Orthopaedic Associates of Stamford (OAS) is joining Westchester County-based Westmed Medical Group as part of the latter”™s ongoing expansion into Connecticut.
Headquartered in Purchase, Westmed ”“ a multispecialty group medical practice with over 300 physicians in 12 locations in Westchester and Fairfield counties ”“ touts its “one-stop shopping” approach to medical care, which allows patients to consult with a number of internists and specialists during a single office visit.
“We”™d spoken with Orthopaedic Associates off and on for a number of years,” said Richard Morel, Westmed”™s co-medical director. “(OAS orthopedic surgeon) Andrew Haas is married to one of our internists, so they knew us well through that.”
Still, moving into Connecticut was delayed for some time as Westmed went about agreeing to contracts with the state”™s various insurance carriers. Since that process was completed, it has opened a pair of facilities in Greenwich and a satellite office in Darien.
“We felt that now was the time to move further up into Stamford,” Morel said, noting that Westmed”™s attraction to Fairfield is due to the similarities between the two counties”™ populations, hospital structures and the fact that there is “no large independent physician-owned and physician-run group there.”
The 50-year-old Orthopaedic Associates will remain at 1281 East Main St. in Stamford, but patients will now benefit from the additional support that Westmed offers. That support includes on-staff operators working around the clock and access to the “My WESTMED” patient portal, which allows patients to schedule appointments, communicate with their physicians, view lab results, request referrals and renew prescriptions. The system is part of what Morel says is Westmed”™s “unfractionated medical care,” which obviates the sometimes cumbersome back-and-forth needed via numerous phone calls, faxes and other activities, to streamline the entire process.
“We are respectful of the patient”™s time,” Morel said. “We offer a comprehensive level of care and all the members of our care team communicate with each other regularly.”
OAS officially joins Westmed on July 11. Morel said the group”™s new Stamford foothold will likely lead to further expansion throughout Fairfield County.
