By Jan Landon
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Health care is just down the hall at Tallgrass Creek. The medical center is easily accessible and available to all residents.

“We spend a lot of time listening to each patient and looking at the situation as a whole,” says Dr. Austin Welsh, the doctor at Tallgrass Creek. “We don’t believe in providing care separate from the patient’s surroundings. There is a team of people—nurses, social workers, nutritionists, therapists, and others—who contribute to the whole approach.”

Put to the test
The community has been open since last fall, so how do residents feel about the medical center now?

They give rave reviews. Convenience, friendliness of the staff, and the amount of time Dr. Welsh spends with patients during appointments come up again and again.

“The medical center is excellent,” says Bob Altland, who transferred from a doctor he had been going to for 20 years. “It’s very convenient. I think Dr. Welsh is a mighty fine fella and a good listener.”

Dr. Welsh, who moved to Overland Park from Springdale, Ark., is board certified in family practice and geriatric medicine.

Taking time to care
“It’s great,” Larry Hanna says. “He’s available and his prescriptions are in order. He’s very thorough and the medical center is close by.”

On-site, full-time doctors who work for Erickson Retirement Communities have an average of 19 years of experience. And even if residents want to keep seeing their own physicians, they can still  use the medical center for services like lab work or urgent visits.

“It’s fantastic,” Norma Farber says. “Dr. Welsh is fabulous. I have been there a lot. I like the convenience and the 24-7 medical care. When I wasn’t feeling well, the entire staff of Tallgrass was involved. It was very reassuring.”