5 minute read
MY
how we've grown! Evergreen currently operates five Primary & Specialty Care locations throughout Western New York. While each site is unique in terms of services offered and patient demographics, all of them follow Evergreen's guiding principles in order to provide respectful, non-judgemental, unconditional healthcare to patients. This is the first in a series of articles showcasing Evergreen's Primary & Specialty Care service sites.
7 Community Drive is our newest service site, providing adult primary care with a focus on the intellectually and developmentally disabled community.
Advertisement
7 Community Drive also provides primary care and podiatry services to the community at large. Joseph Genau, MD (Dr. Joe) is a physician at 7 Community Drive specializing in podiatry, a broad field which can include orthopedic, neurological and vascular issues. "What I love about my work is feeling like I'm really making a difference in people's lives," said Dr. Joe. "I like helping them to be able to perform all of their usual daily activities at a more comfortable level."
People with intellectual or developmental disabilities often face additional challenges to accessing healthcare. Eric Moeller, Nurse Practitioner at 7
Community Drive, said, "Many of our patients present with unique needs.
Communication is often a barrier to care. We rely on caregivers for background information, but we sometimes have to start with a larger workup to try and pinpoint what is causing a problem." Dr. Joe agrees. "It's very important to pay attention to detail and not leave anything to chance," he said. "It's essential to communicate with the folks involved in the care of our patients, like house managers or medical liaisons, so everyone is on the same page. We're direct medical advocates for our patients."
Many of our patients come to 7 Community Drive for day programs and physical or speech therapy, so providers and patients develop close relationships. "We see them often," said Dr. Joe. "Sometimes three or four days a week. We really get to know our patients very well."
Eric has been practicing primary care as a nurse practitioner for two years, and says what he loves most about the job is working with patients. "They are extremely genuine. We have some characters that will keep you on your toes." Dr. Joe adds that the most important thing when working with people with disabilities is to treat them just like people without disabilities. "Joke around with them and really get to know them."
7 Community Drive was an existing medical practice before becoming a part of Evergreen, but Dr. Joe said the transition was an easy one. "The Evergreen culture is terrific, all-inclusive and non-judgmental. That's the way healthcare should be. Our job is to provide the absolute best care for our patients no matter their background. This is something that we've been doing even prior to the transition to Evergreen."
If you would like to schedule a patient appointment at 7 Community Drive, please contact 716.847.2441 (option 5) or you can use MH-Primref in Medent and route to our scheduling department.
Editor's Note: watch for more Primary & Specialty Care spotlights in upcoming issues of Connections!
This month we salute the Wellness Superstars on Evergreen's Mental Health/Behavioral Health team. Mental Health Services help people improve their emotional state, a key part of health and wellness. We provide a multitude of counseling services to people with a variety of mental health issues. Our caring team of professionals can help anyone suffering from anxiety or depression, living with a chronic illness, experiencing grief or trauma or other concerns. Our Mental Health Services meet patients where they are and allow them to determine their own goals. We embrace our patients' unique needs and are particularly sensitive to the LGBTQ+ community, including transgender and gender-expansive individuals.
Evergreen has mental health programs available for staff as well, such as EAP and Univera mental health options. EAP offers four free counseling sessions per concern. Sessions are completely anonymous. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit eap.cfsbny.org or call 716.681.4300 (Erie County) or 800.888.4162 (outside Erie County).
Univera offers a variety of mental health services as well, including free personalized health support, online access to therapists and psychiatrists, and a 24/7 nurse line for assistance anytime. Their on-staff care management team cam help with common conditions such as depression or anxiety as well as more complex issues such as schizophrenia or opioid use. Services are free of charge for members, though there may be a cost for Telemedicine depending on your insurance plan. For more information call 800.348.9786.
And, don't forget our own team! Employees can get confidential counseling right here at Evergreen from our Mental Health/Behavioral Health team. Contact the team to find out if you're eligible or for more information.
Compete Head-to-Head with Others in This
Quarter's Challenge: Step in Success
Key Dates
Sign-up/Registration: May 1st – June 2nd Challenge Begins: June 3rd Challenge Ends: June 30th
Prizes:
Weekly Prizes and One Grand Prize
Be on the lookout for an email this week!
The saying goes “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” but we couldn’t let the great work of the CAS team go unmentioned. "This past month," explained CAS Executive Director Kim Brown, "several members of the CAS staff attended the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit in Las Vegas. The Summit’s ongoing focus has been on the implementation of biomedical tools in prevention and treatment efforts to ultimately end the HIV epidemic in our communities. The Summit featured sessions on the need for a national PrEP program, community participation in research, sex positivity, insurance for PrEP and many other topics. As expected, our staff had an opportunity to network and participate in numerous workshops and plenary sessions, but this summit wasn't like any other. While on a break, the team was approached by a woman who observed our swag bags indicating HIV prevention work. She identified herself as a person living with HIV since 1986 who is currently out of care due to her recent relocation to Las Vegas. The CAS team sprang into action, utilizing their skills and abilities to locate care for the woman. Because of their efforts and compassion for serving, the team was able get her linked with a next day appointment at an agency in Las Vegas which provides healthcare and support services to individuals living with HIV. The team took it a step further and followed up with her upon their return to Buffalo, to find that she has attended her first appointment and was very thankful for the support from the team at CAS. This is what unconditional care looks like!"
Top photo,
Thank you Kim Brown for the story and photos, and Kudos to the CAS team for a job well - and unconditionally - done!
Bradley Heil
Angella Tetkowski
Jerome Robinson
Jack Burd
Fransheska Caballeros
Robert Smith
Alexius Richardson ..................................
Melanie Deyoe
Julius Torres..............................................
Ellan Ford
David Capretto
Allison Mitchell
Robin Thornton
Eric Marburger ..........................................
Brittany Hesson
Emma Fabian ............................................
Helen Graves
Rosalind Townsend
Benjamin Goldenberg
Michael Blasdell
Michelle Schultz
Matthew Egner
May 1
May 1
May 3
May 4
May 5
May 6
May 6
May 7
May 7
May 7
May 7
May 9
May 9
May 10
May11
May 13
May 13
May 13
May 14
May 14
May 15
May 16
Kaitlynn Cruz ............................................. May 17
Tiffany Ervin May 18
Kyle Botsford ............................................. May 20
Kate Walker May 24
Adria Reed May 24
Roosevelt Terry May 25
Alyssa Shon
May 25
Parker Massaker ...................................... May 26
Elizabeth Woleen May 27
Alonzo Griffin ............................................ May 27
Grant Rogers May 27
Roberto Torres May 28
Aye Nwe May 28
Deiona Baldwin May 30
Helene Cacciato May 31
Harry Berkoh-Asamoah May 31
