Atlantic General Hospital/Health System Introduced Centralized Scheduling

New central phone number simplifies appointment scheduling and offers access to same-day visits with hospital and health system physicians.

Waiting days or even weeks for a doctor’s appointment is not an issue when scheduling routine check-ups. But when you feel ill and the alarm bells are telling you to seek medical attention, finding an immediate opening can be difficult.

To improve the community’s access to timely medical care, Atlantic General Hospital and Health System has implemented a centralized scheduling line. Individuals can call one phone number to schedule an appointment with any of the primary care providers or specialists within Atlantic General Health System: 410-641-1082.

The physicians and health care providers participating in Centralized Scheduling are as follows:

Lisa Bayles, CRNP Gynecology Ocean Pines
Jason Clem, MD Family Practice Ocean City
Munna Garg, MD Pediatrics/Internal Medicine Ocean Pines
Jack Gillespie, MD Family Practice Ocean Pines
Sara Haverty, MD Gynecology Ocean Pines
Richard Kirby, MD Gynecology Ocean Pines
Andrea Mathias, MD Family Practice Snow Hill
Jeffrey Matzoni, DO Internal Medicine Berlin
Veronica Quattrini, CRNP Family Practice Ocean City
Barbara Socha, MD Internal Medicine Ocean View, DE
Stephen Waters, MD Family Practice Ocean City
Anthony Perella, MD Pulmonary Services Berlin
Atif Zeeshan, MD Pulmonary Services Berlin

If a patient is unable see his doctor that day, the scheduler can arrange an appointment with another physician in the same specialty. For those physicians who offer specialized services, such as pulmonology, a same-day appointment may not be available, but the next available appointment will be scheduled. Once the appointment is set, the patient’s records will be transferred temporarily so the stand-in health care provider will be familiar with the patient’s medical history.

Centralized scheduling makes possible the speedy medical care of an urgent care facility, but it also nurtures the patient-physician relationship that ensures continuity of care – something that is lacking in urgent care medicine.

“This scheduling line is a tremendous resource for the community,” said Jonathan Cook, Vice President of Practice Administration. “We understand the need and desire to see a physician as soon as possible when faced with an illness or injury. And now, an individual doesn’t have to spend all morning calling various physician offices to find an opening that same day. We take care of that for them.”

The Centralized Scheduling office is open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Patients who access the scheduling line after hours can leave a message. Their calls will be returned and appointments made for them upon opening on the next business day.