Philadelphia, PA – July 13, 2016
Tandigm Scholars, a nonprofit organization formed by Tandigm Health, LLC awarding scholarships to deserving Philadelphia area primary care physicians who are part of a Tandigm Health practice, today announced the selection of its 2016 scholarship recipients.
Each Tandigm Scholar will be awarded $20,000 per year for three years, for a total award of $60,000. The scholarships will be used to offset existing educational debt. In addition to the monetary component, the Tandigm Scholars Program focuses on fostering an educational environment. Medical Directors from Tandigm health provide individualized mentorships to each Scholar that aim to help them develop skills for delivering high-quality, coordinated care.
The five primary care physicians receiving the awards are:
- Dr. Naiema Benson – Greenhouse Internists, P.C., Philadelphia, PA
- Dr. Charles Catania – Gateway Medical Associates MSL, West Chester, PA
- Dr. Lauren Kummer – Mount Airy Family Practice, Philadelphia, PA
- Dr. Kathleen Lawlor – Devon Family Practice, Devon, PA
- Dr. Lori Truman-Kraft – Hatboro Medical Associates, Hatboro, PA
“Our mission at Tandigm Health is to restore and maintain balance in the health care ecosystem. For us, that means putting primary care physicians, along with their patients, back at the center of the healthcare universe,” said Dr. Anthony Coletta, CEO of Tandigm Health and Chairman of the Board of Tandigm Scholars. “The Tandigm Scholars Program is one of the many ways that we are working to support primary care physicians. This program lightens the burden of educational debt for new primary care physicians as they go into practice, and provides them with the tools to chart a path for success in this critically important field.”
Today, only 30 percent of all physicians practice primary care compared to about 70 percent in most other developed countries. Fifty years ago this number was about 70 percent in the United States. Tandigm strongly believes that primary care physicians (PCPs) are uniquely positioned to influence the quality and cost of care, as they serve as the first line of healthcare for most Americans. PCPs are able to address health problems early and help patients avoid more costly emergency room visits or hospitalization, by providing proactive, coordinated care. Research demonstrates that a strong supply of primary care physicians is related to lower rates of mortality, hospital admissions and emergency room visits, and vital in the movement towards value-based models of health care.
“I love being a Primary Care physician. Each day is different from the last and I am still challenged every day. I have developed warm, lasting relationships with my patients. I have watched countless children grow up, families develop and have had to say goodbye to many extraordinary patients I have had the privilege of caring for in their last days of life. What other job could possibly be more rewarding?” said 2016 Tandigm Scholar, Lori Truman-Kraft, MD. “I cannot express enough gratitude about being named a Tandigm scholar. It shows that there are still some who are committed to Primary Care and see the value in the work that we do. I could not be more excited about the opportunities this scholarship will give me, in both a mentoring capacity, as well as finally laying my debt to rest.”