(207) 882-6008

Starting Monday November 19^th, 2018 Wiscasset Family Medicine is pleased to offer blood draw services at our office through Mercy Diagnostics. Mercy is a full-service laboratory that submits claims to all insurance plans. If you don’t have insurance they offer discounted pricing.

Phlebotomy services are offered Monday – Friday 7:30am – 4:00pm.

Some important details below:

Orders: Please bring your Lab Order from your provider or have it faxed to 856-874-4399

Mercy Diagnostics Billing Paradigm

Patients benefit from Mercy’s unique billing paradigm that is different from any other diagnostic laboratory in the industry. They handle and submit claims to all insurance plans and offer the lowest self-pay prices to uninsured patients.

For All Insurances:

For all insurance plans, Mercy Diagnostics will file a claim for your laboratory services. You may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance company that explains the insurance claim for the laboratory services Mercy Diagnostics performed. The EOB may indicate your lab services are “out of network”. THE EOB IS NOT A BILL. Please keep this EOB for your records but DO NOT forward any payment to Mercy Diagnostics. The actual amount you owe will be listed on the statement Mercy Diagnostics sends to you.

Your insurance company may pay you directly for services provided by Mercy Diagnostics. In such cases, you are expected to forward the payment to Mercy Diagnostics immediately. Mercy Diagnostics services are separate from Wiscasset Family Medicine and are billed independently.

We look forward to seeing you here for all your laboratory needs.

On September 14th, 2018 Dr. Kitfield announced his retirement from practicing medicine after 43 after years . The Wiscasset Family Medicine team is incredibly grateful for the service and opportunity Dr. Kitfield provided to so many along with enriching everyone’s life that had contact with him. Below is a letter from Dr. Kitfield released in conjunction with his announcement.

Dr. Kitfield’s Retirement Letter

Wiscasset Family Medicine is currently seeking a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant to join our team. We are an independent primary care practice located in the heart of Wiscasset overlooking the Sheepscot River. This physician owned practice is an integral part of family medicine in the Midcoast community and has been established and thriving for more than 40 years. As a patient centered medical home we strive to provide high quality, collaborative healthcare for acute and chronic health issues.

The Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant will be responsible for assisting Family Medicine physicians in providing primary healthcare to our diverse pediatric and adult patient panel. This work focuses upon health maintenance, disease prevention, patient education and counseling, coordination of care with specialty providers. The ideal candidate would provide care for their panel utilizing contemporary, evidence based medicine. Sub-specialization in geriatric medicine, in office surgical procedures, or other areas of specialty will be supported based upon interest of applicant.

Providers at Wiscasset Family Medicine work collaboratively to provide healthcare to their patient panels with mentorship available as needed. The office is open weekdays from 7am – 5pm and closed most Federal Holidays. Evening and weekend access for patients is available through a rotating, telephone based on call service. Employment contract includes a competitive salary based upon prior experience, comprehensive benefits packages and continuing education stipends. We offer a relaxed, creative work environment with full administrative and clinical staff support.

Experience/Education Requirements:

• Current license to practice medicine as a Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant in the State of Maine
• Current DEA License
• Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant program.
• Minimum of three years experience as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant with background in geriatrics and family practice is preferred.

To Apply:

By Email: mail to:  sstrozier@wiscassetfamilymedicine.com

By Mail: Wiscasset Family Medicine
c/o Shelley Strozier
PO Box 351
Wiscasset, ME 04578

Wiscasset Family Medicine will be closing today February 7th at 1:00 pm. We will reopen on Thursday, February 8th at 8:30 am. Please remember that we do have a provider on call 24/7, we’re here when you need us. Stay safe everyone!

Wiscasset Family Medicine recognizes that tick season in Maine continues and seems to have been year round this year.  We are putting out a request regarding tick bites that happen when the office is closed:

We have 24 hour on call services to provide guidance when the office is closed. If you have a concern that can wait until office hours, please call the office after it has opened. “On call services” are our providers taking call from home.   If it is a weekend, please attempt to call between 7am and 7pm.  Preventive (prophylactic) dose of antibiotics for tick bites can be given within 72 hours of tick removal (if the tick has been attached for more than 24 hours). We would request that you call on call services during the day.  This will improve your chances of alert, thoughtful, effective care.

If you are looking for more information about removing ticks, treating tick bites or lyme disease, please reference maine.gov or cdc website.  Additionally, we would be happy to have an appointment to discuss any concerns you may have, in the office during office hours.

Thank you!

Wiscasset Family Medicine will be offering flu clinics (easy way to get a quick vaccine!) starting in Late September and we recommend waiting until late September to get your flu shot. If you are traveling for the winter, we can do it before you leave, but peak flu season is December through February.

Why should I get the flu vaccine – I’m healthy!

The flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family and the vulnerable members of our community from influenza.

Will the vaccine cause the flu?

No, a flu shot cannot cause the virus. Flu vaccines given with a needle are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with a) flu vaccine viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and are therefore not infectious, or b) with no flu vaccine viruses at all (which is the case for recombinant influenza vaccine). The most common side effects from the influenza shot are soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given. Low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches also may occur.

Please let us know if we can answer any questions for you about the flu vaccine! We want our community to have a safe and healthy winter.

Here we are!!! The most beautiful time of the year can be autumn in Maine.

Now is your chance to find a routine for activity.  It’s not “too hot” and it’s not “too cold” and we still have light and the kids are in school, the traffic is better and the community center and ymca is open and WOW!

You have NO excuses.  This is the time of year to enjoy our great weather AND start thinking about how you will stay active over the next six months.

Let us know what you’re up to!  You can walk, run, take an exercise class, bike, swim, golf, dance, pogo stick, play tag, kickball…..what else??   Post a picture of your activity on our facebook page or instagram, tweet at us “@WiscassetFamMed”  or do whatever you do and #WFM, #activeoctober, and throw in a #mainefall and let’s get the word out there!!

If you aren’t on social media, let us know what you are up to when you come in for a flu shot or use the portal or tell us at your wellness visit – we are rooting for you and want to hear about your active fun!!

It’s that time again!  Let’s delve into the life of one of the more experienced members of Wiscasset Family Medicine, Sarah Robey.  She is known for her kindness and wisdom, but I am impressed by her longevity in this field where so many get burned out.  I have to find out how/ why and what she is doing to have made it this far and still have the spark of enthusiasm!

Dr. Linville: Sarah, how and when did you decide to become a Physician Assistant?

Sarah Robey: My father was a pediatrician and I had thought about going to medical school, but my real dream was to have a farm and a family, and to be able to earn a living in a rural area.  The concept of being a PA was still very new in the mid 1970s. The first day at Johns Hopkins our class was warned that it was likely we would never have a job, that this new career might never take off and that we were taking a big chance going through our training. When I graduated virtually no one knew what a PA was. Dr. Kitfield took a chance on me 36 years ago.

Dr. Linville: Please share a few of your favorite things about practicing at Wiscasset Family Medicine.

Sarah Robey: We are a private practice so we make our own decisions and create our own culture. We have always practiced as partners to our patients, encouraging them to captain their own ship as much as possible, giving patients the tools they need to stay healthy. In the office we work as a team, and every voice is valued. We strive to keep growing and changing, remain open to new ideas and changes in society. Collaborating with specialists in Maine and beyond is one of the things I enjoy most.

Dr. Linville: What do you like to do most with your free time?

Sarah Robey: I am self described manic gardener/viewscaper. I have been working on a 50 acre wood lot since I moved to Maine in the 1970s. I have created huge perennial gardens and a vegetable garden. We burn our own firewood. I am a Tree Farmer and I love to build stone walls. I often am seen with a chainsaw in hand or on a tractor. I also love to travel, mostly walking long distances in Europe.

Dr. Linville: What are some of the bigger changes (positive or negative) that you have seen in healthcare during your tenure?

Sarah Robey: The loss of Mainecare for low income adults has been a terrible thing. When I came to Maine in the 1970s I saw diseases you mostly read about in text books because people lacked access to preventive care. We seem to be returning to that era for a large segment of our community, many people lack insurance and have no ability to take on medical bills so they stay away from care. Additionally the rising cost of pharmaceuticals is astounding.

Dr. Linville: Please tell us something that patients and staff might not know about you.

Sarah Robey:

• I have worked as a cowboy in both Alberta and New Mexico.
• I dug peat in the Hebrides for the Laphroig Scotch distillery.
• I made the first ascent of Mt. Tom White in the Chugach Range in Alaska.
• My husband is the Curator of Exhibits at the Maine Maritime Museum.
• I have a rule in my life that everyday I don’t work at the office I have to create something that makes the world more beautiful or interesting.

Wiscasset Family Medicine is taking new patients, today! Please call 882-6008 or register through the patient portal.

Wiscasset Family Medicine is offering the Acute Same-Day Commitment: You’ll see a primary care practitioner the same day.

 

If you woke up sick this morning, had to leave work or had an unexpected injury – we have you covered with our Same-Day Appointments. When you need to be seen, we don’t want you to wait. Depending on the level of care you need and the time of day your appointment request is received, you’ll be seen by a provider that day.

• Sore Sprains and minor fractures
• Bladder infection-UTI
• Cough, sore throat and fever
• Earpain
• Eye infection
• Tick Bites
• Rash
• Sinus Symptoms

When are acute same-day appointments available?

Same-day appointments are available Monday – Friday, (excluding holidays). However, if you are calling to schedule a physical or yearly wellness exam, or your need is not urgent, it is possible a same-day appointment might not be offered to you. While we strive to accommodate all same-day appointment requests, it is our priority is to offer such appointments to those patients with urgent needs.

What time do I need to call by to schedule a acute same-day appointment?

If you call earlier in the day, we’ll work with you to schedule a same-day appointment. If you call later in the afternoon, and there are no longer appointments available that day, we will schedule you for the next business day.

Is it possible to get acute same-day appointments with my primary care provider?

Due to availability and scheduling capabilities, we will help you schedule a same-day appointment with the provider that is available that day, if he or she has an appointment available at the time of your request your appointment will be scheduled with them. Same-day appointments may not always be scheduled with your primary care provider.

When to call 911?

Life-threatening conditions require immediate treatment at your nearest emergency room or by calling 911. Emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day and patients with the most serious conditions are treated first. Call 911 or go directly to the Emergency Department if you think you’re experiencing a life-threatening condition or symptoms such as:

• Any sudden or severe pain, or unusual abdominal pain
• Changes in vision
• Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure lasting two minutes or more
• Confusion or changes in mental status, unusual behavior, difficulty walking
• Coughing or vomiting blood
• Difficulty speaking
• Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Suicidal or homicidal feelings
• Uncontrolled bleeding