Transformative Care for Seniors Expands in Jacksonville
Dedicated Cedar Hills ribbon-cutting (right to left): Tracie Davis, Florida Representative (District 13); Iris Gonzalez, Regional Vice President, Dedicated Senior Medical Centers; Hermena Cerphy, Regional Chief Medical Officer, Dedicated Senor Medical Centers; Gretchen Wright, Center Director, Dedicated Senior Medical Center; Glen Bogner, ChenMed Division President; and Tamara Dukes, Nurse Practitioner, Dedicated Senior Medical
Today’s festive grand opening celebration featured free food, music, give-away items that included gas cards, and VIP tours of the new facility by more than 100 local seniors and community leaders. The joy-filled, ribbon-cutting ceremony featured Florida State Representative Tracie Davis and Jacksonville City Council President, Terrance Freeman.
104.5 WOKV’s News Director and Morning Show Host, Rich Jones, broadcast live throughout the event that included photo booths and appearances by Mrs. Senior Jacksonville, Victoria Blackman, and Ms. Jacksonville Diva, Victoria Gentry.
“Our new Cedar Hills location means thousands more Jacksonville seniors soon will be enjoying better health because of the affordable VIP care they receive at Dedicated centers,” said Hermena Cerphy Firmin, M.D., Dedicated Regional Chief Medical Officer, Central/North Florida. “One out of every six residents in Jacksonville lives in poverty and everyone deserves affordable, quality healthcare -- especially our older residents, many of whom are living with multiple and major chronic health challenges.”
Dedicated centers are universally located in underserved neighborhoods, where lack of access to high quality primary care and other social determinants of health, have negatively impacted longevity for many years. These barriers have shortened average life spans by as much as 20 years when compared to older adults living in nearby more affluent zip codes.
Dedicated doctors fulfill their purpose by being accountable for helping their patients achieve better health, including responding quickly to patient calls or texts to their cell phones and honoring same-day telehealth or in-person appointments, when needed. Plus, Dedicated centers offer services that help reduce barriers to healthy living, from transportation assistance to on-site medications, to helping with social services.
“What makes Dedicated a provider of choice is how we honor seniors with genuine love and support. They are more than just a number to our Dedicated staff,” said Dr. Terrell Bacchus M.D., Regional Chief Clinical Officer, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, Central/North Florida. “We cater to the needs of our underserved communities by managing high–risk diseases, and we have many patient success stories that speak volumes when it comes to transformative care. Our name says it all. We are truly dedicated to improving our patients’ quality of life.”
About Dedicated / ChenMed
Dedicated Senior Medical Center is a senior-focused primary care practice. Currently, there currently are 45 Dedicated centers transforming care in nine states (Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas). Dedicated is part of ChenMed, which operates more than 100 centers in 15 states. The company employs outstanding primary care physicians and specialist doctors who are empowered to do whatever it takes to deliver VIP service; to detect and effectively manage high-risk diseases; and to reduce hospital sick days for Medicare-eligible seniors, many of whom are living with multiple and major chronic conditions.
Headquartered in Miami, ChenMed is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. Named one of Fortune 2020 “Change the World” companies, a “Most Loved Workplace” by Newsweek Magazine, and a certified Great Place to Work® by the Great Place to Work Institute, ChenMed brings concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, JenCare Senior Medical Center and IntuneHealthTM. Thanks to its leading healthcare technology organization, CurityTM, ChenMed was recently named a “Best Place to Work in IT” by IDG’s Insider’s Pro and Computer World.
