Wednesday, May 2, 2007
By Mary Ellen Godin, staff

WALLINGFORD - Just more than a year ago, the Physicians Walk In Center faced certain closure and the community a shortage in primary care providers.

But MidState Medical Center stepped in when asked by the 21-doctor group of former owners to take over the small operation.

It revamped the Church Street office - renamed it the MidState Medical Group Walk In Center, added another doctor, bringing the number to three, and will soon be adding acupuncture, said Greg Folta, director of ambulatory care and physician practice development.

“It provides a primary care service to the Wallingford community, which at this point is kind of lacking,” Folta said. “There are a number of providers in Wallingford, but if it closed, it would have created more of a deficiency.”

The Physicians Walk In Center had been owned by 21 doctors who at one time worked at the center, but had since moved on. It was struggling to run efficiently and asked MidState for help.

“We didn’t want them to close shop,” Folta said. “They are excellent physicians.”

The center sees patients in need of urgent and primary care, those with acute illnesses or injury, and provides ongoing care to those patients who can’t get to see their doctors as readily as they would like.

It also provides occupational medicine, pre-employment physicals and drug screens, as well as treating work-related illnesses and injuries.

“It’s been a great year,” Folta said.

“We saw it at a time when we were trying to meet the need of the community physicians and went in with limited data. It’s been a very successful office.”

In addition to MidState Medical Center hospital in Meriden and the walk-in center, MidState also operates MidState VNA and Hospice and Mediquik urgent care facility on Paddock Avenue in Meriden.

Mediquik differs from the walk-in center in that it does not practice occupational medicine, employment or sports physicals and drug screens, nor does it provide primary care. But it does provide a higher level of acute care without having to visit the emergency room.

MidState plans to improve existing facilities and does not intend to build another walk-in center anytime soon.

Dr. Jordan Goetz recently began offering acupuncture for patients requesting treatment for various pain, including headaches and migraine headaches.

“There are a number of patients who want it and it’s something he was providing in his former practice,” Folta said. “He’s one of a few physicians to offer that.”