Dr. George Rapier founded WellMed in 1990 with a simple idea – provide better care to older adults so the sick become well, so the healthy remain in good health, and so all patients live the best quality of life possible.
WellMed’s beginnings were stirred as much by frustration as inspiration.
“When I founded this company in 1990, I had already been in practice for 10 years and basically had reached a point of frustration, because at the time, the entire focus of the health care system was on fixing what was broken,” Dr. Rapier said. “There was essentially no focus on prevention, and there was really no focus on helping people live better lives.”
Dr. Rapier built a team that has been dedicated to changing health care for the better. WellMed is a leader in keeping people healthier. We’re a proud medical group that focuses on high-value and preventive care. Our doctors empower patients to live healthier through the support of an entire medical team that works together to provide the best care possible.
Today, WellMed is a network of more than 18,000+ staff and contracted primary care physicians, hospitalists, specialists and advanced practice clinicians who excel in caring for more than 640,000 patients across Texas and Florida.
WellMed has remained true to its core values as a physician-led medical group that remains committed to the doctor-patient relationship. While WellMed specializes in care for older adults, particularly those with Medicare, the growing health care company continues to expand its nationally recognized model to provide care for more than 250,000 adult patients in the commercial population, ages 18 to 64.
We specialize in proactive, preventive health care. We want to keep our patients healthy and reduce hospital visits. Doctors and staff regularly review patient medical history to see how they are doing. The goal is to help keep them from getting sick so they can focus on better things. Physicians practicing in our model have the potential to see fewer patients each day so they take the time to be thorough, answer all questions and explain test results.
WellMed provides special care for a patient’s unique needs, whether it is getting a chronic condition under control, or struggling with more severe or life-threatening illnesses. WellMed’s carefully designed care programs and health coaches work with patients to understand their lifestyle and help make adjustments to better treat their condition. They build a special care plan based on unique health needs, preferences and lifestyle. This earns patient trust, and translates to lower overall health care costs as patients are less likely to be admitted to urgent care or the emergency room.
WellMed recognizes that care does not begin and end in the exam room. We help connect qualifying patients with social and financial assistance programs. Through our partnership with the nonprofit WellMed Charitable Foundation, we support robust senior centers in several communities that provide social, physical and emotional support for older adults, at no cost.
In 2017, WellMed earned the Gold Seal of Approval for Ambulatory Health Care from The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting health care body. WellMed also received the Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) Certification, an additional designation earned by select ambulatory health care organizations. These recognitions help validate WellMed’s commitment to patient safety and satisfaction.
Through all of this and more, we believe we are living up to the WellMed vision to change the face of health care delivery for the nation.
You can learn more about WellMed by visiting their website, where you can also find a provider near you.