Tandigm Health Announces Scholars Program

PHILADELPHIA, July 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tandigm Health today announced the creation of The Tandigm Scholars Program, a nonprofit which will provide financial assistance to primary care physicians who have significant educational debt. The Tandigm Scholars Program, which is awarding its first five scholarships, is Tandigm Health's latest effort to support primary care physicians. Up to five scholarships will be awarded each year to new doctors joining Tandigm Health practices to encourage more medical students to practice primary care medicine.

Each Tandigm Scholar will be awarded $20,000 per year for three years, totaling $60,000. The scholarships will be used to specifically offset existing educational debt.

The five primary care physicians receiving the awards are:

• Dr. Patti Anolik: Newtown Medical Group, Newtown, PA
• Dr. Kathryn Bowry: North Willow Grove Family Medicine, Willow Grove, PA
• Dr. Natalie McGann: TriValley Primary Care, Franconia, PA
• Dr. Sneh Patel: PMA Medical Specialists, Phoenixville, PA
• Dr. David Verbofsky: Ninth Street Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

"Primary care is in serious need of new physicians," said Dr. Anthony Coletta, President and CEO of Tandigm Health. "We want to support primary care doctors by not only providing them with the tools and data needed to better serve their patients, but also the assistance to recruit and retain top-tier primary care physicians. We are thrilled that the new Tandigm Scholars Program will help Tandigm Health practices recruit new doctors who can bring primary care back to the center of health care delivery."

According to The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges in 2015, projected shortfalls in primary care nationally will range between 12,500 and 31,100 physicians by 2025. With the significant cost of medical school and the subsequent numerous years of lower-paid training needed to become a primary care physician, The Tandigm Scholars Program will reward new physicians for entering this high-demand field, while also helping them to succeed by easing the burden of educational costs.

"Becoming a primary care physician has been a passion of mine since I entered medical school because I believe it's a field where you can best connect with patients in a meaningful and long lasting way," said Dr. Patti Anolik, a new family physician with the Newtown Medical Group. "I'm excited and fortunate to be practicing medicine in the town where I grew up. I am grateful to be a part of The Tandigm Scholars Program."

Funds to grant the scholarships to qualified physicians come from donations to The Tandigm Scholars Program. Tandigm intends to fund up to three "classes" of five Scholars annually, for a total of up to 15 Scholars each year. Based in West Conshohocken, PA, Tandigm Health was formed in April 2014 by affiliates Independence Blue Cross and DaVita HealthCare Partners DVA, to enable primary care physicians in its network to provide superior care to patients, emphasizing the quality of care, not the quantity of care..

For additional information about Tandigm Health, please visit tandigmhealth.com.

About Tandigm Health

In April 2014, affiliates of Independence Blue Cross and DaVita HealthCare Partners joined together to form Tandigm Health, LLC. Tandigm Health is a unique company that draws on the expertise of Independence, one of the country's largest, most innovative Blue insurers, and DaVita HealthCare Partners, a nationally recognized leader of physician-centric care, in creating a network of physicians that are dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable health care in Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Tandigm Health enables the primary care physicians in its network to provide superior care to patients, emphasizing the quality of care, not the quantity of care. For more information please visit tandigmhealth.com.