2006 Priority Health Quality Award Winner

Michael G. Marcotte, MD, PC
"One of the advantages of being a solo physician, small pediatric office is that the lines of communication with the families are wide open," Dr. Michael Marcotte, pediatrician, says.

As one of two solo practitioners to win Quality Awards, he enjoys the freedom and flexibility of his practice. With just four staff members, including office manager and wife Trinh Marcotte, Dr. Marcotte believes that in his case, a small staff helps track and address parents' questions and concerns quickly, if not instantaneously. Any changes in care or treatment are communicated to staff immediately. And this small staff, which cares for nearly 800 Priority Health members, is very tightly knit.

"There's a good flow here," says Certified Medical Assistant Barbara Kozachik. "We all pitch in where we're needed."

In addition to maintaining a hardworking, motivated staff, each weekend, Dr. Marcotte reviews the charts for the following week. The combined thoroughness of physician and staff helped the practice achieve outstanding scores on two key quality measures: "timeliness of returned phone calls" and "childhood immunizations."

A focus on "customer service" is something very important to Trinh Marcotte, who handles all of the office business. It^'s evident from the moment you enter the waiting room, which Trinh decorated with vivid, primary colors.

"When a patient walks in, they feel like we work with them on a personal level," Trinh says. "You're not just a number, and that's so important to me."