Primary Care – Schenectady

Family Health Center:
 

Ellis Medicine’s Family Health Center (FHC) serves as a home base for both Residents and Faculty.  As well as a healthcare home for our high-needs patient population.  Our outpatient clinic is a collaborative place where our Residents enjoy clinic time within a structure of learning and support.

Residents are assigned to colored pods where they will establish strong relationships with a consistent team of administrative and clinical staff. The pod system also improves overall continuity as patients will usually stay within a pod when their primary doctor is unavailable. In this way the pod system builds continuity of care and partnership in both the staff and patients. 

HIV/Infectious disease:
Under the direction of Dr. Melissa Roberts(core faculty member) the FHC provides comprehensive HIV care for our patient population. The FHC-based infectious disease team includes a dedicated case manager and social worker who are always available to see patients during their visits and for residents with questions regarding care. Management encompasses screening, diagnosis, initial disease management, disease monitoring, and pre-exposure prophylaxis. Each resident is assigned 2-3 HIV patients and complex care is frequently reviewed at case conferences. The faculty is also trained to diagnose and provide treatment for other infectious diseases including hepatitis B/C which can be discussed with the team at any point in care. 

Obstetric care:
The FHC features a dedicated in-house OB nurse, dealing with OB patients of the practice.  The RN performs comprehensive intakes and is always available for consultation or placing referral for specific patients. Outpatient antenatal care also features faculty OBGYN specialist for high-risk consultation and referral to an Ellis-based Maternal Fetal Medicine Practice for monitoring and recommendations. 

Specialty clinics:
Resident-driven specialty clinics are routinely scheduled at the FHC for our patient’s convenience and improved access to care. The clinics can be separated into two categories with several clinics precepted through core faculty while other specialty clinics are overseen by local specialty physicians. 

• OBGYN
• Pediatric
• Minor Surgery
• IUD/Nexplanon insertion
• Infectious disease
• Osteopathic Manipulation

Social Work/Case Management:
In addition to the dedicated case managers for ID/OB, the FHC also supports a dedicated social work and case management team. Social workers are available to provide brief or comprehensive counseling/psychotherapy and can often be consulted during the patient’s initial visit. Case management team is especially useful for coordinating insurance inquiries and maintaining basic care for our patients.