The Alternative Press

Changebridge Medical Associates, Montville; Cranford Family Practice, Cranford; and Town Medical Associates, Verona, recently merged to create a new regional primary care practice — Vanguard Medical Group P.A. Each group was an early adopter of electronic medical records for family practices. The goal of the newly formed group is to transform health care through collaboration by enhancing the patient experience, measurably improving quality and improving the affordability of health care.

The practice serves 25,000 patients in the three original physician office locations. The mission is to keep patients healthy and improve treatment and access to care when someone is ill. Patients will be treated in the office in which they have established relationships close to their own home.

Each site has achieved National Committee for Quality Assurance recognition as a Patient-centered Medical Home. Only a handful of New Jersey medical practices have been able to achieve this important recognition. A Patient-centered Medical Home is a physician office where health care professionals work as teams to provide patients with care and referrals that are individually determined to meet their specific needs. There is a lead physician and a care team who closely monitor patients’ health over time, engage patients in their own health care and centrally coordinate the delivery of care with other providers as needed. Ultimately, the practice becomes a patient’s “home” for preventive, chronic and ambulatory care. 

Culture of caring

“This merger elevates our entire group for the sole benefit of providing the best health care for our patients while allowing us to plan for the future in the complex and ever-changing world of 21st-century medicine,” explained Dr. Thomas McCarrick, chief medical officer of Vanguard Medical Group, formerly of Town Medical Associates.

At Vanguard Medical Group, Dr. Robert Eidus, formerly the president of Cranford Family Practice, is president, and Dr. Arnold Pallay, formerly the medical director of Changebridge Medical Associates, is the director of practice development. Dr. Frank Iannetta, formerly practice partner at Changebridge Medical Associates, and Dr. Robert Gorman, formerly of Town Medical Associates, are on the board of directors.

Dr. Pallay added, “Our practices were built on patient referrals earned one by one by providing compassionate, personal and leading-edge medical care to entire families in comfortable local settings. That culture of caring will remain at Vanguard.”

Hospital privileges

Vanguard Medical Group physicians will maintain their existing hospital attending privileges:

Montville Office: Morristown Medical Center, Saint Clare’s Hospital and Chilton Memorial Hospital

Cranford Office: Overlook Medical Center

Verona Office: Mountainside Hospital and Saint Barnabas Medical Center

On the horizon

“After extensive review of many models of physician-integration structures and invitations to join existing groups, we decided to chart a new course and model of care for our patients,” noted Dr. Eidus. “In the future, we will train other practices in this method as well as invite select physician groups to join Vanguard.”

About Vanguard Medical Group

Vanguard Medical Group, P.A. is a regional primary care practice serving area communities from three well-established sites: 271 Grove Ave., Suite A, Verona, NJ 07044, Phone: 973-239-2600, Fax: 973-239-0482; 123 N. Union Ave., Suite 204, Cranford, NJ 07016, Phone: 908-272-7990, Fax: 908-272-7970; and 170 Changebridge Road, Suite C-3, Montville, NJ 07045, Phone: 973-575-5540, Fax: 973-575-4885.

The goal of the newly formed Vanguard Medical Group is to transform health care through collaboration by enhancing the patient experience, measurably advancing quality and improving the affordability of health care. Hospital affiliations for each office include: Morristown Medical Center, Saint Clare’s Hospital and Chilton Memorial Hospital for the Montville office; Overlook Medical Center for the Cranford office; and Mountainside Hospital and Saint Barnabas Medical Center for the Verona office. Website: vanguardmedgroup.com.

Photo Caption: Changebridge Medical Associates, Montville; Cranford Family Practice, Cranford; and Town Medical Associates, Verona, recently came together to create a new regional primary care practice, Vanguard Medical Associates. Patients will be treated in the office in which they have established relationships close to their own home. Pictured left to right: Dr. Frank Iannetta, formerly practice partner at Changebridge Medical Associates, and Dr. Robert Gorman, formerly of Town Medical Associates, are on the board of directors; Dr. Robert Eidus, formerly the president of Cranford Family Practice, is president, and Dr. Arnold Pallay, formerly the medical director of Changebridge Medical Associates, is the director of practice development; Dr. Thomas McCarrick, formerly of Town Medical Associates, is chief medical officer of Vanguard Medical Group. Website: vanguardmedgroup.com.