Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/123777
"Referring physicians who have serious concerns about a particular patient and call to explain those concerns help me quickly identify the specific problem I need to address. We obviously don't need this special attention for all patients, but when appropriate, a personal call can be highly beneficial. When patients return to the referring physicians' care, I try to communicate any special concerns as well. Keeping the lines of communication open is very important." — Warren E. Wulff, M.D., board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Christopher J. Fatti, D.P.M., examines a patient's foot. outfitted to expedite referrals and thus speed care to patients. "One of our goals for the new building is to make it possible to accommodate multiple foot and ankle physicians such that we have the capacity to care for patients more quickly and conveniently," he says. "We want to make it easy for patients to receive top-notch foot and ankle care." Special Services At both the Heritage Commons and Dewitt-Widewaters locations, a state-of-the-art, wide-open MRI unit is available to provide large or claustrophobic patients with a more comfortable imaging method — one that offers almost three times the open space and thus more clearance from the body and face. But as Colone explains, that's merely one benefit of the technology. "This unit has a high-field magnet that scans more quickly, allowing patients to exit more rapidly, and it provides physicians with more detailed images," Colone says. "The quality is unmatched." SOS Shop A novel service available at the Heritage Commons location is the SOS Shop, where patients may purchase The Heritage Commons site is equipped with a GE 1.5T Wide Bore MRI. The SOS Heritage Commons check-in provides the highest quality in patient privacy and convenience. Here, Team Leader Patty Supensky assists a patient. physician-recommended specialty products without the difficulties and costs of acquiring the products online. "We have an employee on site who provides patient education, product information, and custom fittings, takes care of warranties and replacements, and helps patients avoid shipping fees," Colone says. "We carry high-end products that we know truly work, and they are not items typically found in other stores in the area." The SOS Shop offers patients a selection of rocker-bottom shoes, well-built work shoes, specialized walking shoes and shoe inserts, as well as lumbar supports, neck pillows, and supplements, such as omega-3 and multivitamins. Additional items, such as antifungal and other foot-care products, complement the products available on the SOS Shop's shelves. Keeping Patients First Humphrey explains that while providing all these services in a central location improves accessibility, another of SOS' primary goals at Heritage Commons is to cultivate a positive experience for every patient. "Customer service and patient satisfaction are important to us," Humphrey emphasizes. "Sometimes patients and primary care physicians believe some personal touch may be lost in a big setting, but our mission is to provide the highest level of customer service, making each patient visit as customer-friendly as possible. It's not just a large building, it's very patient-centered." For more information about Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, please visit www.sosbones.com, or call (315) 251-3100. I MDNEWS.COM I MD NEWS Central New York | 13