Hello.
I’m an internal medicine physician. I’ve been practicing for four decades. My good friend Doris Griffin from San Antonio, Texas, has spent nearly three decades being the voice for older adults in Washington, Austin and locally. She served as executive director of Jefferson Outreach for Older People, a non- profit organization serving the needs of San Antonio seniors. She speaks to the government to help get support so older adults can live more independently.
As Doris was advocating for older adults, I was creating WellMed. I started WellMed 30 years ago because I was unhappy with the way we treat and care for older adults. Both of my parents suffered needlessly because of incompetent, uncoordinated and improper medical care. My mission is to prevent that from happening to others.
I am proud to say WellMed is living up to that mission. We have more than 300 clinics in Texas, Florida and New Mexico. We also support thousands of independent primary care doctors in these states.
Doris and I are teaming to deliver an important message during this COVID-19 crisis. While the experts continue to search for a solution to COVID-19, another crisis has emerged. People are avoiding care for their illnesses for fear they’ll catch COVID-19. We urge you not to do this.
If you have a condition, you must see your doctor to stay healthy, which will help protect against COVID. This is especially true for people with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and COPD. Avoiding care could make you sicker. Worse, it could be mean death.
Our clinics are completely safe and clean. WellMed has taken every step necessary to ensure your safety in our clinics. We clean before and after each visit. Staff and visitors get their temperature checked before coming into the clinic. We provide all visitors with a mask. Our staff wears protective equipment.
And we’re not just open for ongoing care. We’re open for in-person visits for flu shots, mammograms and other preventive screenings and immunizations, too, which are also important to keep your immune system working at its potential.
If you’re not comfortable coming in, we now offer curbside care. Simply call us to make an appointment, arrive at the scheduled time and we’ll come to your car.
In addition, we also now offer online video visits. It’s an easy way to see a medical professional from the comfort of your own home using a smart phone, tablet or computer. If you don’t have a computer, smart phone, or home internet – we will loan you a sanitized, easy-to-use tablet. You don’t need home internet– it’s built in!
Check with your health plan to see what coverage they are providing during this time. Many are waiving co-payments to help you get the care you need. You may even be eligible for gift cards totaling $150 to complete a preventive care screening and an annual wellness exam.
If you need help arranging a visit or any other help, please call your clinic or call us toll-free at 1-888-781-9355 and know that we are available 24/7 over the phone if you have an urgent medical issue afterhours.
Please know that we will be calling you to check on you to see how you are doing during this time, so please answer our call to let us know you are OK. We all look forward to the day when this is over. Until then, our number one priority is to help you stay well. WellMed CARES about making it easier and safer for you to get the care you need during this crisis. We are here to help.
Don’t delay seeing your doctor. Together, we can get through this!
Warmest regards,
Dr. George Rapier, Chairman and CEO, WellMed Medical Management
