On Monday, February 18th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for President’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:30am – 12:30pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am – 4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm and children from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth – Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post President’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

As a service to our patients, Diane Reilly, our Atrius Health Medicare Educator, conducts free group sessions about Medicare at various Atrius Health office locations throughout the year. These sessions are designed to assist patients who are seeking a greater understanding of the complexities of Medicare. Topics covered in the class include how and when to enroll in Medicare, an explanation of the various parts of Medicare, and tools to assist with Medicare plan choice.

If you wish to enroll in one of the upcoming sessions listed below, please call the Medicare Education registration voicemail line at 617-559-8340 to sign up. Seating is limited so preregistration is required. Although these sessions are for Atrius Health patients, you are welcome to bring a spouse, partner or caregiver.

Harvard Vanguard Quincy 
President’s Place, South Tower
1250 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02169
Validated parking

Session 1            Monday, April 8             1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor

Session 2           Monday, April 8             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor

Session 3           Thursday, April 11          1:00 – 2:30 p.m.             Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor

Session 4           Thursday, April 11          5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor

Session 5           Wednesday, April 17     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor

Plymouth Library – Manomet Branch
12 Strand Avenue, Plymouth, MA 02360
Free parking

Session 1            Thursday, April 25        6:00 – 7:30 p.m.            Manomet Room

Session 2           Thursday, May 2            6:00 – 7:30 p.m.            Manomet Room

Harvard Vanguard Beverly
77 Herrick Street, Suite 101, Beverly, MA 01915
Free parking

Session 1            Tuesday, May 7              1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            2nd Floor Conference Room

Session 2           Tuesday, May 7              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            2nd Floor Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Peabody/Lynnfield
2 Essex Center Drive, Peabody, MA 01960
Free parking

Session 1            Thursday, May 9            5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            ABC Conference Rooms, 1^st floor

Session 2           Wednesday, May 15       5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           ABC Conference Rooms, 1^st floor

Harvard Vanguard Cambridge
1611 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, May 13                      1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Conference Room D, 2^nd floor

Session 2           Wednesday, May 22               4:00 – 5:30 p.m.          Conference Room D, 2^nd floor

Harvard Vanguard Watertown
485 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, May 20           1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            MacDonald Conference Room

Session 2           Monday, May 20           4:00 – 5:30 p.m.           MacDonald Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Somerville
40 Holland Street, Somerville, MA 02144
Validated parking

Session 1            Tuesday, June 4             1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Staff Lounge

Session 2           Tuesday, June 4             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Staff Lounge

Harvard Vanguard Medford
26 City Hall Mall, Medford, MA 02155
Free parking

Session 1            Thursday, June 6           9:00 – 10:30 a.m.           Salem Conference Room

Session 2           Monday, June 10            5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Salem Conference Room

Session 3           Thursday, June 13          5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Salem Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Burlington
20 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, June 17             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Middlesex Conference Room

Session 2           Wednesday, June 26      5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           Middlesex Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Post Office Square
147 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109
Accessible by public transportation

Session 1            Monday, July 15             4:00 – 5:30 p.m.           Conference Room 1B

Session 2           Wednesday, July 24     1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Conference Room 1B

Harvard Vanguard Chestnut Hill/West Roxbury
291 Independence Drive, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Free parking

Session 1            Wednesday, August 21          1:00 – 2:30 p.m.           Conference Room 1

Session 2           Wednesday, August 21          5:00 – 6:30 p.m.           Forbes Conference Room

Session 3           Tuesday, August 27                5:00 – 6:30 p.m.           Forbes Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Braintree
101 Grossman Drive, Braintree, MA 02184
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, September 9               5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C, 1^st floor

Session 2           Thursday, September 12            5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C, 1^st floor

Session 3           Tuesday, September 17              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C, 1^st floor

Session 4           Thursday, September 19            5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Conference Room C, 1^st floor

Dedham Medical Norwood
1177 Providence Highway, Norwood, MA 02062
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, September 30              1:00 – 2:30 p.m.             Board Room, 4^th floor

Session 2           Monday, September 30              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Board Room, 4^th floor

Session 3           Wednesday, October 2                5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Board Room, 4^th floor

Session 4           Thursday, October 10                  5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Board Room, 4^th floor

Dedham Medical Dedham
One Lyons Street, Dedham, MA 02026
Free parking

Session 1            Thursday, October 3                    1:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Basement Conference Room

Session 2           Wednesday, October 9                5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           Basement Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Kenmore
133 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215
Validated parking

Session 1            Wednesday, October 16             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Conference Room 3B

Session 2           Monday, October 21                    5:30 – 7:00 p.m.              Conference Room 3B

Session 3           Wednesday, October 23             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Conference Room 3B

Session 4           Tuesday, October 29                    5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Conference Room 3B

Harvard Vanguard Wellesley
230 Worcester Street, Wellesley, MA 02481
Free parking

Session 1            Wednesday, October 30             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Staff Lounge

Session 2           Tuesday, November 12               5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Staff Lounge

Session 3           Thursday, November 14             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Staff Lounge

Session 4           Monday, November 18               5:30 – 7:00 p.m.             Staff Lounge

Session 5           Wednesday, November 20       5:30 – 7:00 p.m.              Staff Lounge

Session 6           Monday, November 25              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.              Staff Lounge

Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
228 Billerica Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Free parking

Session 1            Friday, November 1                     8:30 – 10:00 a.m.          Sullivan Conference Room

Session 2           Tuesday, November 5                 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           Sullivan Conference Room

Session 3           Wednesday, November 6          5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Sullivan Conference Room

Harvard Vanguard Concord
330 Baker Avenue, Concord, MA 01742
Free parking

Session 1            Monday, November 4                 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.           Gorman Conference Room

Session 2           Thursday, November 7               5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Gorman Conference Room

Session 3           Wednesday, November 13        5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Gorman Conference Room

Session 4           Thursday, November 21             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.            Gorman Conference Room

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Atrius Health is pleased to announce that our practices have once again been named to the annual Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Physician Group Honor Roll.

Harvard Pilgrim selected the Honor Roll physician groups based on clinical performance measured against national standards set by HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set), a tool developed for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to assess the clinical performance of physician groups. Harvard Pilgrim reviewed performance in three domains of clinical care affecting both adult and pediatric patients: acute, chronic and preventive care. Physician groups were identified as Honor Roll practices based on points earned for performance on 16 measures, such as appropriate treatment for children with upper respiratory infection, comprehensive diabetes care, and breast cancer screenings.

Dedham Medical Dedham

Dedham Medical Norwood*

Granite Medical Quincy*

Harvard Vanguard Beverly

Harvard Vanguard Braintree

Harvard Vanguard Burlington

Harvard Vanguard Cambridge

Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford

Harvard Vanguard Chestnut Hill

Harvard Vanguard Concord

Harvard Vanguard Copley

Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Harvard Vanguard Medford*

Harvard Vanguard Needham*

Harvard Vanguard Peabody/Lynnfield

Harvard Vanguard Post Office Square

Harvard Vanguard Somerville

Harvard Vanguard Watertown*

Harvard Vanguard Wellesley

PMG Physician Associates – Plymouth

* Physician groups that exceed NCQA’s national 90th percentile in all domains of clinical care are named to the Physician Group Honor Roll “With Distinction.”

Visit the Harvard Pilgrim website to see the full list of honorees.

The post Atrius Health Practices Named to 2019 Harvard Pilgrim Honor Roll appeared first on Atrius Health.

Although the thermometer may not be fully cooperating quite yet, according to the calendar, at least, it’s spring! While we may still experience some days when there’s a chill in air, warmer weather is just around the corner. The conversations around Atrius Health seem to reflect common springtime themes: relief that the snow is gone, March Madness and baseball (a given), and more and more plans to “get outside and do something.”

If we feel that way, it stands to reason that YOU feel that way, too, so we thought we’d help you with the last one. Listed below are some ideas and resources to help you get outside and enjoy spring in New England.

Walks and Hikes

Here is a great list of walks and hikes throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine that range in difficulty from easy to advanced. If you want to stay close to Boston, take advantage of the Boston HarborWalks maps and paths to explore Castle Island and the surrounding area. And if you’ve never walked through the Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, you should find a sunny day and go – it may sound strange to some, but it’s absolutely beautiful!

Walking and Bike Tours

If you’re looking for more of an organized activity, there are plenty of walking or bike tours to choose from based on whether you’re interested in history, photography, scenery or trying new foods.

Maple Sugaring

Maple sugaring season runs from mid-February through mid-April. This is a great family activity that combines education with the outdoors (and maple syrup as an added bonus!), there are many places in New England that have maple sugaring tours and activities.

Events for Kids and Families

If you have kids and maple sugaring is not your thing, there’s plenty else to do with them, indoors and out. BostonCentral.com is a favorite site to spark an idea or to look for special events for kids and families.

Outdoor Guides

Boston.com has a great travel section for lots of different activities in and around the area. They also have an Outdoor Adventure Guide, which summarizes the top 10 places to bike, hike, camp, and more. And Massvacation.com has more ideas for you to explore outdoors.

No matter what you choose, even if it’s as simple as a walk around your neighborhood or town, we encourage everyone to get out and get active this spring. Enjoy!

The post Springtime in New England: Get Out There! appeared first on Atrius Health.

Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of measles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected.

Measles typically begins with

• high fever,
• cough,
• runny nose (coryza), and
• red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)

Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth.

Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit

Transmission of Measles

Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. Also, measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.

Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.

Measles is a disease of humans; measles virus is not spread by any other animal species.

Q: I’ve been exposed to someone who has measles. What should I do?

A: Immediately call your doctor and let him or her know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your doctor can

• determine if you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence, and
• make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.

If you are not immune to measles, MMR vaccine or a medicine called immune globulin may help reduce your risk developing measles. Your doctor can help to advise you, and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.

If you do not get MMR or immune globulin, you should stay away from settings where there are susceptible people (such as school, hospital, or childcare) until your doctor says it’s okay to return. This will help ensure that you do not spread it to others.

Q: I think I have measles. What should I do?

A: Immediately call your doctor and let him or her know about your symptoms you are having. Your doctor can

• determine if you are immune to measles based on your vaccination record or if you had measles in the past, and
• make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.

Q: Am I protected against measles?

A: CDC considers you protected from measles if you have written documentation (records) showing at least one of the following:

• You received two doses of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n)—
  • school-aged child (grades K-12)
  • adult who will be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission, including students at post-high school education institutions, healthcare personnel, and international travelers.
• You received one dose of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n)—
  • preschool-aged child
  • adult who will not be in a high-risk setting for measles transmission.
• A laboratory confirmed that you had measles at some point in your life.
• A laboratory confirmed that you are immune to measles.
• You were born before 1957.

Q: What should I do if I’m unsure whether I’m immune to measles?

A: If you’re unsure whether you’re immune to measles, you should first try to find your vaccination records or documentation of measles immunity. If you do not have written documentation of measles immunity, you should get vaccinated with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Another option is to have a doctor test your blood to determine whether you’re immune. But this option is likely to cost more and will take two doctor’s visits. There is no harm in getting another dose of MMR vaccine if you may already be immune to measles (or mumps or rubella).

For more information about the measles, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, https://www.cdc.gov/measles/.

Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Division of Viral Diseases

The post All About Measles appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health was well represented at the recent “Capitol Hill Days” annual event hosted by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). A record number of physician groups from throughout the country gathered in Washington, DC recently to meet with their respective Congressional leaders and staff on issues of importance to physician groups.

Joining Dr. Guy Spinelli, Atrius Health Board Chair and practicing internist at Granite Medical in Quincy, was Kathy Keough, Director of Government Relations for Atrius Health, who works closely with AMGA staff on federal issues of concern to physician practices.

It was a busy day, as Dr. Spinelli and Ms. Keough met with Congresswoman Katherine Clark, key health policy staff for newly elected Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Congressman Seth Moulton, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senator Edward Markey. In addition to participating in meetings with the congressional delegation, Ms. Keough attended the Government Relations Leadership Council where she recently completed a two-year term as chair of the group.

“AMGA’s annual Capitol Hill Day event was a terrific opportunity to educate members of Congress as well as their staff about the important work that Atrius Health is doing to improve the lives and health of our patients each day,” said Dr. Spinelli. “It is so important to meet with Congressional leaders and be able to discuss the role that Atrius Health plays as a leading provider of primary care, home care and hospice to a large number of patients in Massachusetts.”

Among the issues discussed with staff members during these one-on-one meetings were:

• Asking members of Congress to assist in reducing regulatory burdens (such as face-to-face documentation requirements and pending legislation to allow nurse practitioners to sign the plan of care for home health patients) for physician groups and home health/hospice agencies such as VNA Care;
• Ensuring that Congress preserve funding and mitigate future cuts to Medicare Advantage;
• Sharing Atrius Health’s efforts to address the opioid crisis and our successes as an Accountable Care Organization;
• Asking members of Congress to preserve the ability of multi-specialty medical groups to provide advanced diagnostic imaging services;
• Urging Congress to strengthen graduate medical education as a critical component to ensure access to primary care.

“It is vital that members of Congress, as well as their staff, hear from their constituents like Atrius Health as an integral part of the health care team. It is especially important that Dr. Spinelli was able to participate in these meetings as it demonstrates the commitment to some of the issues that were discussed during our meetings. It also ensures that we serve as a resource to elected officials and their staff as they weigh various bills before them,” Ms. Keough stated.

The post Atrius Health Representatives Meet with Congressional Leaders appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, April 15th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Patriot’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:30am – 12:30pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am – 4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm and children from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Patriot’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health has pharmacies conveniently located in 15 of our Harvard Vanguard sites. Our pharmacies may be used by any Atrius Health patient to pick up prescriptions or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. When you have your prescription sent to one of our Harvard Vanguard pharmacies during your visit, you can stop by to pick it up on your way out. Our goal is to always make your visit to our pharmacy friendly, helpful, and quick!

Here are our Top Five Reasons to use a pharmacy at one of our Harvard Vanguard locations:

It’s Fast

Most prescriptions are ready for pick up shortly after your visit.

It’s Convenient

• Save a trip to an outside pharmacy! When you have your prescription sent to our pharmacy during your visit, you can pick it up before you leave.
• We can easily transfer your prescriptions from other pharmacies. Let us know the details, and we’ll take care of the rest.
• Order refills – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Just call the phone number listed on your prescription bottle and follow the prompts.
• Filling your prescription at a Harvard Vanguard pharmacy provides you with the convenience of receiving up to a 90-day supply of most medications depending upon your insurance coverage.

It’s Safe

Our pharmacy staff and your Atrius Health provider are in close communication.

• Your electronic medical record links directly to our pharmacy computer system so your Atrius Health clinician and pharmacist share accurate, up-to-the-minute information.
• Our computer systems automatically perform more than ten safety checks against your prescriptions.
• Our pharmacists can quickly contact your provider should questions arise with your prescription.

Free Mail Service

Mail service, from our pharmacies to your home, is available at no additional charge. Most prescriptions can be mailed anywhere in the United States. Ask our pharmacy staff about our free mail service.

We Can Save You Money

Did you know that our pharmacies carry a variety of commonly used OTC products that are up to 50% less expensive than in retail pharmacies? And most OTC products sold at a Harvard Vanguard pharmacy can also be mailed directly to your home for added convenience.

If you have never visited a Harvard Vanguard pharmacy, we encourage you to please consider doing so today!  And if you are a loyal customer, we thank you and look forward to servicing you again soon.

The post Top Five Reasons to Use Our Pharmacy appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, May 27th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Memorial Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for children only from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for children from 9:00am – 1:00pm and for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Memorial Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Several large business organizations including Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce which represents thousands of employers statewide, and advocates who negotiated a compromised version of the paid family and medical leave program last year, recently requested a three-month postponement of the new law that goes into effect July 1, 2019. The call for a delay from politically diverse groups reflects growing concern that the marketplace, employers, and their workers are not adequately prepared for the sweeping new benefits program.

A letter dated May 20, 2019 and addressed to Governor Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Karen Spilka read in part, “In the course of our work together, we have identified the need for a three-month extension of the July 1, 2019 deadline for approval of employers’ private paid family and medical leave plans and the commencement of the required plan contributions.”

We agree that the requested extension will not impact any of the benefits or the timing for eligibility of benefits under the new law but would instead allow additional time to comply with the landmark legislation enacted last session.

As a large employer in Massachusetts, Atrius Health strongly supports a three-month delay in the start date of the paid family and medical leave law to October 1, 2019. We believe there are changes needed to the law to allow additional time for all employers and employees to adequately prepare for the sweeping new benefits program. We urge the administration and the Legislature to address this important and vital request.

The post Employers Need Three-Month Extension of Paid Family and Medical Leave Program appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Thursday, July 4th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for the Independence Day holiday except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for children only from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for children from 9:00am – 1:00pm and for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 2:00pm

The post July 4th Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

We are very proud to announce that several of our Atrius Health practices and providers have been recognized on Wicked Local’s 2019 Reader’s Choice awards lists in their various communities.

During the months of January and February, Wicked Local newspapers asked their readers to nominate their local favorites in more than 70 categories. Thousands of votes were cast to select the top choices in each community. Here are the Atrius Health winners in the categories of Doctor/Primary Care Physician or Pediatrician, Optical Shop, and Physical Therapy. Thank you to all of our wonderful patients who voted!

Doctor/Primary Care Physician or Pediatrician

• Honorable Mention – Sara Kelly, MD – Harvard Vanguard Braintree
• Honorable Mention – Harvard Vanguard Burlington
• #1 Choice – Harvard Vanguard Cambridge
• #1 Choice – Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
• Honorable Mention – Monica Gomez, MD – Harvard Vanguard Concord
• Regional Bronze – #1 Choice – Ronni Goldsmith, MD – Harvard Vanguard Concord
• Regional Bronze – #1 Choice – Sarah Zifcak, MD – Harvard Vanguard Concord
• #1 Choice – Lily Maltz, MD – Dedham Medical Dedham
• Honorable Mention – Dedham Medical Dedham
• #1 Choice – Leo Muido, MD – PMG Duxbury
• Honorable Mention – William Griever, MD – PMG Kingston
• Regional Gold – #1 Choice – Teresa Zabik, MD – Harvard Vanguard Medford
• Honorable Mention – Naila Wahid, MD – Dedham Medical Norwood
• Honorable Mention – Mark Raizin, MD – Harvard Vanguard Peabody/Lynnfield
• Regional Silver – #1 Choice – Injil Abu Bakar, MD – PMG Plymouth (Pine Hills)
• Honorable Mention – Andrea Forde, NP – Harvard Vanguard Watertown
• #1 Choice – Harvard Vanguard Watertown
• Regional Gold – #1 Choice – David Rubin, MD – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley
• Regional Silver – Honorable Mention – Katrina Klaus, DO – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley
• Honorable Mention – Jeffrey Yablonski, MD – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley
• Honorable Mention – Mary Odegaard, MD – Harvard Vanguard Weymouth

Optical Shop

• Honorable Mention – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley

Physical Therapy

• #1 Choice – Dedham Medical Dedham
• Honorable Mention – Harvard Vanguard Watertown

The post Atrius Health Recognized in Wicked Local’s 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health recently provided testimony to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing in support of “An Act Improving Public Health through a Common Application for Core Food, Health and Safety-net Programs.” The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Gap bill, HB1173 and SB678, would create a common application to allow low-income households to apply for MassHealth, SNAP, and state-administered safety net programs all at the same time.

An estimated 700,000 MassHealth recipients who are likely eligible for SNAP are not receiving this vital benefit due in part to the separate and duplicative application process for core benefits. MassHealth, SNAP, and several other safety-net programs use separate application processes that ask for similar information. Filling out different applications for each can be overwhelming and serve as a deterrent for these applicants to take advantage of these essential benefits. This duplicate effort creates more work for the state and many of our low-income patients as well as the social workers, case managers and others who are attempting to assist these patients with receiving vital food assistance.

Allowing low-income households to apply for MassHealth and SNAP at the same time will help close the “SNAP gap” and improve health for families across the Commonwealth. Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health which affects a wide variety of patients. Not having adequate nutrition increases the likelihood of conditions like asthma in children and limited mobility in seniors. In addition, we believe that not having access to healthy food contributes to increased healthcare costs and poor performance in schools and the workplace. Encouraging coordination between MassHealth and SNAP will vastly improve the delivery of services for eligible residents.

A shared application will streamline the process of receiving benefits, improve efficiency for the state, and facilitate access for more low-income residents to meet the basic needs of accessing food, healthcare, and housing. We believe this streamlined process is vital to provide for the basic needs of many of our patients. It is a commonsense, cost-effective approach that will improve efficiency, lower healthcare costs in the state, and improve the health of the residents of the Commonwealth.

Atrius Health is delighted to be part of a statewide coalition of organizations advocating in support of SB678 and HB1173 and urges the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing to report the bill out of Committee favorably as soon as possible.

The post Atrius Health Supports Single Application for Core Benefits appeared first on Atrius Health.

Most of us know that we need to eat healthy foods, get regular exercise, get adequate sleep, and manage stress to stay healthy. But did you know that where you live, work, learn, and play can have just as much impact on your and your child’s health?

Understanding Social Determinants of Health

Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Some examples of social determinants include:

• Access to safe and affordable housing
• Access to education
• Disruption in the home environment, such as divorce or loss of a job
• A safe home/educational/work/play environment
• Availability and access to healthy foods
• Access to transportation

Partnering With Our Patients

At Atrius Health, our pediatricians believe in caring for the whole family and developing a deep understanding of the family dynamic to improve the care we provide to our young patients. To do that successfully, we need to understand all aspects of our children’s and their families’ lives that can affect their health.

Over the past year, we’ve introduced a standardized questionnaire that we hope will open the lines of communication between our patients and their providers about what’s happening in their lives in between their medical appointments. Our social determinants of health (SDOH) questionnaire consists of nine questions which help us to understand if parents/guardians or patients have any social or environmental barriers that are standing in the way of receiving the health care they need.

This questionnaire gives patients and their families the opportunity to share any worries or concerns they have about losing their home, their employment status, their ability to pay their utilities as well as their access to food, transportation, childcare, and mental health resources.

Families across all walks of life can face health-related social needs, and we are here to help connect them with the necessary resources. Therefore, the questionnaire is given to all parents and guardians of patients under the age of 18 and all patients who are 18 or older at the one-month well visit, annual physicals, and new patient visits. The questionnaire takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and responses to the survey are treated with sensitivity and confidentiality.

We request that all parents, guardians, and patients complete the questionnaire each year to signify whether they have any barriers to receiving health care. If a parent, guardian or patient does not have any issues, he or she will have the option to indicate that there are no needs as well as an option to respond “I choose not to answer this question” for each question on the survey. We are always glad to know that a patient’s family has no social needs or barriers that may limit their ability to receive the best possible healthcare. However, families’ circumstances can change, and we hope to identify through annual screening any social challenges they face so that our providers have the information they need to provide the best possible care. We also hope that if we ask the questions – even if patients aren’t ready or willing to share that they have a need – they will know that we are a resource for them.

How We Can Help

If a patient does identify a need, their provider will review that question with them to ensure that their need is understood so that we can put them in touch with the correct resources to help.

Most of our practice sites have a care facilitator on staff who can connect patients with community-based resources. We also have community health workers, nurse case managers, and social workers on staff who can assist patients with their needs.

Some examples of assistance that we have already provided for our patients include:

• Coordinating multiple medical appointments to cut down on the number of trips a patient has to make to our office or the hospital
• Helping patients get on a wait list for affordable housing
• Providing information on how and where to access food banks
• Assisting families in obtaining SNAP benefits (food stamps) or getting benefits reinstated if they’ve lost access
• Arranging transportation to and from medical appointments (if eligible)
• Help with securing emergency shelter

If a patient isn’t ready to talk, or a need arises in between appointments, we want them to know that they can call us at any time and we can connect them with the resources they need to help make their situation better. Our goal is to partner with our patients to tackle whatever problem that they might face to keep them safe and healthy.

The post Understanding How Environment Affects Health appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health recently joined several organizations in providing testimony to strengthen and clarify regulations proposed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) related to Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS). The proposed changes are part of the provisions of Chapter 208 of the Acts of 2018 to address the state’s opioid crisis and are designed to increase the security of prescription medications.

Electronic prescribing, also known as e-prescribing, is when a doctor writes a prescription and sends it directly to the pharmacy through a secured system. E-prescribing has many advantages which include:

• Improved accuracy of dosages and other written instructions since nothing is handwritten.
• Enhanced patient safety – potential medication interactions and pre-existing medical conditions that can be affected by a new medication can be viewed before the prescription is sent to the pharmacy.
• Reduction of fraud – prescriptions are securely transmitted to the pharmacy via a secure system. Patients no longer have to worry about losing a paper prescription or having it stolen.

Atrius Health launched its electronic prescribing initiative for Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substances more than a year ago. Since that time, we have been rolling this program out to all of our practice locations. The law requires that all prescription medications, regardless of their abuse potential, be electronically prescribed. Although we agree with the premise of the new law, there are a number of circumstances that we and others urge DPH to consider before finalizing the regulations. Those conditions include the following:

• There are insufficient provisions to address unanticipated and/or uncontrollable circumstances that render compliant electronic prescribing infeasible or impossible, e.g., weather-related power outages, phone carrier outages, or when a pharmacy system is off-line.
• Some cases are out of the prescriber’s control and the electronic system converts the prescription to a fax, such as when patient instructions are too long or complicated or when a third-party software malfunctions. In both of these cases, the prescriber may intend and attempt to prescribe the medication electronically, but the system defaults to sending a fax.
• Similar to compounded drugs, infusion drugs should be excluded from the EPCS requirements because they often require the prescriber to include lengthy and complicated instructions that make it difficult, if not impossible, for electronic prescribing.

Our testimony also recommends that DPH incorporate language similar to the New York State Department of Health, which enacted similar requirements several years ago. The New York State regulations acknowledge that current standards allow only a limited number of characters for the prescription instructions and permit exceptions to the EPCS requirements in those situations when more detailed instructions are required.

Atrius Health also suggests that DPH incorporate language into its final regulations that exclude the requirement that pharmacists must verify a practitioner has received a waiver or is exempt from the EPCS requirements. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for pharmacists to verify these waivers or exemptions while still ensuring that patient care is not compromised.

We believe these modifications will still support the safe electronic prescribing of medications while also allowing for conditions that are beyond the prescribers control.

The post Atrius Health Weighs in on Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) Proposal appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, September 2^nd, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Labor Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for children only from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for children from 9:00am – 1:00pm and for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Labor Day Holiday Urgent Care Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Sending your kids off to college for the first time can stir up a myriad of concerns. Are their classes all set, do they have everything they need for their dorm, will they get along with their roommate, will they eat right, do they know how to do laundry? This year, my twin daughters are joining the group of incoming freshman, and I’m joining the group of emotional parents that are left behind. It can undoubtedly be a stressful time making sure you have covered all the bases.

When preparing your child for living away from home, you want to make sure they stay safe and healthy. Take the time to go over all of your child’s emergency information. If they are covered under your health insurance, make sure they have their own insurance card and know their medical history. If your health plan has a separate pharmacy plan benefit, make sure your child has a pharmacy benefit card and a complete list of all medications they are taking. If your child is a patient at Atrius Health, the easiest way for them to get information from their medical record is to make sure they have access to MyHealth Online.

For children going to school out of state, research what’s covered under your health plan and what you may need to pay out of pocket. It’s helpful to find out what care is available on campus through student health services and other options where they can go for routine, urgent, or emergency care. If your child takes prescribed medications, learn how to transfer prescriptions to the campus pharmacy or to a nearby off-campus pharmacy so they can easily fill and pick up medications.

As a pharmacist and a mother, I worry about what will happen when my daughters are not feeling well. To help soothe that dreadful call from one of my children that they’re sick, I decided to make them a small care package of over-the-counter (OTC) medications. I picked up the items below at one of our Harvard Vanguard pharmacies, where often several OTC medications we stock are up to 50% less expensive than retail pharmacies. Here are the OTC items I included in the care packages for my girls:

• Allergy medication – cetirizine (Zyrtec®) or loratadine (Claritin®) for the relief of common (non-anaphylactic) food or seasonal allergies.
• Pain relievers – acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or Ibuprofen (Advil®) for mild headaches, muscle pain, period cramps.
• Stomach pain and gas relief – calcium carbonate (Tums®) or simethicone (Gas-X®) for heartburn, stomach pain, and gas relief.
• First aid – antibiotic ointment or cream and band-aids for cut and scrapes.
• Cough and Cold – guaifenesin DM (Robitussin DM®) for cough suppression and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®) for nasal congestion.

It’s comforting for me to know that they’ll be ready for those mild cases of a cold or a headache. I hope this information will help make it a smooth transition to college for both you and your children!

Contributed by Kathy Lai, Pharmacy Supervisor at our Harvard Vanguard Somerville location.

The post Preparing Your College Student for Healthcare Away from Home appeared first on Atrius Health.

After a long, hot summer, many of us look forward to the arrival of autumn with its crisp cool air and colorful leaves. For seniors, the season also marks the beginning of Medicare Open Enrollment.

Every year from October 15^th until December 7^th, Medicare recipients have the opportunity to review their Medicare plan choices and make decisions for new coverage beginning on the first of the following year.

The volume of advertisements for Medicare plans and the wide array of options available can be overwhelming. Often the response to too much information is inaction. Many seniors forgo the opportunity afforded only during Open Enrollment to make much-needed changes to their previous Medicare plan selection. However, re-evaluating your options can result in decreased healthcare costs and increased benefits and coverage.

If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare insurance plan, and you make no changes during Open Enrollment, you will be automatically re-enrolled into your current plan. As tempting as it might be to stay with your original plan choice, that could be a costly decision. If you have experienced any changes in your utilization of medical services, prescription drug use, or personal finances during the previous year, it might warrant taking another look at your Medicare options.

Atrius Health provides several educational opportunities to help Medicare patients navigate the Medicare maze. We encourage you to visit the Medicare Information page on the Atrius Health website. There you can find detailed information about our upcoming Medicare Information Sessions, the plans accepted at Atrius Health, and additional resources for guidance through the decision-making process.

Atrius Health accepts Medicare Advantage plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Tufts Health Plan. Both of these health insurance providers conduct seminars designed to inform and educate Medicare beneficiaries on the various plan options. For a listing of seminars available in your area, please visit the Blue Cross Blue Shield and Tufts Health Plan web sites.

In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently introduced an upgraded tool to assist beneficiaries in comparing Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. You can access this tool on the Medicare.gov website.

If you are an Atrius Health patient and still have unanswered questions or require additional clarification regarding Medicare plan choices after consulting these resources, you may contact our Medicare Education Specialist by email at Diane_Reilly@atriushealth.org.

Don’t let the opportunity pass you by to choose the very best plan for your healthcare needs in the year ahead!

The post Take Advantage of Medicare Open Enrollment! appeared first on Atrius Health.

We are pleased to announce the addition of a family medicine department at our Harvard Vanguard Post Office Square office located at 147 Milk Street, in the financial district of downtown Boston.

Family Medicine is another option for receiving primary care. Our family medicine physicians can provide continuing and comprehensive health care for all members of your family from newborns to seniors!

Family practitioners complete advanced training in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, and other specialties so they can diagnose and treat a wide variety of acute and chronic ailments in patients of all ages.

Dr. Meredith Amos, Dr. Anna Groskin, and Dr. Sarah Hale are currently welcoming new adult and pediatric patients, and Dr. Peter Burkill will be joining the practice on October 1st. To choose Dr. Amos, Dr. Groskin or Dr. Hale as your primary care provider, please call our patient registration department at 1-800-249-1767, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Family Medicine Department at Post Office Square is open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you have any questions about family medicine in Post Office Square, please call us at 617-654-7090.

The post Introducing Family Medicine at Post Office Square appeared first on Atrius Health.

Dr. Holly Thomas, internist and Associate Chief Medical Officer, and Jennifer Derkarzarian, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, testified on behalf of Atrius Health before the Joint Committee on Public Health in support of legislation that would remove existing restrictions on nurse practitioners on prescriptive practices in the state. Atrius Health was among a number of organizations and legislators who testified in support of the bill HB1867/S1330 – “An Act to Support Access, Value and Equity in Health Care.”

During a packed hearing at the State House, Dr. Thomas’ testimony indicated that as an integrated delivery system, Atrius Health employs well over 300 nurse practitioners at all of its sites and explained that Atrius Health’s nurse practitioners work side by side with physicians as a critical and vital part of our clinical team.

“Increasingly we are utilizing NPs as primary care providers with their own patient panels which we feel is critical to the patients we care for and to improve access to care at a time when there are shortages of primary care providers nationally,” Thomas noted. “And as a primary care physician myself, I have worked with nurse practitioners in my practice for approximately 20 years and I can attest to the value our nurse practitioners serve in providing quality patient care.”

Dr. Thomas added, “We believe full practice authority for NPs is vital to not only improve access to care that has a direct impact on reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and therefore healthcare costs but also to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on physicians where physician burnout is a serious issue.”

“Currently antiquated mandates in the Massachusetts Nurse Practice Act have restricted the ability of NPs to practice to the full extent of their education and training and have prevented NPs from being fully utilized in helping the Commonwealth address challenges related to healthcare access and cost,” Dr. Thomas noted, adding that passage of the legislation would reduce administrative burdens on physicians that lead to burnout, a key priority of Atrius Health. “In addition, passage of this legislation will provide for needed changes to help organizations such as Atrius Health be better prepared for the many changes underway as we transform the health care delivery system in the state.”

During her testimony, Derkazarian pointed out that NPs must adhere to national professional standards and must maintain their own professional malpractice insurance. The literature for over 40 years has substantiated the quality of care provided by these nursing professionals and argued that removing the outdated requirement for physician supervision eliminates administrative burdens for the state’s health care delivery systems and is philosophically consistent with the landmark passage of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012.

“We strongly support this legislation that allows highly skilled NPs to practice to the full extent of their education and training to promote the model of patient-centered care that is the hallmark of Atrius Health. Integrated health care systems such as ours should have the ability to determine how best to utilize our NPs to increase access to affordable and quality care. All of our clinicians, including NPs, work with other clinicians and staff across roles and disciplines to provide for population health and chronic disease management, as well as to identify new and better ways to coordinate transitions of care and to provide for better outcomes for our patients,” Derkazarian said.

Atrius Health joined with several other organizations throughout the state including the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and has been a strong supporter of passage of H1867 and S1330 as a way to reduce administrative burdens and needed legislation to permit Atrius Health and other providers to better leverage its workforce and increase access to care. Massachusetts is the only state in New England that has this current requirement, and we strongly encourage the Public Health Committee to act quickly and favorably on this long-overdue legislation.

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