Two medical groups vie for Silver Springs contract

The Silver Springs/ Stagecoach Hospital District will decide Jan. 19 which of two medical providers will run the Lahontan Medical Clinic in Silver Springs.

The competing firms are Eastern Sierra Medical Group and Med Direct/Northern Nevada Urgent Care. The latter group is owned by Carson Tahoe Regional HealthCare and Physicians Select Management; the former by Drs. John Cassani, Edward Simon and Newton Yco. Eastern Sierra Medical Group owns four clinics, two of which are urgent care facilities.

The firm that is chosen will supply urgent care, family medicine and dental services.

Neither of the two agencies included dental services in their care options, but both said they would hire a dentist after the selection is made.

The district, however, has decided to advertise separately for dentists.

Both firms have pledged to have a licensed physician on duty all six days the clinic is opened. Northern Nevada Urgent Care will include a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant and the Eastern Sierra Medical Group will offer a physician's assistant as needed.

Both groups will provide service Monday through Saturday, though their hours would differ.

The two service providers would both accept Medicare and Medicaid patients, and make arrangements for low-income patients; Eastern Sierra with a sliding scale and Northern Nevada offering a voucher program.

-- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

Two plans

Eastern Sierra Medical Group is offering:

• Hours would be 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, with possible extended hours on Monday.

• A licensed physician on-site all six days.

• A physicians assistant will be available as needed.

• Phlebotomy, X-ray, EKG, Spirometry, Holter monitoring, suturing and casting services.

• Contract with Medicare, Medicaid, Nevada Check-up and a sliding fee scale.

• Will pay $1 per square foot rent with a five-year lease.

• Will pay own utilities.

• Will employ a dental hygienist by June 1, and a dentist after a contract is signed.

Med Direct/Northern Nevada Urgent Care is offering:

• Hours would be 9 a.m-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, with Urgent Care Services available from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 6 am.-5 p.m. Saturdays.

• A licensed physician at the clinic every day.

• A certified nurse practitioner or physicians assistant will be at the clinic every day.

• Med Direct would contract with Medicare, Medicaid, TriCare and most insurance companies. It would also provide care to those who cannot afford it through a voucher program.

• All medical equipment as well as an automated external defibrillator would be provided, some current equipment replaced.

• X-ray unit and developer would be upgraded.

• Specialists such as cardiologists would be provided on an as-needed basis.

• A community outreach program would be implemented.

• Regular health fairs would be conducted.

• Dental clinic would be staffed.