Best Care strives to make specialists more accessible

Newsboy photo/ Sharon Kerr MINOR OUTPATIENT PROCEDURES such as removing a mole, screening for disease or sports physicals can be performed by Stephanie Hyden, FNP, at the new Best Care Medical Clinic at 150 West Gibson.

The new Best Care Medical Clinic at 150 West Gibson is an arm of Renaissance Hospital in Groves, and the latest trend in making the services and specialties of big city hospitals more accessible to rural areas like Jasper.

According to Dr. Vijesh Patel, it will meet all family practice needs, but the person you are most likely to see on an office visit is Stephanie Hyden, Family Nurse Practitioner.

The concept of licensed FNPs is that they can perform most roles formerly reserved for medical doctors, such as health maintenance exams, management of chronic illness, and urgent care.

Hyden can perform outpatient procedures such as removing a mole, do sports physicals, and screen for osteoporosis, heart disease, lung disease and cancer. The office will soon have an xray machine.

The doctors at Renaissance Hospital provide consultation if needed, and patients who require more tests or care than the clinic provides are transported to the hospital as part of the service.