Updated Cancellation Policy

Failure to show up for an appointment or cancelling without proper notice will deprive or delay care for another patient. Therefore, effective November 1st, cancelling an appointment with less than 24 hours notice may result in a $25 charge.

We are pleased to announce the activation of the “TMG Patient Portal”.

Through the Patient Portal you will be able to access secure online services. These services will allow us to electronically correspond with each other, keep your information up to date, and give you access to the practice at times convenient for you from the comfort of your home. Once you sign up you will be able to:

• Request a summary of your last appointment
• Request an appointment
• Advance check-in for your next appointment
• Access a summary of your medical record
• Request prescription refills
• Request a referral
• Send a message to your doctor (non-urgent)
• Update your demographic and insurance information

You can use your Portal whenever it is convenient; day or night.

The only limitation is the Portal should not be used for urgent medical problems or requests that require a response in less than 24 hours or over a weekend.

For information on how to access the Patient Portal go to www.themedicalgroup.net and login. On the “What do you want to do?” page click on Comments-General and complete the short form. In the comment box please type in, “Requesting a PIN”. Shortly after receipt and verification of your request you will receive a call with your PIN.

The Medical Group

Dr. Yang - new primary care physician at The Medical Group

Wei Yang, M.D. completed her Internal Medicine residency at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston.

She will begin practicing at the Medical Group on July 18, 2011.

Dr. Yang will be accepting both current TMG patients and also patients that are new to the practice.

Important Information Regarding your Physical Exam/Annual Wellness Visit

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please call and cancel as far in advance as possible. If you are late we will attempt to work you in. However, this may not be possible and you will be given the next available appointment or asked to reschedule your appointment for another day.

Insurance coverage benefits change from year to year and within each plan. Currently, Physical Exams or Annual Wellness Visits do NOT require payment of a copay and do NOT generate patient balances due to deductibles for most insurance plans. However, if you are addressing additional medical concerns during your Wellness Care visit, a copay or balances due to deductibles may result.

Covered Elements of Wellness appointments include:

• Review of your medical history
• Physical examination and vital signs
• Vaccination history review
• Recommendations of age appropriate screenings, such as colonoscopies and mammograms
• Ordering of routine lab work, such as cholesterol testing
• Review of disease prevention

Significant new symptoms or changes in a chronic illness may be addressed during your appointment, but may, in fact, generate a copay or deductible. You should review this further with your insurance plan if you have questions about your coverage.

Extended Phone Hours

For the convenience of our patients we have extended the hours that our operators are available. Although the office is not open until 7:30am our operators are here answering your calls beginning at 7am. Simply call the main number, 978-927-4110, and choose Option 1 between the hours of 7am and 8am Monday thru Friday. The operator will be happy to assist you in scheduling or canceling an appointment, taking your referral information, requests for medication refills or by sending a message to the doctor.

Dr. Sfeir—new physician at The Medical Group

She will practice as a nephrologist.

Cynthia P. Sfeir, M.D. completed her Internal Medicine residency at the St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston and subsequently did her nephrology fellowship at Tuft Medical Center in Boston.

DIABETES EDUCATION PROGRAM MERITS ADA RECOGNITION

The Medical Group is pleased to announce that we have been awarded continued Recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Our program, originally recognized in August of 2004, offers high-quality education services to our patients with diabetes.

The ADA Education Recognition assures that approved education programs have met the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. The recognition evidences that we have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide state-of-the-art information about diabetes management for program participants.

Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. One consequence of compliance with the National Standards is the greater consistency in the quality and quantity of education offered to people with diabetes. Participants in an ADA Recognized program are taught relevant self-care skills that will promote better management of his or her diabetes treatment regimen. All approved education programs include the following topics: diabetes disease process; nutritional management; physical activity; medication; monitoring; preventing, detecting, and treating acute and chronic complications through risk reduction; goal setting and problem solving, and psychological adjustment.

Assuring high quality education for patient self-care is one of the primary goals of the Education Recognition program. Through the support of the health care team and increased knowledge and awareness of diabetes, patients can assume a major part of the responsibility for their diabetes management. Unnecessary hospital admissions and some of the acute and chronic complications of diabetes may be prevented through self-management education.

Judy Consolante, diabetes education program coordinator at The Medical Group, commented that ADA Recognition helps patients identify quality programs."

For more information, contact Judy Consolante by phone at 978-232-7179 or email her at jconsola@themedicalgroup.net.

Interventional Cardiologist-Dr. Sheikh-joins The Medical Group

The Medical Group is pleased to announce that Dr. Mobeen Sheikh, an experienced cardiologist, has recently joined our cardiology team. He broadens the cardio/vascular capabilities of our practice.

Mobeen A. Sheikh, MD- Interventional Cardiologist Specializes in evaluating and caring for patients with conditions affecting the heart and circulatory system.

He completed his medical residency at the University of Connecticut and did subsequent subspecialty training in Cardiology and Vascular Medicine at the Medical University of Ohio and Cleveland Clinic respectively. Dr. Sheikh was on the staff at the Cleveland Clinic in the section of Vascular Medicine before embarking upon further training in Cardiac and Peripheral Vascular Interventions at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Dr. Sheikh joined the staff of The Medical Group in 2009 and has been responsible for establishing an evaluation and management program to treat patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD:circulatory system), as well as offering patients the alternative of minimally invasive treatment (angioplasty/stenting) for blockages in the coronary (heart blood vessels) and (peripheral) vessels of the circulatory system.

Dr. Sheikh has authored several articles in leading peer-reviewed journals as well as contributed chapters to leading medical text books. He holds Board certification in the following specialties:

• Internal Medicine
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Interventional Cardiology
• Nuclear Cardiology
• Vascular Medicine; and
• Endovascular interventions

SELF ASSESSMENT FOR INFLUENZA-LIKE SYMPTOMNS

Typical flu symptoms include:

• Fever of over 99 degrees
• Muscle aches
• Cough
• Headache
• Eye pain
• Feeling very cold or having chills
• Feeling very tired
• Sore throat, runny or stuffy nose
• Vomiting or diarrhea

BUT if you:	OR if you:
Are unable to drink enough fluids (urine becomes dark; you may feel dizzy when standing) Have fever for more than 3-5 days Feel better, then develop a fever again Develop a productive cough with green or yellow mucous	Become short of breath or you develop wheezing Cough up blood Have chest pain when breathing Have heart disease (such as angina or congestive heart failure) and you develop chest pain Can't walk, sit up, or function normally

Related Links: CDC H1N1 information

TRAVEL CLINIC

The Medical Group is pleased to announce a new clinical service to assist patients. Click here for more information.