Health Care Delivery at GPPC: This isn’t your parents’ Buffalo anymore!

By Matthew Chandler

Travel through virtually any part of the Queen City and you’ll notice one thing — growth. And lots of it. From the incredible changes on the waterfront, to the rapid development along the business corridor, the Medical Campus and the city’s west side, Buffalo is undoubtedly back. Along with all of this growth has come an influx of new people — more employees, college students and residents are now part of the fabric of the city. One common ground they all share is the need for convenient, top quality health care services.

Dr. Richard Charles, chief medical officer at General Physician, P.C., is leading the charge to meet the needs of Buffalo’s growing and diverse population. “Our patients expect and deserve a more efficient, inclusive, and effective health care experience,” he says.

To meet that need, Dr. Charles has led the development and opening of a new medical office in the heart of the city. General Physician, P.C. Primary Care Buffalo, located at 1091 Main Street, will open on August 5. It is the culmination, Charles says, of a comprehensive initiative to improve patient care. “The rebirth of downtown Buffalo has led to a surge in millennials returning to the city to live and work,” he says. “Having centrally located, easily accessible healthcare in the city is critical to meeting the needs of this diverse and growing population base.”

Charles says this multi sub-specialty medical practice represents the new model of health care delivery. “People are busier than ever before, and they don’t have time to make two or three appointments for one issue,” he says. “By housing multiple sub-specialty areas under one roof we can, in many cases, eliminate the need for a second, separate appointment.”

One such example would be the need to have blood drawn following a visit to your primary care physician. It is a common request, and one that often goes unfulfilled by patients who simply don’t have the time. Dr. Maritza Baez is one of the primary care doctors at the new Buffalo office. She says her patients often return for their next appointment having not completed their lab work. “I can’t really treat them as well as I could have if I had their lab results back,” she says.

The new facility will include an on-site lab to draw blood at the same time a patient is seeing their primary care doctor. “The comfort level for the patient to have the lab right in the same building, not only makes it more convenient for the patient, but it helps me care for them better if I have the test results I need,” Baez says.

Along with the primary care providers and the blood lab, the office houses a wide-range of additional medical services. Charles says patients have on-site access to nutritional services, a clinical pharmacist, and behavioral health services. He expects that list to expand to include additional specialty services in the future.

“We see this office evolving into a multi sub-specialty regional care center that will serve as a model for the future of health care,” he says.

Dr. Richard Charles is Chief Medical Officer at General Physician, P.C. He specializes in internal medicine and is also a registered pharmacist. Dr. Charles is accepting new patients at his new office at 1091 Main Street, Suite 301, Buffalo 14209. Call 716-248-1420 and visit www.gppconline.com to learn more. 

Matt Chandler is a public relations specialist at General Physician, PC.