ABERDEEN – Season 15 American Idol finalist, Gianna Isabella, was among the community members who welcomed Aberdeen’s new American Family Care (AFC) Urgent Care practice during the facility’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 15.
Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, Monmouth County Freeholders, Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso and representatives of AFC Urgent Care welcomed the walk-in medical facility to Aberdeen that day.
The facility is located at 1140 Route 34 in Aberdeen.
According to a press release issued by the practice, “AFC urgent care center provides a comprehensive suite of medical services that save families time and money. The center is staffed with skilled medical professionals who are deeply committed to providing outstanding medical care.”
Presenting remarks to officials and members of the public, Albert Saad, CEO of AFC Urgent Care, said the opening of the walk-in medical practice “was the culmination of a lot of hard work.”
“We don’t sell a product,” Saad said. “We sell a service … “Lacerations, coughs, colds, bruises, cuts or infections, please come see us … We are going to take really good care of our patients.”
Saad the practice that is open seven days a week provides treatment for patients with non-life threatening injuries and minor ailments.
Saad said the practice strictly hires board certified physicians. He said an on-site “moderately complex lab,” full scope digital x-rays, state-of-the-art diagnostics and routine heath exams are among the services the medical practice offers patients.
“You always will know that you will be treated by a knowledgable and experienced medical professional,” Saad said.
In an interview, Dr. Avery Browne, Medical Director at AFC Urgent Care, was asked if medical professionals conduct cardiac exams during routine sports physicals.
Professionals who conduct cardiac exams could detect ailments such as Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) – a disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick and could result in cardiac arrest or death, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
According to the organization, “HCM is the most common cause of sudden death in young competitive athletes and pre-participation screening programs have to be implemented to avoid these tragic fatalities.”
“We try to prevent Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” Browne said. “We start off with family history. This is very important because (the disease) is genetically linked. From there, if there is any history that indicates heart attack or death from a heart attack under the age of 50, that triggers a more extensive electrocardiogram (EKG).
“If (a patient’s) history is negative, then we go to a basic physical exam,” Browne continued, noting that an EKG is not performed unless a heart murmur is detected in the patient. He said certain murmurs require different medical exams.
A team physician for William Patterson University in Wayne, Browne said “he follows the standard guideline for precautions” when conducting sports related physicals.