized plan that builds strength and alleviates pain. Cox helps patients with stability issues and osteoporosis, as well as those recovering from surgery or a sports injury, to achieve their personal goals and resume the activities they love.
“Multispecialty care provided in a single setting fosters collaboration among providers and increased continuity of care, which ultimately enhances patient satisfaction and improves outcomes,” Rubin adds.
In the near future, ٺƵ also plans to add endocrinology and gastroenterology services at ٺƵ Medical Associates—West Palm Beach.
Specialty Wellness Programs Provide Enhanced Medical Oversight
After hearing from patients that they wanted help losing weight, ٺƵ piloted its medically supervised Weight Management Program in West Palm Beach and Delray Beach late last year.
The program was well-received and officially launched earlier this year. David P. Selzer, MD, oversees the program in Florida, and partners with Holly F. Lofton, MD, who leads the program in New York.
Dr. Selzer meets with patients enrolled in the program every other week and provides them with personalized information focused on nutrition, activity, and lifestyle changes. The program is very successful, with most patients losing three to five pounds a week on average.
With subspecialty expertise in nephrology, Dr. Selzer closely monitors his patients’ kidney function during their weight loss journey. “Weight loss can put additional stress on the kidneys, so close monitoring is especially important for patients who have high blood pressure or other medical conditions that already strain the kidney,” Dr. Selzer says. “If left untreated, these patients could develop chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.”
Help for Chronic Conditions
ٺƵ also has implemented a chronic care management program at its practices in West Palm Beach and Delray Beach, overseen by Yvette McFarlane, NP, Rachel Franco, RN, and Dr. Selzer, to keep high-risk patients out of the hospital. Participants in the program are Medicare recipients who have a chronic condition, like diabetes, heart failure, or hypertension.
Franco, who was a nurse at ٺƵ Cardiology Associates—Delray Beach for many years, now works exclusively with this population of patients. She calls up to 20 patients a day to ensure they understand and are taking their medications and that follow-up appointments have been scheduled, and to determine whether support services at home are needed. Continuous monitoring decreases emergency room visits and hospitalizations, which improves health and reduces overall health costs.
“Before, when a patient left the office, it was on them to take action on their care plan,” says Franco. “Now we have a way of being in closer contact to make sure they’re following the suggestions and advice of the doctor and that they’re feeling well,” she adds. More than 290 patients currently participate in this program.
Virtual Urgent Care Now Available in the Sunshine State
ٺƵ also recently expanded access to its virtual urgent care, making it possible for Florida residents to see a board-certified ٺƵ emergency medicine doctor from a mobile device while at home, at work, or on the go.
The service is for minor health issues, like cough, cold and flu, rash, sinus pain, sore throat, urinary tract infections (UTIs), pink eye, and other non-emergency conditions, and is especially convenient for parents because virtual urgent care appointments can be made for adults and children 5 years and older.
After launching in 2017, the service has expanded significantly—first to anyone located in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and now in Florida.
Patients can download the ٺƵ Health app on a mobile device for free to schedule a virtual appointment. An appointment may be covered for the cost of a regular office visit co-payment under a participating insurance plan. There is a self-pay option for patients who are not covered under an accepted plan.
Media Inquiries
Deborah “DJ” Haffeman
Phone: 212-404-3567
deborah.haffeman@nyulangone.org
