North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Ben Freda
There are sixteen locations of CenterWell Senior Primary Care in South Carolina including four in Myrtle Beach. CenterWell had a grand opening for a new location at Surfwood Shopping Center in North Myrtle Beach on Tuesday, September 30.
CenterWell is a primary care provider focused on seniors, who are 65 years and older and on Medicare. The staff members work with the seniors’ specialists they may have to make sure are taken care of well. A new patient visit is typically around 40 minutes.
“We know they’ve (seniors) had a long life and they probably have a long medical history,” said Adrienne Ojo, market president of all the CenterWell locations in South Carolina. “So we really want to spend that first visit taking time to get to know their medical history, their current medications, what primary concerns they have around their healthcare and what are their goals, and to start their care plan fresh with us as their new primary care physician.”
Visitors at the grand opening received a tour inside CenterWell and got to meet a few of the staff members.
Dr. Kay Gianantonio, nurse practitioner, has been a nurse for 35 years. She specializes in adult and geriatric primary care. She graduated with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Kent State University in Ohio. She served as a certified nurse practitioner in internal medicine and primary care at University Hospitals Medical Practices in Geneva, Ohio, and provided inpatient care at University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center. She decided to work at CenterWell so she can spend more time with patients.
“I can spend an hour with a patient if I need to,” she said. “I make sure they are doing all their screening. I want to keep them healthy, active, and out of the hospital.”
Guests also met Dr. Michael Nirenstein, a family medical physician. He has extensive experience in family medicine and urgent care. He graduated from the University of Health Sciences Antigua School of Medicine. He worked as an urgent care and family medicine physician at Care Now Urgent Care and Beach Urgent Care in Conway.
“Why I wanted to slow down from the ER a little bit I realized that seniors in the ER were not getting really good care,” he said. “Here (CenterWell), we have blocked times like forty minutes for an appointment. We limit the number of patients a day, but we always have room for care.”
CenterWell has exam rooms with an adjustable exam chair so the patient can see and talk to their doctor at eye level. There is also an activity center, which hosts events for patients including bingo, arts and crafts, and holiday parties. Friends and family members can spend time with the seniors in the activity center.
The grand opening provided a free lunch from Bojangles, music played by 94.9 The Surf and information tents with organizations, which are partnered with CenterWell such as Humana. There were also health organizations that are not with CenterWell such as Elite Occupational and Physical Therapy.
