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February 28, 2008 
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January 20, 2008
Bucks County Courier Times; Living with Alzheimer's

New Primary Care Physician Offers Service Choices in Modern and Patient-centered Medical Practice.

Newtown, PA, (February 15, 2008) – For physicians, difficult decisions are commonplace, but Dr. Ashish Sitapara has recently made the easiest decision of his professional life.  He chose to establish a primary care medical practice near the town where he grew up.  In addition to coming home, Dr. Sitapara is taking a unique step in his practice by offering service choices.  While focusing on aging in a healthy fashion, patients can choose traditional care or they can seek a more intensive service option that works on establishing a preventative health plan based on individual goals.

If a patient chooses the preventative service, they can have access to Dr. Sitapara twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  Appointments are same-day.  A wide variety of health services are included to help the patient map out their healthy future.  While an annual exam in the traditional service is comprehensive and thorough, the preventative assessment exam typically lasts an hour and includes a series of health screenings and charts a detailed course of action. For this enhanced service, patients enroll in an annual membership program and pay a fee.

Signature Medicine is also one of Pennsylvania’s pilot practices that offers benefits from a high tech environment.  Utilizing electronic medical records, a patient portal, e-prescription services and email contact with the medical office, Signature Medicine is leading the way as a model medical practice. These technological features add to patient convenience and work to reduce medical errors and increase patient safety.

Dr. Sitapara’s new practice is called Signature Medicine.  Having just moved from his position at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Sitapara is thrilled to be in private practice and working with his patients. “Spending more time with my patients, collaborating with them about their health needs and concentrating on prevention is important.  Combining technological enhancements with my focus on prevention just makes intuitive sense and helps me provide the best possible care for my patients,” relates Dr. Sitapara.

“So often treating a chronic illness is really about the basics – healthy eating and an active lifestyle.  I don’t want my patients to wait until they have a problem.  Living longer in a more productive fashion can start right now.  Many people need encouragement, time and targeted information to instill new habits.  Helping people reach their health goals is really what we are all about at Signature Medicine,” continues Dr. Sitapara. 

In addition to the two different service levels, the new practice also features medical spa services that include Botox and other cosmetic treatments.  “We have found that our patients like to have choices and when they are in control, they are happier and as a result, take care of themselves in a more proactive manner.” Dr. Sitapara is a board certified physician in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics.  He is also on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and serves as medical director of Chandler Hall Wellness Center, as well as has staff priviledges at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne PA and Doylestown Hospital .

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