Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly Version

Also on the Web Memorial Hospital of R.I.

Laura Paquin is 94 years old and her attitude is still sharp. Laura's lived in her Pawtucket home for almost 70 years, each day of it spent with her husband Herve. Lately her health has been failing, making her doctor visits even more important but it hasn't been easy.

Laura say, "When I know I have to go out, it sort of gets on my nerves a little bit and you try to be so cautious."

It's because of patients, like Laura, Dr. Marwan Mustaklem devotes one afternoon a week to making house calls.   He says, "I think they deserve better care than what they have right now.  I don't think elderly people should have to struggle to see their physician."

Dr. Mustaklem is a member of the medical staff at Coppola Medical Associates in Pawtucket, which started the house call services about seven months ago.   Dr. Joyce Coppola says, "I saw a trend within the practice that it was getting more difficult for patients to get into the office.  They don't want to leave their homes even though they know, medically, they probably should."

At their homes, Dr. Mustaklem can talk with family members and check up on medications and generally has a better raport with his patients. It's a challenge, he says, but worth the effort. "The patients I've been seeing so far. They're really happy, they're really grateful that we are doing this."

Right now Coppola Medical Associates and Memorial Hospital are serving only Pawtucket but they are working to expand their house call services and they hope other area physicians will catch on soon.  To reach Coppola Medical Associates call: (401)725-3520