Earlier this year I wrote a column about the sorry state of customer service in medical care. But recently I had the pleasure (how often can you use that word in the context of health care?) of being treated, literally, to a striking exception.

Last week I was getting ready for a business trip to Asia and got a sore throat the day before leaving. Preferring not to go without antibiotics if I needed them -- or worse, wind up needing medical care in China or Vietnam -- I stopped, without an appointment, into a nearby Immediate Care facility (division of TeamHealth holdings, NYSE: TMH). The company is one of a growing number of chains providing an alternative to emergency room visits and a range of other common outpatient services, from sniffles to stitches, fever to fractures, and more. But unlike any typical ER, it provides these services with as much of a focus on the patient/customer experience as on quality medical care.

Immediate Care promises minimal wait times, immaculate facilities and pleasant, compassionate people, and during my visit they delivered flawlessly. The building looked more like a day spa than a doctor's office. I was checked in quickly and efficiently and seen within 20 minutes, and every person I dealt with -- from the front desk to the clinicians -- was smiling and unfailingly courteous, attentive and caring.

I was so impressed by the experience that I contacted the corporate office to learn more. In keeping with the company's name and ethic, I got an immediate response. Salvatore Durante, the company's Urgent Care Operations manager, gave me a five-point summary of what makes the business tick. Interestingly -- but not surprisingly -- it's all about humans as beings, not bodies:

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AMHERST, NY – The Nyamekye Foundation today announced a $50,000 gift to the “Say Yes” Buffalo Scholarship, joining a group of more than ten other Western New York businesses that have committed their support to providing postsecondary tuition scholarships for graduates of Buffalo public and charter schools. The Nyamekye Foundation is the charitable organization through which the physicians and staff of Buffalo Emergency Associates, The Exigence Group and Western New York Immediate Care provide support for health and education related causes.

“Education is essential for students to set, meet and exceed their greatest expectations in life,” Greg Daniel, MD, MBA, President, Exigence of TeamHealth and Chairman of the Nyamekye Foundation said. “Our contribution to student scholarships aligns with our collective mission to continuously improve and to be active, contributing members of our community.”

When added to previous commitments from Western New York individuals, families, organizations and businesses, more than $18 million total has now been raised locally for the “Say Yes” Buffalo Scholarship. “Say Yes” Buffalo is an education-based initiative that provides a powerful engine for long-term economic development, which will radically improve the life course of public school students in the City of Buffalo.

About The Nyamekye Foundation
The Nyamekye Foundation was created to promote healthcare research and development; aid in the provision of patient access to appropriate healthcare; provide funds for scholarships; contribute to hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organizations and facilities; and contribute to other individuals and organizations in need. “Nyamekye” originated in the Akan (Ghana) language and means, “God’s gift.”

Buffalo Emergency Associates and The Exigence Group are leading providers of comprehensive Emergency Department and Hospitalist staffing and management services in Western New York and throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Formed in 2000, today the organizations serve over 300,000 patients each year.
 
Western New York Immediate Care operates Joint Commission accredited urgent care centers in Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Orchard Park and Williamsville. Staffed and managed locally, Western New York Immediate Care treated over 100,000 patients in 2012. Through superior quality providers and operational efficiencies, most patients are treated in about an hour and 96% of patients report that they are “very satisfied” with our services.
 
In May 2012, TeamHealth Holdings Inc. (NYSE: TMH) acquired the operations of The Exigence Group and its related entities including Buffalo Emergency Associates and Western New York Immediate Care. TeamHealth’s approximately 8,600 affiliated healthcare professionals provide emergency medicine, hospital medicine, anesthesia, urgent care, and pediatric staffing and management services to approximately 800 civilian and military hospitals, clinics, and physician groups in 47 states.

About “Say Yes” Buffalo
“Say Yes” Buffalo is dedicated to increasing high school and postsecondary graduation rates among students attending Buffalo public and charter schools. “Say Yes” Buffalo provides comprehensive supports, including the promise of a locally funded full college or vocational education, aligned with what research indicates is needed to enable every child in the program to achieve his or her potential.  “Say Yes” Buffalo is made possible by the generosity of Western New York individuals, families, businesses and foundations and “Say Yes” to Education, Inc., a national, non-profit education foundation.

The leading predictor of economic health for a region is the level of education of its residents.  Buffalo is consistently ranked among the poorest cities in the United States. This ranking directly correlates to the Buffalo public schools’ graduation rate of 54% and to the fact that those schools are not educating students prepared to succeed in today’s economy.

“Say Yes” Buffalo was created to address this issue and is expected to do so by:
•    Increasing the city’s public school graduation rate
•    Increasing the number of students who complete a postsecondary degree (certificate, associate or bachelor’s).
•    Strengthen the workforce to meet the needs of local employers.

For more information about “Say Yes” Buffalo visit www.sayyesbuffalo.org.

Dear WNY Immediate Care Patient,

Univera has informed us that they will no longer participate with WNY Immediate Care effective March 1, 2013, despite our efforts to negotiate in good faith.

• Univera has now restricted your ability to utilize urgent care, including its shorter waiting times and lower co-pays, and added to the inconvenience you may experience by having to wait in an emergency department.
• To make healthcare affordable for you, we are not now and have never asked for a rate increase, despite the rising cost of healthcare.
  
• Univera wants us to significantly reduce our rates, despite our new agreements with the region's leading insurers. Yet there is no indication Univera will lower your premiums. In fact, their premiums have gone up significantly over the past seven years.
• In an effort to keep Univera plan members covered, we have proposed to Univera multiple rate solutions. Yet, they have provided only one 'take it or leave it' solution.

These facts makes Univera's notice to us that they do not wish to participate that much more alarming.

WNY Immediate Care's goal is to provide you with the highest quality healthcare; thank you for your support and patronage. In the event that you desire to choose a plan that covers the top urgent care centers, we have agreements in place with Independent Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of WNY.

If you are unable to switch insurers, we will continue to provide medical care to you as Univera subscribers at the previously negotiated rates we had in place with Univera for years. We care about you and your healthcare, and we look forward to providing you continued service.

Call Univera Customer Service at 1-800-499-1275 and let them know about the positive experiences you have had at WNY Immediate Care. Remind them of the important role we play in the healthcare community and insist that they continue their relationship with us. Or, consider signing up with a more patient-centered insurance carrier.

Sincerely,                                

Western New York Immediate Care

Heroes are all around us, some more recognizable than others. Many are discreet heroes, those you may not notice at first glance but whose impact to our local community and greater country is monumental. Western New York Immediate Care salutes our very own Stephanie Heusinger as one of those people.

Stephanie works as a receptionist for our Transit Road Immediate Care location in Williamsville, NY.  Along with the great work she does at Immediate Care, Stephanie also doubles as a volunteer firefighter with the Marilla Volunteer Firefighter Company, and as a member of the United States Army National Guard.  On February 23, 2013, Stephanie will be deployed to serve a tour of duty in Saudi Arabia.  This will be her first deployment assignment since she joined The National Guard in 2011.

A Marilia, NY native, Stephanie enrolled in the National Guard after college and was stationed at the base on Masten Avenue and Best Street in Buffalo, NY.  For one weekend a month, Stephanie, along with the rest of the 105^th military police unit, attended extensive training in disaster relief, riot control, proper search methods and interrogation techniques. 

After being offered an opportunity to earn a higher rank at a base in Hornell, NY, Stephanie jumped at the chance as there was a higher probability that she would be deployed.  “I didn’t want to just serve out my two years and never get to serve abroad,” she explains. “That wasn’t going to work for me. I wanted to get the full experience of service and get a chance to see the world.”

Stephanie enjoys her time working at Immediate Care because of the recurrent opportunities to communicate with various groups of people each day, skills that she has sharpened as a military personnel. As a public service representative for Western New York Immediate Care, Stephanie is the first person that patients come into contact with when they come through our doors.  It is her job to collect the necessary information from the sick, injured and/or distressed patients and is the first line of communication from the patients to the medical staff.  Superior communication skills in occasionally tense situations are what make Stephanie such a great asset to Immediate Care as well as to her platoon in the National Guard.  Stephanie also appreciates the flexibility that Immediate Care offers her and other working members of the military. She describes her relationship with Immediate Care as “a perfect fit.” 

We offer Stephanie our best wishes for her deployment and thank her for her noble service to our country. Your hard work and sacrifice keep Americans safe here in Western New York and abroad! 

 

One could say that Jennifer Rhoney keeps herself busy. She is a wife and mother of two. She is a Registered Nurse with Western New York Immediate Care, practicing at the Transit Road location in Williamsville. Jennifer also serves her country as a Major and Assistant Chief Nurse at the 914 Aeromedical Staging Squadron located at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

Rhoney graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo Nursing School in 2000. Following graduation, she started working at Erie County Medical Center while earning her Master’s Degree in Counseling Education from Canisius College. Upon earning her master’s, , she took a position as a school nurse at John Kennedy Elementary in Batavia where she stayed for eight years. In 2010, she returned to Western New York and joined the WNY Immediate Care team.

“I really enjoy working at WNY Immediate Care because of the diversity from day to day; each shift always brings something different,” Rhoney says. “The staff and management have been very supportive, being flexible and accommodating with regards to my reserve schedule.”

Simultaneous to her professional career, she established a military career path that began when she joined the Air Force Reserves in 2001. She has done two overseas tours including a seven-month deployment in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2003 and a three-month deployment in 2007 to Balad, Iraq, a major connection point where patients were gathered and transported. Rhoney is from a patriotic family with relatives who have served their country and this influenced her decision to join.

“My brother is on active duty in the Navy and I was inspired to join when I attended his graduation. In addition, my uncle is a Ret. Colonel in the Army Reserve,” Rhoney says. “I love my country and enjoy performing the missions. The camaraderie with my unit is very fulfilling.”

Rhoney describes some parallels between the positions.

“In both arenas, it is important to quickly assess and triage the patients under my care,” Rhoney says. “It is a profession that offers a lot of satisfaction, helping people stateside or abroad to get back on their feet.”

Jennifer is married to Phil Rhoney; together with sons Liam (2) and Quinn (1), they reside in the City of Buffalo.

 

Rochester, N.Y. (October 24, 2012) -- Unity Health System and Rochester Immediate Care will partner to provide superior quality urgent care services to the Rochester community. Together they will develop new and more innovative ways to increase access and control the cost of health care.

Unity and Rochester Immediate Care will extend their access and capabilities to provide a more clinically integrated solution for patients who require episodic care.

“In this new era of health care delivery, collaborations such as this one play a critical role in reducing the rate of rise of health care costs. Through this historic agreement we will deliver greater value for patients with a laser focus on quality, safety and patient satisfaction,” said Gregory Daniel, M.D., founder and CEO of Rochester Immediate Care and President of Exigence of TeamHealth.

Unity Health System offers comprehensive health care with over 70 locations in Rochester and Monroe County, including Unity Hospital, located on the Unity Park Ridge Health Care Campus in the town of Greece and the Unity St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester. One goal of the urgent care partnership is to reduce overcrowding and inappropriate use of Emergency Department resources.  This goal is in alignment with our commitment to the Finger Lakes Health System Agency’s goals to reduce low-acuity Emergency Department visits outlined in the 2020 Performance Commission Report

“We are pleased to offer a high quality urgent care option to our patients,” said Wendy Wilts, Senior Vice President of Clinical Service Lines for Unity Health System. “This partnership is a winning combination and assists Unity in continuing our journey toward more accountable care. Our choice to invest in an existing urgent care operation–versus building our own–reflects Unity’s commitment to being fiscally responsible while utilizing quality community resources.”

About Unity Health System

At Unity Health System you’ll find the friendliest and most compassionate people dedicated to providing the best possible health care experience. Key programs include our Joint Replacement Center, Family Birth Place, Spine Center, Diabetes Center, Stroke Center, Brain Injury & Physical Rehabilitation, and Chemical Dependency. Our Center for Aging has the area’s most comprehensive range of services for older adults which includes specialized care for dementia, a chronic ventilator unit, three skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, a short-stay transitional care center, home health services, adult day programs, and The Villages at Unity – an independent senior living community.  ACM Medical Laboratory is a world leader of patient and clinical trials testing, with locations in western New York, York, England, and India, and lab partnerships across the globe.   Our shared commitment to delivering health care the way it should be is reflected in our overall employee and patient satisfaction ratings and quality outcomes.  For more information, visit www.unityhealth.org.

About Rochester Immediate Care

Rochester Immediate Care has two locations, 2745 West Ridge Road in Greece and 1065 Ridge Road in Webster. Plans are underway to open a third center in the Rochester area in 2013. The centers are open 365 days a year. Rochester Immediate Care employs approximately 60 full- and part-time health care professionals.

At its state-of-the-art centers, Rochester Immediate Care provides access to cost-effective healthcare when a patient’s illness or injury is beyond the scope or availability of the typical primary care practice or retail clinic. Rochester Immediate Care centers offer digital x-ray, CLIA certified laboratory capabilities, an advanced urgent care medication formulary and integrated information technology systems enabling connectivity at all points across the continuum of care. Over 35,000 patients choose Rochester Immediate Care each year, with most patients treated in about an hour. 

In February 2012, Rochester Immediate Care joined the highly select ranks of urgent care centers nationwide that have received accreditation from The Joint Commission and are proud to display its Gold Seal of Approval™. This accreditation conveys Rochester Immediate Care’s commitment to quality and patient safety, setting it apart from all other competitors and making it the provider of choice for episodic care.

Rochester Immediate Care was founded by The Exigence Group of Amherst, NY, which was acquired by TeamHealth in May 2012. TeamHealth is one of the largest providers of outsourced physician staffing solutions in the United States. In addition to Rochester Immediate Care, Exigence of TeamHealth manages five Immediate Care centers in the Buffalo area and one in Austin, Texas.

For more information, visit www.rochesterimmediatecare.com.

 

WNY IMMEDIATE CARE TO HOST DRIVE-THRU FLU SHOT CLINICS

AMHERST, NY – Western New York Immediate Care will host the fourth annual drive-thru flu shot clinic on Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at all five area locations:

• 7616 Transit Rd., Williamsville - across from Eastern Hills Mall
• 2099 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst - just north of the I-290, next to The Pancake House
• 2497 Delaware Ave., Buffalo - just north of Hertel, next to Frank's Sunny Italy
• 5014 Transit Rd., Cheektowaga - between Losson Road and Como Park Boulevard, just north of Wegmans
• 3050 Orchard Park Rd., Orchard Park - just north of the Tops/Lowes plaza, next to Leisure Rinks and Duff’s Restaurant

Flu shot clinic patients will be able to drive up and receive a flu vaccine without even leaving their car. Most insurance plans will cover the cost of the flu shot; the cost for self-pay patients is $35.

 

“This is a fast and convenient way for patients to receive their seasonal flu vaccine,” said Dr. Joseph Chow, WNY Immediate Care Medical Director. “Flu shots not only protect the recipient, but can help stop the spread of the disease. So protect yourself and your family and join us this weekend to get your shot.”

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that everyone over the age of six months and pregnant women should receive the shot. The vaccine is designed to protect against the main strains of flu that researchers predict will cause the most illness later this year.

 

For more information visit http://www.wnyimmediatecare.com/. 

Five Western New York Immediate Care centers join the highly select ranks of urgent care centers nationwide eligible to display the Gold Seal of Approval™

When patients, insurers, policy makers, regulators and medical professionals seek a comprehensive measure of a healthcare provider’s quality of care and safety for patients, there is only one “gold standard” they rely on: Accreditation from The Joint Commission. 

Today, we are pleased to announce that Western New York Immediate Care centers have joined the highly select ranks of urgent care providers nationwide that have received accreditation from The Joint Commission and are allowed to display its Gold Seal of Approval™.

Formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, The Joint Commission is regarded as the nation’s preeminent independent body for auditing and measuring quality in healthcare; its designation of accreditation is highly valued by hospitals, laboratories and clinics nationwide.

In addition, insurers and policy makers recognize Joint Commission accreditation when making decisions on licensing, certification and contracting.  For example, many states waive routine on-site surveys of a facility if it maintains its Joint Commission accreditation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognizes Joint Commission accreditation as a factor for participation in CMS reimbursement programs.

The Joint Commission’s Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program began in 1975. In 2008, they partnered with the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA) to provide industry-specific resources and standards for urgent care.

Of the more than 8,700 urgent care centers in the United States, only a select few are currently accredited by The Joint Commission.  Accreditation is totally voluntary and facilities pay a fee to cover the expenses of the surveys and on-site visits from The Joint Commission.

“Organizations that strive for accreditation in ambulatory care from The Joint Commission are demonstrating the highest commitment to quality and safety to their patients, staff and their community,” says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “I commend Western New York Immediate Care for successfully achieving this pinnacle and for its dedication to continually improving patient care.”

Western New York Immediate Care is managed by The Exigence Group of Amherst, New York, which also manages urgent care facilities in Rochester and in Austin, Texas.  The entire system of urgent care facilities received Joint Commission accreditation.

“With this Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™, we join an elite group of urgent care providers whose ability to deliver the highest level of patient care is formally recognized,” said Gregory F. Daniel, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, The Exigence Group. “We urge everyone—patients, insurers, regulators, policy makers and physicians—to consider this accreditation, and our commitment to the high quality of care it acknowledges, when making personal, patient-centered and policy decisions.”

Achieving Accreditation
Surveyors from The Joint Commission conducted both announced and unannounced visits to Western New York Immediate Care’s facilities as well as to Exigence corporate headquarters. The visits were made in November and December of 2011. Among the checklist of items they scrutinized and evaluated are:

• Environment of Care: Physical plant requirements, patient and employee safety, and cleanliness
• Emergency Management: Including mitigation efforts, assessment of preparedness, review of response to emergency and recovery after event
• Human Resources, Credentialing, Privileging: Consistency in the hiring and termination process, assuring that all providers are competent to perform their duties, review of corporate based training and orientation efforts, Quality Assurance plans, continuing education and ongoing training
• Infection Prevention and Control: Activities, education, training, and planning for risks of infections
• Leadership: Ensuring the organization holds to its published Mission, Vision and Values
• Medication Management: Pharmacy services planning, administration, monitoring and evaluation
• National Patient Safety Goals: Incorporation of NPSG into the regular practice
• Provision of Care: AIDET, assessment of patient, delivery of care, coordination of care and future treatment needs
• Record of Care: Private health information management, discharge summaries, imaging reports, etc.
• Waived Testing: Lab Controls, policies and procedures, training and education

Maintaining Accreditation
Accreditation from The Joint Commission is not permanent. To maintain accreditation, an ambulatory care organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team every three years. The objective of the survey is not only to evaluate the organization, but to provide education and guidance that will help staff continue to improve the organization’s performance. Surveys are conducted by professionals with at least five years of leadership experience in an ambulatory care organization, and a strong educational background. Ambulatory care surveyors have advanced medical or clinical degrees and receive continuing education to keep them up-to-date on advances in quality-related performance evaluation. The survey process focuses on evaluating actual care processes by tracing patients through the care, treatment and services they received. In addition to these patient “tracers,” surveyors conduct systems tracers to analyze key operational systems that directly impact the quality and safety of patient care. Surveyors use pre-survey information, from the Priority Focus Process, to conduct a more organization-specific and consistent survey.

About The Exigence Group
Headquartered in Amherst, New York, Exigence is a national healthcare management organization owned and managed by physicians. With clients throughout the United States, Exigence develops and manages Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist, Urgent Care, Occupational Medicine and Patient-Centered Medical Home programs. The Exigence Group manages over 600,000 patient visits annually, including 118,000 urgent care visits in 2011. In addition, Exigence provides consulting services in areas such as emergency department design, information technology infrastructure, electronic medical record systems, on-call panels and more. Learn more about The Exigence Group at www.theexigencegroup.com.

About The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve healthcare for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission also provides certification of more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and healthcare staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Of the more than 90,000 people treated at the four Western New York Immediate Care facilities in the Buffalo area during the past year, approximately 12,000 had a City of Buffalo address, suggesting many had to travel out of their residential areas for urgent medical care. 

This changes on Monday, December 12, 2011 with the opening of WNY Immediate Care – Buffalo, located at 2497 Delaware Ave. in North Buffalo, just the third urgent care service within city limits. However, unlike the others, it is a free-standing yet fully equipped facility whose sole purpose is urgent care.

Among the unique attributes of its Delaware staff are language capabilities in Spanish and Croatian, which will serve these area communities. The phone number is 716-874-2273; the web site is www.wnyimmediatecare.com

WNY Immediate Care - Buffalo is on the site of the former Gallagher Printing plant, which moved operations to its Clarence facility in the fall of 2010. The printing plant was demolished and a new, fully appointed Immediate Care facility has been constructed.  Incentives from the Erie County Industrial Development Authority helped bring the Immediate Care facility to Buffalo.

“We’re grateful to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and the Erie County Industrial Development Authority for helping us in the creation of this newest Immediate Care facility,” said Gregory Daniel, M.D., M.B.A., Chief Executive Officer of Exigence.  “It is our privilege to offer urgent care excellence to the many neighborhoods and communities in the North Buffalo area.” 

“We look to the hospital emergency departments to do what they do best– care for patients with serious injury and illness such as heart attack, stroke and major trauma,” adds Dr. Daniel. “We look to primary care physicians to do what they do best – maintain health and manage complex illness, and we look to urgent care centers to offer patients quick access for their immediate medical needs.”

The new facility is 7,400 sq. feet; it features 12 exam rooms and two procedure rooms and is equipped with digital X-ray, laboratory and other diagnostic capabilities.  Board-certified physicians assisted by nurses, physician assistants and lab technicians care for patients. 

Open from 9 am to 10 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 8 pm on weekends and with no appointment required, WNY Immediate Care - Buffalo offers access and speed when a personal physician is not available and a trip to the emergency department will likely disrupt an entire day or evening and cost patients and insurers an arm and a leg!  Most insurance plans are accepted and most patients are treated and released in about an hour.

Typical of the illness and injuries treated at WNY Immediate Care facilities are cuts and lacerations, animal and insect bites, sprains and fractures, eye injuries, minor burns, ear infections, cold and flu symptoms, pneumonia and bronchitis, urinary tract and other infections, abdominal and back pain. WNY Immediate Care also conducts school, employment and sports-related physical exams. 

In addition to the construction jobs it created and the expenditures during construction, WNY Immediate Care - Delaware created 18 full-time and 10 part-time jobs, contributing to the growth of the local economy and the vibrancy of its immediate area. 

Access and Capacity

The opening of another Immediate Care facility in the Buffalo area comes at a time when primary care physicians are under-numbered and over-burdened and hospital emergency departments are busier than ever.  The number of primary care physicians – internists, pediatricians and family practice physicians – is declining and shortages are projected both locally and nationwide. Appointments with primary care physicians are being scheduled several days or weeks in advance, and many PCP practices are closed to new patients. So, where does this leave patients with non-life threatening injuries or illness who need care right now?

Another factor affecting capacity is the push by insurers to minimize unnecessary visits to emergency rooms. A wide-reaching study of emergency room visits in upstate New York, published in May of 2009 by upstate New York insurer Lifetime Health/Excellus (Univera in Buffalo), finds close to 43% of ER patient visits could be cared for elsewhere, citing alternative settings such urgent care centers, and significant cost-savings since care in an emergency department is very expensive.

The Urgent Care Association of America charts growth from an estimated 8,100 urgent care facilities in 2007 to an estimated 8,700 today, and those figures include facilities in the Buffalo area. 

The Exigence Group

Headquartered in Amherst, New York, The Exigence Group (www.theexigencegroup.com) is national healthcare management organization owned and managed by physicians. With clients throughout the United States, Exigence develops and manages Emergency Medicine, Hospitalist, Urgent Care, Occupational Medicine and Patient Centered Medical Home programs. In addition, Exigence provides consulting services in areas such as emergency department design, information technology infrastructure, electronic medical record systems, on-call panels and more.

WNY Immediate Care - Buffalo is the company’s eighth urgent care facility; it now manages five Immediate Care facilities in the Buffalo area (Delaware Ave. and locations in Williamsville, Amherst, Orchard Park and Cheektowaga); one in Austin, Texas; and two in Rochester, NY (in Greece and in Webster). 

Western New York Immediate Care was recognized by City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown as one of the “key projects that add jobs to our city’s economy, strengthen our tax base and position us for greater economic development” in his 2011 State of the City Address. 

Mayor Brown said, “Western New York Immediate Care plans to demolish the Gallagher Printing building on Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo and replace it with an over $3 million state-of-the-art urgent care facility that will employ 28 people.  I would like to thank Dr. Gregory Daniel for his investment in Buffalo.”

Other corporations specifically cited include Galvstar Steel, Rich Products, TVGA Associates and First Niagara Bank.

Western New York Immediate Care announces the appointment of Site Administrator, Jacqueline DeCarlo for its Buffalo location that will open in the fourth quarter of 2011. DeCarlo is responsible for day-to-day operations, leadership of clinical and clerical staff in addition to patient satisfaction at the urgent care center.

Prior to joining Western New York Immediate Care, DeCarlo worked at Lockport Memorial Hospital for 29 years where she most recently served as the Day Charge Nurse. Previously, she was responsible for quality assurance, policy preparation and procedures and assuring clinical competencies as the Patient Care Coordinator in the Emergency Department. DeCarlo won the New York State Nurse of Distinction in 1994 and is a previous member of Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society for Nurses.

DeCarlo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from D'Youville College and is currently pursuing an MBA from Medaille College.