We Take our Patients However they Come, Late or on Time

Healthcare treatment to minorities in San Bernardino County, the African American Health Initiative low-income residents of San Bernardino County found one solution -- LaSalle Medical Association - Model provider

San Bernardino, CA (PRWEB) June 14, 2005 -- We are open when our patients need to see us, early, late and on weekends. We must take our patients however they come, late, without an appointment or with two or three children when they made an appointment for one, and of course quality care is a standard I demand."

While many look for the solution to deliver quality and equal healthcare treatment to minorities in San Bernardino County, the African American Health Initiative and 60,000 low-income residents of San Bernardino County have already found one solution-- LaSalle Medical Association.

The African American Health Initiative has selected Dr. Albert Arteaga, founder and owner of La Salle Medical Associates as a model provider. Dr. Arteagas recipe for success is Availability, Availability, Availability."

According to Dr. Arteaga, We must be open when our patients need to see us, early, late and on weekends. We must take our patients however they come, late, without an appointment or with two or three children when they made an appointment for one, and of course quality care is a given."

La Salle Medical Associates has five clinics in San Bernardino County two in San Bernardino, in Hesperia, Lake Ellsinore and in Fontana most with extended hours.
The Mt. Vernon office in San Bernardino in open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday for more information call (909) 884-9091.

The 17th Street office in San Bernardino is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday and from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information call (909) 887-6494

The Fontana is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday and from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information call (909) 823-4454,

The Hesperia office is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday and Thursday from 8;00 am to 7:00 pm and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday. For more information call (760) 947-2161,

The Lake Ellsinore office is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday for more information call (909) 674-5686. La Salles headquarters is in San Bernardino and can be reached at (909) 890-0407.

The parents of so many of our patients work so we have to open when they are available to bring their children," said Arteaga.

When I started my practice 20 years ago other doctors told me I had to train my patients to show up on time by making them reschedule if they were late and dont take walk-ins," said Arteaga.

But I figured that the only person I was punishing was the sick child, so I didnt do that. I took all patients no matter how they came; now I have five clinics and last year we had over 110,000 patient visits," said Arteaga.

And you know, patients may be late at first but after a while they come on time. They make appointments and they bring in their shot records and any medicines received while away and become model patients. They do this because we were patient with them and we treated them with respect," said Arteaga.
Another myth in healthcare is that you cant make money seeing Medi-Cal or poor patients. Dr. Arteaga dispels that fairy tale as virtually all of his patients are low income.

When you factor in the reimbursement period for traditional insurance, I make almost as much money from a Medi-Cal patients as from any other insurance," said Dr. Arteaga.

Another way Dr. Arteaga profits is to help patients who dont have health insurance find and enroll in the program that fits their needs. His efforts pay off for his patients and his practice.

Dr Arteaga is the largest enroller of the Healthy Families program in the State of California. He has enrolled over 20,000 children in the state and federally sponsored health insurance program for low to moderate-income families.

The La Salle staff is trained to enroll uninsured patients into one of the many government-sponsored programs available. If patients do not qualify for any insurance programs, instead of billing a large fee, then sending the patient to collections and eventually writing it off when they dont pay, La Salle charges the patient $15 dollars. The way I look at it, that is $15 dollars I would not have had," said Arteaga.

As the son of an Adventist minister Dr. Arteaga is dedicated to deliver the best healthcare possible for his patients. He also demands his staff from the receptionist to the doctors treat people with the dignity, compassion and respect we al deserve.

La Salle Medical Associates has created a system that delivers quality healthcare for Latinos, Blacks, Whites and Asians. We are dedicated to deliver quality healthcare to San Bernardino County residents regardless of ethnicity or income," said Arteaga.

# # #