Cardiologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Chiropractor providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dentist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dermatologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Family Physician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
OB-GYN providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Ophthalmologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Orthopedic Surgeon providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Pediatrician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Physical Therapist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Podiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Psychiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
Boston University School of Medicine, MD with high honors in Medicine and Surgery clerkships 2001
Residency in Internal Medicine at Brown School of Medicine
Dr. Ramzan is Board Certifed in Internal Medicine with close to 20 yrs of experience in Primary Care, Hospital and Critical care, Urgent Care and Addiction medicine.
He takes special personal and professional interest in helping those afflicted with the disease of addiction. He holds a license to prescribe suboxone.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
A concerned internist, Dr. Edward Prior serves the communities of Hamden and West Haven, CT, where he is a part of the Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven. Patients visit him for a myriad of medical concerns. Dr. Prior completed his medical at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, followed by an internship and residency in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital Center. He further completed fellowships in hematology and oncology at Saint Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He is also certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a focus on medical oncology. Dr. Prior is committed to helping his patients enjoy a healthier lifestyle. He works with each one to discuss ways they can make better choices for their health. He conducts his appointments with the personalized care and attention that he would expect for his own family....read less
Practice names
Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven
Board certifications
• American Board of Internal Medicine
Medical Oncology (Internal Medicine)
Education and training Medical School - Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Doctor of Medicine
Dr. Blander earned his MD at the University of Buffalo Medical Center in 1981, and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Stony Brook University in 1984. He was a research fellow for 2 years at Rockefeller University, and then completed his clinical fellowship in Infectious Diseases at UCLA, followed by 4 years of research and publications at UCLA. He was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh medical Center until 1997. Since 1997, he has practiced Internal Medicine in CT. Dr. Blander is board certified in Internal Medicine, and Infectious Diseases.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
Boston University School of Medicine, MD with high honors in Medicine and Surgery clerkships 2001
Residency in Internal Medicine at Brown School of Medicine
Dr. Ramzan is Board Certifed in Internal Medicine with close to 20 yrs of experience in Primary Care, Hospital and Critical care, Urgent Care and Addiction medicine.
He takes special personal and professional interest in helping those afflicted with the disease of addiction. He holds a license to prescribe suboxone.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
A concerned internist, Dr. Edward Prior serves the communities of Hamden and West Haven, CT, where he is a part of the Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven. Patients visit him for a myriad of medical concerns. Dr. Prior completed his medical at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, followed by an internship and residency in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital Center. He further completed fellowships in hematology and oncology at Saint Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He is also certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a focus on medical oncology. Dr. Prior is committed to helping his patients enjoy a healthier lifestyle. He works with each one to discuss ways they can make better choices for their health. He conducts his appointments with the personalized care and attention that he would expect for his own family....read less
Practice names
Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven
Board certifications
• American Board of Internal Medicine
Medical Oncology (Internal Medicine)
Education and training Medical School - Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Doctor of Medicine
Morris Papernik, MD, FACP, is an experienced physician serving patients at Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven in the West Haven and Stratford, Connecticut, office.
A native New Yorker, Dr. Papernik graduated from Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Rush and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
He has distinguished himself as a national thought leader in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Dr. Papernik has served on the Medical Presidential Advisory Committee to President Bush and Obama within the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC.
Upon moving to Connecticut to be closer to family in 2008, he brought his expertise to Connecticut and now to Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven. Dr. Papernik has received numerous teaching awards and the Primary Care Leadership Award from the Connecticut Center for Primary Care. He has given multiple TV, radio, and newspaper interviews nationally.
Dr. Papernik enjoys teaching medical and nurse practitioner students from Yale, UConn, and
Netter School of Medicine. He also likes spending his free time with family and enjoys photography.
At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, the team of expert internal medicine doctors strives to help young adults, adults, and seniors of Cheshire, Guilford, Hamden, Milford, North Haven, Meriden, Wallingford, West Haven, and Stratford, Connecticut, and the surrounding area experience and maintain optimal health. The practice emphasizes disease screening, to enable early detection of problems before they create serious health emergencies. The doctors also provide care for acute conditions, ongoing chronic medical illnesses, and general physical examinations.
Our practice is affiliated with Yale-New Haven Hospital, so we can refer and coordinate care with world-renowned medical specialists when necessary. The practice has ultrasound and laboratory services available on-site, as well as spirometry to screen for asthma and Holter monitors to measure your heart’s activity. At Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven, you experience high-quality medical care unparalleled in the region. In 2014, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the providers for delivering high-quality care to our patients with diabetes and heart disease. NCQA is known in the health care industry for having developed health care quality and cost-benchmarking systems.
Dr. Blander earned his MD at the University of Buffalo Medical Center in 1981, and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Stony Brook University in 1984. He was a research fellow for 2 years at Rockefeller University, and then completed his clinical fellowship in Infectious Diseases at UCLA, followed by 4 years of research and publications at UCLA. He was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh medical Center until 1997. Since 1997, he has practiced Internal Medicine in CT. Dr. Blander is board certified in Internal Medicine, and Infectious Diseases.
Margaret I. Chustecki, MD, MBA, is a skilled internist at Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven in Hamden, West Haven, and Milford, Connecticut. She is also an assistant clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine.
Born in Warsaw, Poland, and educated at Warsaw Medical School, Dr. Chustecki completed her internship and residency at Newton Wellesley Hospital and New England Medical Center in Massachusetts. Before joining Yale University as a clinical instructor, Dr. Chustecki started Internal Medicine of Greater New Haven in 2003.
Since then, the practice has flourished, boasting some of the best internists and providers in the United States. Dr. Chustecki maintains patients at the practice while teaching at Yale School of Medicine. She supervises up-and-coming medical professionals while educating them on the benefits of efficient health care.
Dr. Chustecki remains active in research, and has contributed to over 55 medical publications. She co-founded Chase Medical Research of Greater New Haven in 2015, and serves as the chief clinical trial investigator.
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician Founder & CEO – Midwest Wellness & Wound Care
Dr. Kinya Kamau, MD, is a Board-Certified Internal Medicine physician and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Midwest Wellness & Wound Care, a physician-directed multi-state medical organization specializing in mobile wound care, chronic disease management, and telemedicine services.
With more than 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Kamau has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for medically complex patients through evidence-based care delivered directly at the bedside. Her work focuses on patients living with chronic wounds, diabetes, vascular disease, mobility limitations, and other conditions that interfere with healing.
Dr. Kamau leads a physician-directed wound care program that delivers advanced bedside wound management in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, rehabilitation centers, and private residences across multiple states. Her model integrates Internal Medicine expertise, regulatory compliance, and structured clinical workflows to improve healing outcomes while supporting healthcare facilities with Medicare-aligned documentation.
Her mission is simple but powerful: provide compassionate, evidence-driven care that restores health, mobility, and dignity for patients living with chronic wounds.
Professional Credentials
Dr. Kamau brings more than two decades of medical experience in Internal Medicine and complex chronic disease management. Her clinical background includes extensive experience caring for medically fragile adults in hospital, outpatient, and post-acute care settings.
She has dedicated much of her career to treating patients with:
chronic wounds
diabetes
vascular disease
renal dysfunction
mobility limitations
These conditions frequently impair wound healing and require a comprehensive medical approach.
Dr. Kamau earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Nairobi, where she developed a strong academic foundation in internal medicine, complex disease management, and patient-centered clinical care.
She later completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Oklahoma, where she refined her expertise in diagnosing and managing complex medical conditions affecting adult patients.
Following residency, Dr. Kamau completed advanced fellowship training in nephrology, expanding her expertise in:
kidney disease
hypertension
electrolyte disorders
metabolic conditions
systemic illnesses that influence wound healing
Dr. Kamau currently maintains active medical licenses in multiple U.S. states, allowing her to oversee physician-directed wound care services across diverse healthcare environments including:
skilled nursing facilities
assisted living communities
rehabilitation centers
private residences
Through Midwest Wellness & Wound Care, she leads a multi-state physician wound care program designed to deliver advanced bedside wound treatment while maintaining strict alignment with Medicare documentation standards and regulatory compliance requirements.
Quick Credentials Summary
Board Certification Internal Medicine
Medical School University of Nairobi – Doctor of Medicine
Residency Training Internal Medicine – University of Oklahoma
Fellowship Training Nephrology- University of Oklahoma
Clinical Experience 20+ years in Internal Medicine and complex chronic disease management
Clinical Focus
Mobile wound care
Chronic wound management
Diabetic wound care
Pressure injury management
Post-acute care medicine
Practice Model
Physician-directed mobile wound care and telemedicine services
Practice Leadership
Founder & CEO – Midwest Wellness & Wound Care
Practice Settings
Skilled nursing facilities
Assisted living communities
Rehabilitation centers
Private residences
Medical Education and Training
Dr. Kamau earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Nairobi, where she developed a strong foundation in internal medicine, complex disease management, and patient-centered clinical care.
She later completed her Internal Medicine residency training at the University of Oklahoma, where she further refined her expertise in diagnosing and managing complex medical conditions affecting adult patients.
Internal Medicine training provides a comprehensive understanding of the interconnected systems that influence healing. Conditions such as:
diabetes
cardiovascular disease
kidney dysfunction
malnutrition
vascular compromise
frequently contribute to delayed wound healing.
Dr. Kamau’s training enables her to evaluate wounds within the full medical context of the patient rather than focusing solely on the skin surface. This systemic perspective forms the foundation of her approach to chronic wound management.
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Expertise
As a Board-Certified Internal Medicine physician, Dr. Kamau approaches wound care through the lens of whole-patient medicine.
Chronic wounds rarely exist in isolation. They often develop because of underlying physiologic dysfunction that impairs tissue repair.
Common systemic contributors include:
diabetes and poor glycemic control
peripheral vascular disease
venous insufficiency
cardiac disease
renal impairment
malnutrition
neuropathy
immobility
medication side effects
chronic inflammation
By addressing these root contributors alongside local wound treatment, Dr. Kamau’s approach improves healing potential and reduces the risk of complications such as infection, hospitalization, or limb loss.
This integrated medical strategy is a key differentiator between physician-directed wound care and fragmented treatment models that rely solely on topical wound management.
Founder of Midwest Wellness & Wound Care
Dr. Kamau founded Midwest Wellness & Wound Care to address a critical gap in post-acute medicine.
Many patients with chronic wounds live in environments where transportation to specialty wound clinics is difficult or unsafe. Skilled nursing residents, assisted living residents, and homebound individuals often experience delays in wound evaluation simply because they cannot easily travel to outpatient facilities.
The mobile wound care model solves this problem by bringing advanced wound care directly to the patient.
Under Dr. Kamau’s leadership, Midwest Wellness & Wound Care provides physician-directed bedside wound care services that allow patients to receive specialized treatment in the environment where they live.
This model improves:
access to care
early wound detection
treatment timeliness
interdisciplinary communication
patient comfort and safety
It also allows physicians to observe real-world factors affecting wound healing, including mobility limitations, pressure exposure, nutritional status, and environmental risks.
Multi-State Medical Practice
Dr. Kamau currently holds active medical licenses in numerous states across the United States, allowing her organization to expand access to physician-directed wound care services across diverse regions.
States where Dr. Kamau is licensed in over 40 states.
Operating across multiple states requires a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, payer policies, and state medical board requirements.
This regulatory fluency allows Midwest Wellness & Wound Care to expand safely while maintaining strict compliance with healthcare laws and reimbursement guidelines.
Mobile Wound Care: Bringing Advanced Treatment to the Bedside
Mobile wound care represents a major advancement in how chronic wounds are treated.
Traditional wound care models rely heavily on outpatient clinics or hospital-based services, which can create barriers for medically fragile patients.
Dr. Kamau’s physician-directed mobile wound care model places advanced wound care directly at the bedside.
Patients may receive care in:
skilled nursing facilities
assisted living communities
rehabilitation centers
long-term care facilities
private residences
By eliminating transportation barriers, patients receive faster evaluations and more consistent follow-up.
Early intervention is one of the most important factors influencing wound healing outcomes.
Chronic Wounds Treated
Dr. Kamau’s clinical program manages a wide range of wound conditions commonly seen in post-acute medicine.
These include:
Diabetic Foot Ulcers Neuropathy, vascular compromise, and metabolic dysfunction contribute to tissue breakdown.
Pressure Injuries Prolonged pressure restricts blood flow and damages tissue.
Venous Leg Ulcers Venous insufficiency and edema lead to chronic lower extremity wounds.
Arterial Ulcers Poor arterial circulation limits oxygen delivery to tissues.
Post-Surgical Wounds Incisions may fail to heal due to infection or systemic illness.
Traumatic Wounds Skin tears and injuries are common in elderly populations.
Chronic Non-Healing Wounds Persistent wounds require a comprehensive medical approach.
Structured Wound Evaluation
Every wound evaluation follows a standardized clinical protocol that includes:
precise wound location documentation
wound length, width, and depth measurement
tissue type identification
exudate evaluation
periwound assessment
infection surveillance
perfusion evaluation
pressure offloading strategies
This structured methodology supports accurate monitoring of wound progression and Medicare-compliant documentation.
Advanced Wound Treatment Modalities
Treatment plans are tailored to each patient and may include:
conservative sharp debridement
antimicrobial dressings
moisture-balance therapy
collagen-based wound matrices
compression therapy
edema management
negative pressure wound therapy
cellular and tissue-based products when appropriate
Medicare-Aligned Documentation
Providing wound care in long-term care environments requires careful adherence to Medicare documentation standards.
Dr. Kamau’s program emphasizes:
medical necessity documentation
CPT coding accuracy
ICD-10 diagnosis specificity
Local Coverage Determination adherence
wound progression documentation
treatment response monitoring
Telemedicine Services
In addition to mobile wound care, Dr. Kamau oversees telemedicine services that expand access to medical care.
Services may include:
primary care consultations
chronic disease follow-up
medication management
behavioral health support
preventive care evaluations
Telehealth allows patients to receive ongoing medical support between in-person visits while maintaining continuity of care.
Commitment to Patient-Centered Care
At the center of Dr. Kamau’s work is a commitment to improving the lives of patients living with chronic wounds and complex medical conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wound Care Physicians
What does a wound care physician do?
A wound care physician specializes in diagnosing and treating chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries, venous leg ulcers, arterial ulcers, and non-healing surgical wounds. They provide advanced wound treatments, debridement procedures, and medical oversight to support healing.
When should someone see a wound care physician?
Patients should see a wound care physician when a wound does not improve after several weeks of standard treatment, or when conditions such as diabetes, vascular disease, or immobility increase the risk of delayed healing.
Can wound care physicians treat patients in nursing facilities?
Yes. Many wound care physicians provide bedside services in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, rehabilitation centers, and private homes to ensure patients receive timely evaluation and treatment.