By Alexander Germanis
It seems that with every innovation meant to make life easier there is a reciprocal move to complicate some other aspect of living. For instance, being able to pay bills online can simplify the monthly process, but with that convenience comes the cost of internet usage and the ever-present threat of data breaches.
Healthcare has certainly also had more than its share of such ebb and flow. With the expansion of specialized medicine, a patient can see and receive care from a physician who underwent sometimes several years of extra training in order to apply the best knowledge and skill to tackle the problems associated with that specific malady.
Of course, with specialization comes a litany of inconveniences, not least of which is the slow decline of the primary care physician. In central Peoria alone only one in five people now have a primary care doctor.
Worse still, in order to get a thorough check-up, one needs to travel all over town, visiting potentially a half dozen different physicians. This can be, especially for seniors and lower income citizens, a logistical nightmare.
At Solvera Health, however, their purpose is to provide primary care under one roof and bring convenience back to healthcare.
Comprehensive Care
Conveniently located with easy access parking in the heart of Peoria at the intersection of University Street and War Memorial Drive, Solvera Health always keeps the comfort and ease of their patients in mind.
Further proof of this is evinced through Solvera’s mission to bring comprehensive care to the seniors and families in the region. Solvera partner Phi Caplis explains how: “Our practitioners can provide most of your medical needs right here in one location. This makes it very easy and convenient for the patient when making a decision on where to receive medical care. Solvera has extensive on-site services, including our own lab, x-ray, hearing exams and hearing aids, physical therapy, and a fully licensed pharmacy! All these services allow for faster medical evaluation and decision making.”
In order to provide these services, Solvera is equipped with the most modern tools in diagnostics. In addition to the on-site laboratory and X-ray, Solvera also has a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scanner, which can provide patients with in-depth information about their bone density, among other things.
If a patient still needs to consult a specialist, there’s still no need to travel elsewhere. Each room at Solvera is equipped with a 55-inch TV monitor, allowing for immediate, telemedicine consults with specialists.
“Having all these tools available under one roof allows our clinicians to work as a comprehensive team to effectively treat our patients in a swift and complete manner,” Phil says. “We also offer transportation to and from your appointment and can deliver medications straight to your door with our wheel-chair accessible Solvera Health transport van.”
Three Partners in Healthcare
The two pillars upon which the Solvera concept is built also comprise two of the three partners in healthcare: the primary care physician and the pharmacist.
With Americans consuming 4.4 billion prescriptions annually, there includes a certain degree of risk, which is why the pharmacist is a direct partner on the medical care team. “Nowhere else in Peoria can a patient receive the direct collaboration between the provider and the pharmacist that we offer,” Phil declares. “We feel this is particularly important to senior care and the polypharmacy patient (individuals with five or more medications). With more prescriptions, there is greater risk for adverse drug reactions. Having direct access to the pharmacist, our providers can make more informed decisions about drug combinations for the benefit of the patient.”
Of course, the primary care doctor and the pharmacist are only two partners; the third is just as essential. “The patient is the most important member of their own care team,” Phil says. “Whether you are at Solvera to see your doctor, get an X-ray, or work with the physical therapist, you will see familiar faces and hopefully develop a personal relationship with the team.”
In a Word
As depersonalized as healthcare has become in recent years, it’s easy to forget the word hospital shares its origins with the word hospitality. At Solvera, they believe the two words should always be linked as they actively strive to bring hospitality to healthcare.
Hospitality is perhaps never more essential than when needing help with one’s health. Our own health is, after all, as personal as anything can get. A patient’s journey can be an emotionally trying time of extreme vulnerability, so Solvera focuses on three key aspects of hospitality: respect, empathy, and gratitude. This trio of values is evident from the second a patient walks through the front door.
“From that moment you will feel the gratitude we have toward each one of our patrons,” Phil promises. “You will be met by our greeter, who is focused directly on welcoming you to our place of care. As you move through our facility—a care team member with you each step of the process—you will notice an easy, open design flow that is set up with the patient in mind. We want our patients to know how grateful we are they chose us to attend to their medical needs.”
In order to emphasize the value of empathy, each healthcare provider on the team was specially selected to exemplify the collaborative connection central to the Solvera/patient relationship.
“Finally, our goal is to create a personal connection between the provider and patient, with our team members being respectful of each person as an individual,” Phil assures. “Our providers are here to listen to their concerns and give them a voice in their medical care.”
Supporting Medicare Patients in More Communities
From pediatrics to senior care, regardless of the ability to pay, Solvera treats all members of the community. But Medicare patients often face challenges others do not, and for them, Solvera is particularly well-equipped.
As many seniors find it difficult to get around or require a loved one to accompany them to their appointments, the fact Solvera is a home to comprehensive care is of notable worth. “We also understand fully the aspects of Medicare that contribute to better overall health and are ready to engage our patients in that process,” Phil says.
“We perform Annual Wellness Visits with every Medicare patient, encouraging preventative care,” he continues. “We specialize in chronic care management and have a unique team of Care Coaches who will maintain the communication between the providers and patients on an ongoing basis. We also include remote patient monitoring for chronic conditions such as diabetes care. All these services are designed to support each patient in their individual healthcare journey.”
Accessibility to Solvera’s hospitality is also expanding. Now, the Peoria location on University Street will be the flagship facility, as Solvera is proud to add the practice of Dr. Elbert A. Fasnacht, II of Carbondale, Illinois as the first expansion location for Solvera Health. “Dr. Fasnacht has been a key member of the Carbondale medical community as a primary care provider for 30 years,” shares Phil. “We have already reached out to many current patients to introduce Solvera and the services now available since he has joined our team. In the upcoming weeks, Solvera is hosting informational Q&A dinners at the Golden Corral in Carbondale to share future plans for building a comprehensive care clinic within their community.”
One Last Word
Just as hospitality is a word that has deep connotations in healthcare, Solvera Health hopes its patients will notice the deeper meaning of their own name. The name Solvera is derived from the Latin word solvere. It is from this word we now derive the words solution and answer.
It is true that at times the search for great healthcare can seem like a problem without a viable solution. But at Solvera Health, the home to comprehensive care, they strive to be your answer.
Conveniently located at 3525 North University Street in Peoria, Solvera Health is open from 8:30-5:00, Monday through Friday. If you wish to bring primary care back into your life, please call us at (309) 476-5837 or visit us on the web at www.solverahealth.com.