Blog Archives
It’s time to get back on schedule with childhood immunizations and preventive care for both children and adults
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LaSalle Medical Associates Nurse Elisabeth gives Eduaido Torres 13 a vaccination.
“Some people are still hesitant, but it’s time to get back to normal. Like any other transition, there’s still some uncertainty, but it’s time to get back to normal.”
(Redlands, Calif.) Patients and parents of patients should call their doctor as soon as possible to schedule appointments for childhood immunizations, school physicals and overdue adult exams, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of the Inland-Empire based healthcare provider.During the Covid-Pandemic shutdown, LaSalle advised people to stay home, and not come in for checkups, immunizations and other preventive care, Dr. Arteaga said. But with restrictions easing as vaccinations numbers increase, it’s time again for preventive care.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California will lift all restrictions June 15, prompting many school districts in the Inland Empire to prepare for in-person classes starting this fall.
“Schools will reopen, so kids will be required to have their immunizations, and that means getting them now,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Don’t wait until the day before school starts. Immunizations should be given now.”
LaSalle Medical Associates operates two clinics in San Bernardino and clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, and Victorville. Dr. Arteaga said appointments are available for preventive care.
It’s safer now for parents to bring their non-vaccinated children in to LaSalle clinics for immunizations and other treatments because LaSalle’s staff is all fully immunized against Covid, he said. Also, LaSalle doctors, nurses and staff members still observe all health-safety precautions by wearing face masks and face shields, washing and sanitizing hands and carefully cleaning the exam rooms and clinic facilities.
“I know that some people are still hesitant, but it’s time to get back to normal. Like any other transition, there’s still some uncertainty, but it’s time to get back to normal” Dr. Arteaga said.
“The pandemic has produced a long hiatus in preventive care, particularly for children, and we need to get caught up,” Arteaga said.
“Otherwise, what was a good idea in the wake of the pandemic is going to give rise to childhood diseases that would have been prevented by immunizations. And this isn’t a theoretical possibility. They will come back,” he said.
Dr. Arteaga is a nationally recognized expert on childhood immunizations. In 2012, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention selected him as California’s first “Childhood Immunization Champion.”
Aiden Cruz 4 receives a vaccination from LaSalle Medical Associates Nurse Megan
As national health experts study Covid vaccines for possible use in children, Dr. Arteaga said he is monitoring research reports to determine when it will be safe to immunize children against Covid.
“I believe Covid vaccinations will be approved for children over the coming months, and we will eventually have it for everybody,” he said.
“But in the meantime, we shouldn’t just wait around doing nothing,” Dr. Arteaga said. “We need to get the preventive care that we usually do, and we need to immunize our children against serious childhood diseases,” Dr. Arteaga said.
Adults also need to take care of themselves by scheduling overdue physicals and screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal disease and diabetes, he said. And they need to get vaccinated against Covid.
“Those who don’t, I assume we’ll see a rise in Covid infections with them,” Dr. Arteaga said. “That’s something that kind of goes with their choice.”
To schedule an appointment with LaSalle Medical Associates, call 1-855-349-6019.
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
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Don’t Stop NOW – We’re Almost Past This Deadly Crisis
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April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, recently at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“It’s not politics. It’s about keeping people alive and getting past the pandemic. We are almost there. When you protest everything, that doesn’t make you a patriot. It makes you a misfit.”
(Redlands, Calif.) Southern California is finally emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, but people must continue to follow health precautions until the threat is gone, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates.
That means washing your hands, following social-distancing guidelines, wearing masks indoors and also when you’re among large groups outdoors.
Also, get vaccinated and recognize that the pandemic is a health crisis, not a political issue, said Arteaga.
It’s all about attitude, he said.
“We do have a public health problem. No question,” he said. “There is a pandemic that can turn rather deadly, and the fact is that around a half million lives have been lost in the United States even though we’re the most advanced country in the world.”
Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, checks in for her COVID-19 vaccination appointment, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton will receive the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
That happened because one group of people made it a loyalty test problem, he said.
“If you’re loyal to this political party, you won’t wear masks. If you’re loyal, you will protest any business closures because that hurts the economy. Some people stopped thinking about the public good.
“Another way to look at it is, ‘Gosh, this is a pandemic. Let’s get together to do what it takes to lick this problem.’”
If people had that attitude, they would recognize that recent reports about vaccine side effects and problems were important to keep people informed, not as ammunition for political arguments.
“We needed a vaccine, and it was rushed because people were sick and dying,” he said. “So now, when we hear of problems with the vaccine, we must realize this is science. This is not a political belief. The alerts and warnings are important to inform the public, and we all need upgrade to our knowledge.
LaSalle Medical Associates operates two clinics in San Bernardino and clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, and Victorville.
Some of the clinics have been administering Covid-19 vaccines for several months, and Dr. Arteaga said they are safe and effective. He’s been vaccinated and encourages others to do the same.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Alicia Cazenave, of San Bernardino, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Cazenave received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
He applauded recent updates to CDC guidelines saying fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks at small family events, when gathering with other fully vaccinated people or in many outdoor situations.
“There is no contradiction, no deception with updating the guidelines,” he said. “It seems like masks, social distancing, and closures of businesses and schools have made a difference holding back the tide while the vaccine was put into production, and then we rushed to put it into people’s arms.
“And rushing the vaccine is same as rushing an ambulance through traffic to save lives. Don’t complain about the ambulance driving too fast or complain that pulling over for it infringes on your ability to drive fast on the same streets.”
It’s not politics. It’s about keeping people alive and getting past the pandemic, he said.
“We are almost there. When you protest everything, that doesn’t make you a patriot. It makes you a misfit,” he said.
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
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LaSalle Gives 220 Covid Shots to Local Black Residents
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Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, speaks with Baron Jordan, of San Bernardino, March 20,2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Jordan is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects. LMA is accepting appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine, please call 909-884-9091.
LaSalle Medical Associates was established in 1996 and is one of the largest Independent Practice Association groups in the San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partner LaSalle engaged with trusted community partners like churches… “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps” said Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
(Rialto, Calif.) Nurses from LaSalle Medical Associates vaccinated more than 220 people Saturday during a Rialto clinic designed to give the Black community better access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
LaSalle teamed up with San Bernardino’s New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and The Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches to put at a recent clinic, part of an innovative approach in which the church gathered a list of interested people, and LaSalle staff members contacted them to make appointments.
Alicia Cazenave of San Bernardino was happy that her church worked with LaSalle to bypass the bureaucratic roadblocks she experienced earlier when trying to make appointments for family members through government agencies.
She arrived early Saturday morning and was third in line to get her shot.
“I am relieved to be getting it,” said Cazenave, 59. “Having the church organize it helped as far as access. The church gave us better access.”
She was also happy to be getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is just one dose.
“The shot was good. No pain,” she said after being inoculated.
Dr Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, was thankful that LaSalle worked directly with the church to set up vaccination appointments.
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partners engaged with trusted community partners like churches, and I appreciate the respect for the church, knowing that we have influence in the community,” he said. “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps.
“And the one shot, that sold itself. I think a lot of people were waiting,” he said.
“Today we are giving Johnson’s vaccine. It’s just one shot and you’re done. We just got it last week,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, LaSalle’s president and founder. “It’s as effective as the others at preventing serious disease or death. That’s up to nearly 100 percent.”
During Saturday’s clinic, he stood outside, answering questions and sharing light-hearted banter with people waiting in line.
Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, speaks with Edward Hoffman III, of Redlands, March 20, 2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Hoffman is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects.
(Photo by Valda Wilson)
“After your shot, you may get a slight fever tonight. But don’t worry. It’s just a case of Saturday Night Fever,” he joked with one man.
Vicki Creighton, from Riverside, said she was eager to get vaccinated Saturday.
“I feel confident, and I feel it’s going to be great. My mom and dad are 88 and they had their shots,” she said.
Deborah Neal, from Lake Elsinore, said she learned of Saturday’s clinic when a friend shared a flier from New Hope.
“I sure am relieved, especially since it’s one shot,” she said.
Dr. Arteaga told her, “You notice that we are taking everyone who comes and not finding reasons to turn people away.”
The Rialto clinic, San Bernardino clinic on Mount Vernon Ave., and Hesperia clinic are certified vaccination centers. For more information on LaSalle Medical associates at http://www.lasallemedicalassociates.com
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
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How Doctors Protect Patients During the Covid Crisis
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“We are honored to have more Doctors to help serve the thousands of patients who have placed their trust in our network of primary physicians and healthcare professionals in California,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga founder and Chief Executive officer of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. Left to Right: Dr. Joseph V. Selvarj, Dr. Albert Arteaga, Dr. Cheryl Emoto, and Dr. Felix A. Albano.
How do you protect patients, doctors and patients in a pandemic and still deliver first rate medical care to thousands of patients?
(San Bernardino, Calif.)With Covid-19 cases again increasing in San Bernardino County and a possible second wave expected by winter, Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, has been working to ensure that his clinics are safe for patients, medical professionals and office staff.
“LaSalle is implementing the best patient solutions possible with direction from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines,” Dr. Arteaga said. “LaSalle is handling 600 to 700 phone consults per week, with video when possible.”
LaSalle’s new guidelines for patient care include:
- Checking the temperature of each doctor, nurse, patient and medical staff member before they enter the clinic.
- Keeping clinic staff to a minimum, reducing possible people who could bring in an infection.
- Removing any unnecessary furniture and equipment from patient exam rooms. The minimalist approach ensures rapid and thorough cleaning.
- Leaving exam rooms unused for 10 minutes after they are cleaned and disinfected. The disinfectant is effective in about one minute, but the added time provides an increased margin of protection.
- Sending prescriptions to the pharmacy electronically to reduce possible infection from paper prescriptions.
“We want to establish a new normal as close to the old normal as possible,” said Dr. Arteaga. “If we put everyone in a space suit that would work, but it’s not practical. We are minimizing risk to the providers and the patients.”
Dr. Arteaga is available for interviews and to answer any media questions about Covid-19.
The LaSalle medical clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino, 790 Foothill Blvd, in Rialto,14544 Seventh Street, in Victorville,and 16455 Main St. in Hesperia
For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407 or go online to www.lasallemedical.com.
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates is an Independent Practice Association (IPA) with 4 staff model clinics in San Bernardino county and a network of independently contracted providers in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare counties.
LaSalle Medical Associates employs over 100 individuals dedicated to providing excellent service to our members and average over 100,000 patient visits per year.
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Dr. Arteaga said seniors and others eligible for the vaccine per state and local guidelines should call LaSalle Medical Associates at 1-855-349-6019 and schedule an appointment to be vaccinated.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent.
(Redlands, Calif.) Inland Empire residents who receive both scheduled doses of the Covid-19 vaccine are so well-protected that their chances of becoming seriously ill from the virus are virtually zero two weeks after their second shot, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent, Dr. Arteaga explained Feb. 19.
And in the unlikely event that someone did come down with the illness two weeks after the second shot, it would be a much milder case, he said.
“About two weeks after your second shot, you are virtually assured that you won’t die from this scourge,” he said. “Getting the vaccine is something to be proud of, something to share with others.”
LaSalle Medical Associates operates clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, Victorville and two in San Bernardino. The clinics have been administering the Moderna vaccine for almost six weeks, and Arteaga said it’s highly effective based on what he’s seen.
He believes the other vaccines being used in the United States are probably just as effective.
Arteaga said that some critics may point to the six-percentage point difference between 94 percent and 100 percent to question the Moderna vaccine’s effectiveness, but the percentages are for the population at large.
“Six percent is a very low percentage,” he said, and some people may be at a higher level of protection than the general population.
Dr. Arteaga said seniors and others eligible for the vaccine per state and local guidelines should call LaSalle Medical Associates at 1-855-349-6019and schedule an appointment to be vaccinated.
“When we get the vaccine, we don’t hoard it. We give it out as quickly as we can,” he said.
The recent storms that hit parts of the United States have affected LaSalle to some degree, he said, but, at the worst, vaccinations would be briefly paused until new shipments are received, he said.
Dr. Arteaga said he has received both doses of vaccine himself, and he did not suffer any severe reactions.
“I had mild soreness in my arm after the first dose,” he said. “It’s the second dose that tends to give a little more of a reaction, and I did feel like a mild flu for about 24 hours after the second dose, but it quickly cleared up.
He said he believes it’s OK for people to take Tylenol if they suffer discomfort after their second dose.
“We have had vaccines for other illnesses forever, and we tell mothers, ‘Yes, give your child some Tylenol.’ There are no signs that it blunts the immune response. It’s a theoretical possibility, but it’s just theoretical. Go ahead and take your Tylenol.”
Dr. Arteaga is a nationally recognized expert on immunizations. In 2012, he was honored by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which selected him as California’s first “Childhood Immunization Champion.”
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
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LaSalle Medical Associates Welcomes Dr. Laura Holzum to Their Pediatric Staff
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(San Bernardino, CA) LaSalle Medical Associates is pleased to welcome Laura Holzum, MD to care for their growing number of pediatric patients. “Dr. Holzum brings a wonderfully unique way of comforting children in her care,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, LaSalle founder and president, “I’m confident each of our young patients and their families will find her outstanding care and delightful approach the ideal complement to our team of physicians.”
“I am continually inspired by the joyful nature and resilience of children and know how precious they are to their families,” exclained Dr. Holzum, “I feel honored to be a part of their lives and promise to always listen to all concerns and support them as they grow.”
She continued, “I chose to be a pediatrician because I enjoy making long lasting connections with the children and their families in my care. I love helping to keep children happy and healthy by working with families to create healthy habits from an early age, talking them through any illnesses or concerns, and providing them with the best care possible.”
Dr. Holzum was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri where she graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine in Kansas City. She completed her residency training at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. Dr. Holzum is certified by American Academy of Pediatrics.
Being a recent transfer to California, Dr. Holzum is excited to take advantage of the vastly improved climate and the great variety of things to do including exploring the beaches, hiking trails and going to concerts! She is also diligently working on improving her Spanish language skills and invites families to test her fluency during their visit!
For more information about LaSalle Medical Associates and their four neighborhood Medical Centers, call 909-890-0407 or visit LaSalleMedical.com
LaSalle Medical Associates is pleased to welcome Laura Holzum, MD to care for their growing number pediatric patients.
A recent transfer from St. Louis, she looks forward to discovering all California has to offer and invites her patients to test her Spanish language fluency on their office visits.
More About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc, recently celebrated three decades of growth operating four Neighborhood Medical Centers employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and they also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s Neighborhood Medical Centers are at: 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main Street in Hesperia and1505 West 17th Street and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc, is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality care to more than 245,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino and Tulare Counties. LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group, Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, Parkview Community Hospital.
LaSalle Medical Associates Serves More Than 245,000 Patients
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(San Bernardino, CA) LaSalle Medical Associates and HealthNet have forged an alliance that has brought more than 50,000 new patients to LaSalle’s Independent Practice Association (IPA).
These new patients use medical clinics, primarily in Tulare and Kings counties, that belong to the LaSalle IPA. This increase brings the total served and/or cared
for by LaSalle to more than 245,000 patients in the seven California counties it operates.
“Earning the trust of HealthNet is a testament to the hard work and professionalism of our dedicated team of experts and physicians,” stated Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, LaSalle founder and president, “I’m confident our success and reputation with providers such as Anthem Blue Cross over the years was instrumental in HealthNet selecting our IPA to service their 50,000 members in the Central Valley.”
“We’re confident HealthNet Physicians in Tulare and Kings counties will enjoy a smooth transition and the convenience of one resource for all patient eligibility, authorizations, referrals, audits and billing processing,” Arteaga continued, “We look forward to providing the same great level of support and care that earned us this contract and in so doing, enable network physicians and their staffs’ to provide even greater attention to their patients’ health care needs.”
LaSalle Medical Associates has also been caring for more than 28,000 patients in their four award-winning Neighborhood Medical Centers located in San Bernardino County since 1986.
“Operating our own clinics for so many years has uniquely positioned us front and center to the multitude of challenges medical practices face every day, and why our IPA has earned its outstanding reputation of providing solutions and results for our IPA clients,” explained Carl Maier, Executive Vice President of Operations.
For providers interested in transitioning their own patients to LaSalle Medical Associates IPA, contact Victor Madero at 909-890-0407, or visit LaSalleMedical.com
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults, and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and they also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia and1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality care to more than 245,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare Counties. LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group, Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, Parkview Community Hospital.
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LaSalle Medical Streamlines Healthcare Delivery With Electronic Medical Records
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Patient Malaika Jacocks looks on as Dr. Romeo Rodriquez enters important information in LaSalle Medical Associates’ Electronic Medical Records system.
(SAN BERNARDINO, California) LaSalle Medical Associates is now providing its patients a more streamlined health care delivery experience by upgrading to, electronic health records All four of its clinics in San Bernardino and its corporate office have recently transformed their method of managing, securing and sharing patient information between its team of dedicated physicians.
“Our patients are our priority and by investing in this technology it will allow us to spend more time focusing on their needs rather than managing inefficient paper processes, “said CEO Dr. Albert Arteaga.
“Electronic health records provide faster access to patient information which can result in better health care especially when patients move between office locations Dr. Arteaga said. “This new system will provide our patients with greater flexibility and is a more secure way to manage and store confidential information.”
Sharing information, writing prescriptions and fostering better communications between labs and medical staff are just a few of the ways we can increase the efficiency of care,” said Carl Maier, vice president of operations for LaSalle Medical Associates.
Using an Electronic Health Records, doctors can now send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy during an office visit so a prescription arrives at the pharmacy well before a patient does. Doctors can send lab orders to a medical lab, while lab technicians can send results back to the doctor quickly and securely.
“It’s all about reducing time spent on administrative tasks so we can focus on caring for our patients,” said Maier.
Although these advantages improve patient care, LaSalle Medical Associates had one more crucial reason to make the switch to electronic records this year, Maier said.
“The federal government, through the Affordable Care Act, is also driving this change,” Maier said. “The Act requires health care providers to electronically report certain information and outcomes to the government.”
It was for this compelling reason that LaSalle Medical Associates decided it had to make the switch to electronic records this year, Maier said. Since it required months of preparation, it wasn’t a decision made lightly.
“This conversion was a Herculean task, involving every aspect of the LaSalle Medical Associates organization,” he said. “We had to retrofit all of our exam rooms at each clinic to accommodate keyboards and terminals, update our infrastructure to support 200 new computers and train all of our employees in this new way of record-keeping.”
For instance, Maier said, doctors were used to starting their day by reviewing a stack of paper medical records for the patients they would see that day. Now, they must look at their email accounts to know which patients they are seeing, and to access these patient records.
To help with the conversion, LaSalle Medical Associates worked with Physicians Trust, a southern California company that specializes in helping medical practices convert to electronic medical records. It oversaw a technology upgrade that included far more than converting to electronic records.
“To realize all of the benefits of electronic medical records, LaSalle Medical Associates had to consider many aspects of technology,” said Stephen Rhodes, president of Physicians Trust. “The work included upgrades to hardware, software and computer connections. We also had to train the entire staff in the use of this new technology.”
“LaSalle Medical Associates is a multi-location health care provider, and with little time for interruptions,” Rhodes said. “This required us to design a unique approach to installing their technology upgrade and training employees.. Since the team at LaSalle is dedicated to patient care, they worked closely with our technology trainers to make sure implementation of this system was seamless and demonstrated immediate results.”
For more information on LaSalle Medical Associates call 909-890-0407.
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults, and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and they also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia and 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality care to more than 245,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare Counties.
LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group, Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, Parkview Community Hospital.
LaSalle Medical Associates Three Decades of Making People Healthier
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- LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc Celebrates 30 years of medical service with the corporate management team. Left to right: Anna Canton, Human Resource Manager; Kristina Hlebo, Finance Assistant,;Carl Meier, executive vice president; Dr. Albert Arteaga CEO; Alexandra Acosta, Director of Finance and Lizette Noriega, Human Resource Assistant.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) In June of 1984, a young doctor and his wife, a nurse, opened a family medical practice called LaSalle Medical Associates in Fontana. Their goal: provide affordable health care, with dignity and respect, to all in the Inland Empire.
Three decades later, Dr. Albert and Maria Arteaga have gone far beyond making their goal a reality. They are now recognized as one of the leading health care providers in the Inland Empire, if not all of California.
“We have had some markers of success,” Dr. Arteaga says. “We went from two employees – my wife and I – to a fully staffed clinic. We opened more clinics. Then we started our own IPA (independent practice association) to keep up with new demands to make health care more and more efficient.”
“It has always been our goal to treat as many patients as we could while giving them the best health care possible,” he said.
Some, who have recognized LaSalle Medical Associates as a leader in health care, by giving them awards for their endeavors, include:
- The federal Center for Disease Control, which recognized Dr. Arteaga as California’s first Childhood Immunization Champion. This award recognized his efforts in educating the parents of LaSalle’s pediatric patients, and the greater Inland Empire community, of the importance of childhood immunizations
- The California Medical Association, which recognized Dr. Arteaga with its Ethnic Physician’s Leadership Award, recognizing his contributions to improving health care in the Latino community
- The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Resolution Award for outstanding community efforts
- The San Bernardino County Medical Society’s Merlin Hendrickson, M.D. Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Dr. Arteaga was recognized for his efforts to provide health services to Inland Empire children.
- Maria and Dr. Albert Arteaga. The California Medical Association awarded Abert Arteaga the “Ethnic Physician’s Leadership Award,” recognizing his contributions to medical care in the Latino community.
- Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), as Riverside and San Bernardino counties’ best health care provider, and for being one of the top enrollers in all of California in the state’s former Healthy Families program
- The African American Health Initiative as a model provider in a two-year study of Black health care in San Bernardino County.
- Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine, which recognized LaSalle Medical Associates as one of the top 15 Latino-owned businesses in the Inland Empire
Despite all this success, it hasn’t always been an easy path for the Arteagas.
“Life doesn’t always play out as you expect,” Dr. Arteaga said. “That is certainly true in my life as a health care provider. Good intentions require good management. Providing good management has been every bit as challenging as my years in medical school were more than three decades ago!”
One of the biggest changes in health care took place just this year. In 2014, Covered California part of the federal Affordable Health Care Act – which Dr. Arteaga has long been a champion of – came into being.
“Although Covered California does not yet mean everyone has insurance, it does mean that many patients who couldn’t afford health care before now can do so,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Health care is no longer an out-of-reach luxury for those who couldn’t afford insurance, but is a basic right for everyone
Dr. Arteaga has always thought that health care is a basic right, and has operated LaSalle Medical Associates as if that were the case.
Dr. Arteaga targeted his marketing to Latinos and low-income people who were underserved. Providing high quality medical services to underserved populations were crucial to the success of LaSalle Medical Associates. They later expanded from Fontana to San Bernardino and Hesperia. These communities have many low-income people in need of quality affordable medical services.
He also is Latino, so he easily related to his Latino patients in ways they appreciated. They told friends and family about LaSalle Medical Associates, which caused his popularity in the Inland Empire’s Latino culture to swell.
- RN Maria and Dr. Albert Arteaga partners in healthcare and family Celebrate 30 years of Making People Healthier in California.
Dr. Arteaga has always believed that his key to business success was finding a way to get paid for their services, instead of telling patients they had to figure that out on their own before seeing him. For most of LaSalle’s history, that business model meant LaSalle employees educated patients about their health care insurance options.
Most patients LaSalle saw over the years qualified for either Medi-Cal or Healthy Families. The latter, which like Medi-Cal was run by the state of California, offered low to moderate-income parents who didn’t qualify for Medi-Cal a subsidy for the health care of their children from birth to age 19.
- Many uninsured families with children under 19 can get help through the Healthy Families program; help is also available to some children and adults through Medi-Cal. For those who don’t qualify for these programs, the Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 provides additional options. Photo by: Albert Ateaga
Things have changed in the last two years. In 2013, California got a head start on the Affordable Care Act; they created Covered California and merged Healthy Families and Medi-Cal together.
In 2014, one of the key Covered California’s requirements is everyone must have health insurance or pay a penalty. This means, many patients applied and signed up for Covered California, Medi-Cal or other insurance first, and then choose or are assigned to LaSalle Medical Associates.
Consequently, rather than informing new patients of their insurance options, LaSalle Medical Associates employees now more likely are helping the patients understand how their health insurance system works.
Dr. Arteaga acknowledges the Covered California has brought changes some people will take a while to get accustomed to. One of these is a concept called managed care.
“The structure of the Covered California means many people, both those who had some other type of insurance and those who were uninsured, are now in managed care for the first time,” he said.
Managed care is called this because it requires a doctor, such as one of the physicians in LaSalle Medical Associates, to coordinate patients’ health care services. These primary care doctors have a general, family or pediatric practice, and will treat patients for many of their symptoms, but will refer the patients to specialists when more expertise is needed.
Managed care has been around since the 1990s, Dr. Arteaga said, but it has become more popular. It’s usually more cost-efficient to have managed care, he explained, people choose to buy managed care for its lower premiums.
Medi-Cal has used managed care for nearly two decades. Meanwhile, LaSalle Medical Associates, since the beginning, has accepted Medi-Cal when many doctors would not, and now has a reputation among those familiar with Medi-Cal for providing quality services, no matter how payment is provided.
Even though there wasn’t “managed care,” as it now known when Dr. Arteaga started his practice, even back then he was in favor of patients developing close relationships with one family doctor.
“Thirty years ago I wanted to see all the patients, and manage their health care. That has not changed, but I have learned that in order to do so, a physician must take a leadership role. Otherwise, many patients will seek or demand services that are redundant or not needed.”
Dr. Arteaga sees the physician as an advocate for the patient, one who will make sure patients get the services they truly need. Sometimes, just as some patients will push for more health care than is necessary, some insurance companies will resist paying for what a doctor recommends, but that is not the intent of managed care.
“I want the patient, the doctor and the insurance company to develop a positive team, Dr. Arteaga said. “There may be opposition, but that should not stop any of us in trying to make quality health care succeed.”
Besides managed care and its great expansion through the Affordable Care Act, another large change in the health care industry over the last three decades has been more careful monitoring of expenses by insurance companies.
Now, it is better for a medical group like LaSalle Medical Associates to band with even more doctors, so they can take advantage of economies of scale, and provide health care more cost-efficiently.
This is why LaSalle Medical Associates formed an Independent Practice Association (IPA) in 1995, and has grown it to the point it now serves more than 600 medical clinics serving more than 170,000 patients each year in nine California counties.
LaSalle oversees administrative functions of all these medical clinics, although they are owned and manage their patients’ health care separately.
Another move to make health care more efficient, in many ways, is one that LaSalle Medical Associates only recently transitioned to. It now is keeping track of patients’ charts with electronic medical records, ridding itself of the wall full of patients’ medical records that once were a hallmark of many medical clinics.
“Electronic medical records make it easier to share patients’ records among a team of doctors who treat one patient, which results in better health care” Dr. Arteaga said. “It is also easier to keep patients’ records confidential this way.”
One other significant change over the last 30 years has been that most patients are more involved in their health care now than they were in 1984.
“They ask more questions now. Because of the Internet, and because people talk more about health care with their friends, patients now have more information. Not all of the information out there is correct, so this means a doctor helps the patient sort the good from the bad, and develop a treatment plan that works. This is another reason why the managed care approach is necessary.”
- “As pediatricians, we strive for 100 percent immunizations of pediatric patients and, while that’s probably a utopian objective, our goal is to get as close as to that 100 percent as we can,’’ says Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. . “This CDC recognition is the fruit of two to three years of intense labor on part of me and staff.”
One thing Dr. Arteaga has learned during his three decades of medical practice is that change can be good. In fact, one thing he loves about being the CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates is that he gets to lead other health care professionals through the changes their industry faces.
“I love being collegial, and helping other doctors learn,” he said. “When they resist change, it is going to be more difficult for them. They should not expect to practice medicine as it was done 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago.”
- On the first day, owner Dr. Albert Arteaga and his wife Maria then employed as his nurse and still his chief assistant saw two patients at their clinic in Fontana. Today, LaSalle Medical Associates has grown to four clinics and 120 employees, and an Independent Practice Association (IPA) serving more than 1,900 doctors.
In the end is true LaSalle Medical Associates has spent Three Decades Making People Healthier.
For more information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407 or go on line to LaSalleMedical.com.
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults, and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and they also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia and 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality care to more than 245,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare Counties.
LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group, Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, Parkview Community Hospital.
Hispanic Lifestyle Names LaSalle Medical Associates as Hispanic Company That Has “Survived and Thrived” During the Economic downturn
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Dr. Albert Arteaga, and wife Maria, receiving an award from the San Bernardino County Medical Society for outstanding contributions to the community. photo by Carl Dameron
(Ontario, CA) Hispanic Lifestyle recently named LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. as a leading Latino Owned Business that has survived and thrived during the economic downturn.
“Hispanic Lifestyle is pleased to recognize LaSalle Medical Associates as a business that not only survived the economic downturn but thrived,” said Richard Sandoval, president of Hispanic Lifestyle.
“We are seeing the results of seven years of hard work coming to fruition,’’ says LaSalle founder and President Dr. Albert Arteaga, on his honor from Hispanic Lifestyle. “To me, as a Hispanic, this is like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. On an emotional level, it’s like winning the battle of Cinco de Mayo, Bunker Hill and the World Cup at the last minute.”
Since 2007, LaSalle has expanded its Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to more than 170,000 residents of Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare Counties.
LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group,
Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group, Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redlands Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, and Parkview Community Hospital.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., owns four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating about 40,000 children, adults, and seniors in San Bernardino County.
LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and the insurance companies participating in Covered California, which is a program offering a state subsidy to middle class families for the health care coverage required by the Affordable Care Act. LaSalle also accepts private insurance policies offered by IEHP, Molina, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Care 1st, and Health Net and Medicare by Easy Choice Health Plan, Molina and Care1st Health Plans.
Find a LaSalle clinic in Fontana at 17577 Arrow Blvd., in Hesperia at16455 Main St. and in San Bernardino at 1505 West 17th St. or 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave.
Dr. Albert Arteaga and wife Maria will be recognized for their achievements as part of
Hispanic Lifestyle’s Business Expo and Conference luncheon on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at the Ontario Airport Hotel in Ontario, California at 11:30 am. The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The all day conference and expo features presentations by Latino/Latinas Executives of Influence, a panel discussion on business matchmaking. The conference will be captured for distribution for Southern California PBS television stations and the Hispanic Network website.
“The awardees were compiled from audience nominations and business profiles that have been featured on Hispanic Lifestyle,” said Richard Sandoval, producer of Hispanic Lifestyle.
For more information call (951) 940-9099, email events@HispanicLifestyle.com or go online at http://www.hispaniclifestyle.com
For more information on LaSalle Medical Associates call (909) 890-0407.
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates four clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults, and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and they also accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle’s clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia and 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality care to more than 245,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare Counties.
LaSalle’s IPA members in the Inland Empire include: LaSalle Medical Associates, Arrowhead Orthopedics, Arther Medical Group, Rancho Medical Group, Rancho Paseo Medical Group, Alessandro Medical Group Banning Medical Group, and San Bernardino Urological Associates. Hospital affiliations include: Rancho Springs Medical Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernadine Medical Center, Mountains Community Hospital, Redland Community Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Medical Center, Parkview Community Hospital.