Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1004438
"I've assisted other communities in bringing physicians onsite before I joined Franklin Park," Classen says. "Having Dr. Kasperkhan here at TPC Parkway provides more services that allow our residents to age in place without moving to a more intensive care facility." CONVENIENCE AND COMMUNICATION Dr. Kasperkhan has been practicing out of his new office at TPC Parkway since March. In addition to providing primary care services, Dr. Kasperkhan and his staff are also available to assist and perform assessments in emergent situations, regardless of whether residents use him as their primary care doctor. Instead of going to an urgent care clinic and being assessed by a stranger when health issues arise, patients can visit a primary care doctor who is familiar with their background, chronic health conditions and preferences. "There's a sense of comfort for residents and their families in knowing that a physician is so close," Larsen says. "This is especially true for residents with transportation and mobility issues. "Many of my patients require somebody to guide or accompany them to appointments, which can mean their family members have to take time off work to drive them to the doctor's office," Dr. Kasperkhan adds. "Having an office onsite with walk-in appointments available where patients can receive care sooner rather than later can prevent complications and allow us to assess the need for urgent care." Dr. Kasperkhan also keeps an open line of communication with his patients and their families by providing them with his cellphone number. Often, he finds that one of family members' great - est concerns when they are examining residential living facilities is the ease of communication with doctors about the health status of their loved ones. Even when Dr. Kasperkhan is performing rounds at other facilities offsite, this accessibility allows him to delegate care back at TPC Parkway. "If someone calls or texts me with concerns, I can call my staff and have them perform lab work or make pre - scriptions as needed," Dr. Kasperkhan says. "With elderly patients, you want to make sure you're addressing concerns quickly to keep complications from developing. Some people can't wait — they may wind up in the hospital the next day without early care." EASIER TRANSITIONS Dr. Kasperkhan sees many other patients who are not residents at TPC Parkway. When they visit his new office, they also have the opportunity to see what a senior living campus looks like, which can help ease any fears or concerns that they and their family members may have about transitioning to a more structured living environ - ment in the future. "The more you know about something, the more comfortable you become with it," Larsen says. T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n Dr. Kasperkhan's office and a typica l " Many physicians who work with residents at senior living facilities don't have a practice of their own — they only work in hospitals. When family members want to talk to their loved one's doctor, they have to make an appointment, and it can be inconvenient for all involved to set a place and time to talk. At TPC Parkway, families can see me in my office and take as much time as they need to talk about their family members and preferences for care. It's a lot easier for people in this setting." — JIBRAIL KASPERKHAN,MD, INTERNIST AND GERI ATRICIAN AT FRANKLIN PARK doctor's office setting is also a nice change of pace for most visitors. "All of my patients who have visited the new clinic love it," Dr. Kasperkhan says. "At a typical medical office, there's the waiting room and the parking lot. Here, we have a lobby with food and other conveniences — it's a more relaxing and friendly space. I'm lucky to have an office here." To learn more about Franklin Park TPC Parkway, visit franklinpark.org/tpc- parkway. To reach Dr. Kasperkhan's office, call 210-491-1690. n M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S S A N A N T O N i O ■ 2 018 1 1

