Paramus, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/08/2010 -- At a time when Congress is debating over how to radically overhaul the nation’s health care system, a local businesswoman and emergency room physician will open a new solution for New Jersey’s ailing health care system. Doctors Express, the first national urgent care franchise, will open in Paramus and redefine the patient experience by eliminating long waits associated with doctor’s office or emergency room visits. The franchise owners will use a business approach to deliver affordable, efficient, non emergency treatment to almost anyone who walks in. The Doctors Express franchise system is gaining national headlines for its unique franchise concept that will do for urgent care, what, say, Pearle Vision did for glasses. (See USA Today article on Doctors Express) http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2009-07-12-doctors-express-franchise_N.htm

The Paramus Doctors Express walk-in medical center differs because under one roof, experienced physicians will diagnose and treat illnesses as well as x-ray and set broken bones. The centers also include a pharmacy and on-site labs that give quick test results for mono and strep. Plus, the average wait time to see a physician is only 15 – 20 minutes.

Local owners Jennifer Castelano, a former corporate HR manager, and Dr. Robert Malizia, a Princeton graduate and ER physician at Elizabeth’s Trinitas Regional Medical Center, will use their business and medical acumen to run the center with red carpet customer service as their number one priority.

“New Jersey needs a fresh approach to medical service and we feel with my business background and Dr. Malizia’s medical experience we can provide a new solution with Doctors Express,” says Jennifer Castelano who plans to open several more centers in New Jersey. “Patients want to get treated by experienced physicians without sitting all day in a waiting room. We believe Doctors Express is an efficient, low-cost health care solution that will improve access to quality medical care though out the state.”

Doctors Express was originally founded by an emergency room physician and two business executives in Towson, Maryland. After they developed a successful business model, they started to franchise with some forty four territories awarded to date. The long term goal is to have some 3,000 centers across the nation, with the Doctors Express logo recognizable no matter where you travel in the U.S.

“So far, Doctors Express franchise owners typically come from corporate America, with a medical background not necessary, but certainly helpful, says Doctors Express franchise CEO Peter Ross. “People like Jennifer Castelano with good management and business skills can efficiently run a medical center because she’s used to managing people in a high paced business environment. The medical industry definitely needs this.”

Consider this:
- 46 million Americans (1/6 of the population) do not have medical insurance and many do not have a primary physician of choice.
- The American Medical Association reports it takes an average of 18 days to get an appointment with an internist and 30 days for an appointment with a specialist.
- A study by the Physicians Foundation found the number of primary care physicians is shrinking because nearly ½ of our nation’s primary care docs, including pediatricians plan to stop practicing or reduce the number of patients they see over the next 3 years.
- The CDC attributes the increase in ER visits partly to the difficulty patients have getting an appointment with their primary physician.

The Doctors Express Difference
- All patients are handled in a single visit: initial doctor’s exam, lab work, x-rays, bone setting, minor surgical procedures and medication dispensing.
- Every patient is seen by experienced physicians who are trained to handle severity of illnesses from Level 1 – Level 4.
- Services are affordable and most insurance, including Medicare, is accepted.

The Doctors Express Paramus Urgent Care Center will open January 2010 at 67 East Ridgewood Avenue in the Gurland Plaza. Hours Open : Monday 8a.m. – 10p.m., Tuesday-Friday 8a.m. to 8p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9a.m. to 6 p.m.

Doctors Express is a full 4 stage urgent care facility with physicians on staff during all business hour. We provide state- of- the- art treatment for acute illness, trauma and sports injuries (including minor surgical procedures) and even have an onsite x-ray service and in-house pharmacy. Pre-employment physicals, drug screening and treatment of work related injuries are also available to local employers. Visit http://www.DoctorsExpress.com.