Our History
MCA is a team of health care professionals and staff dedicated to serving patients for their primary care and certain specialty needs. In addition to internists, a family practitioner, a physician’s assistant and nurse practitioner, our staff includes three pulmonary specialists, a dermatologist, and a dermatologist nurse practitioner. We also have an onsite Research and Clinical Trials Department. MCA Research explores some of the most up to date treatment options and provides patients an opportunity to participate in clinical trials.
Our Mission
MCA is open 7 days a week (excluding holidays). We have physician's on call 24 hours a day for emergency and hospital care. At Memorial Clinical Associates, we strive to provide the highest standard of health care that our community deserves. As our healthcare system creates increasing challenges for patients and doctors, we remain focused on serving the needs of our patients.
20 Years of Success Success of 20-Year Doctor-Partner Practice Result of Team Approach and Focus on True Patient-Centered Care
Memorial Clinical Associates doctors unique in following patients from diagnosis through treatment - In an industry known for restricting access to doctors and undermining relationships between health providers and patients, Memorial Clinical Associates (MCA), located at 1140 Business Center Drive (77043) near I-10 and the Beltway, takes a very different approach to delivering health services.
Since the practice started in 1989 with Dr. Franco and Dr. Pohil, both specialists in internal medicine and pulmonary issues, the doctor-partners decided that they would employ a more personal style in treating patients. Today, MCA is a relatively large full-service primary care practice consisting of eight doctor-partners whose practices span across multiple disciplines, including dermatology, internal medicine, critical care, pulmonary disease, diabetes treatment and prevention, sleep medicine and family practice. Two nurse practitioners and several other medical staff support those practices.
While a lot of doctors build barriers between themselves and their patients, the MCA doctors have built a thriving business by committing their focus to the patient. "This is a small community and we see these people at the grocery store, church, and while we're out walking our dogs," said Roger Schultz, MD, who joined the practice in 1991. According to Dr. Schultz, 21 of the 22 families that live on the street where he lives use him as their primary care physician. He added, "The doctors here take care of each other, and each other's patients, as though they were family."
The MCA team also has avoided a common problem among doctor-partners at other facilities - complications stemming from differences in management styles. MCA employs a full-time managing director, Timothy Thomas, who has been with the group since 1995 and who is responsible for all operational, human resources, and other administrative aspects of the business.
"Full-service primary care practices with this many doctor-partners are extremely rare, especially when you consider Memorial Clinical Associates' long-standing track record," said Thomas. "Very few medical professionals practice this way and are available to their patients all the time - this is a very special group of doctors who operate their business according to very strong personal principles."
The doctors at MCA are hospitalists, so instead of just diagnosing patients and directing them to other doctors at hospitals for surgery and treatment, they follow their patients all the way from initial diagnosis through treatment, whatever that may entail. And the office includes an Infusion Suite, where patients in need can receive intravenous antibiotics or be rehydrated without having to be admitted.
The Infusion Suite saves patients time as well as money and allows their primary care doctor to maintain a consistent care protocol.
As a further demonstration of its care for patients MCA involves patients who cannot otherwise afford the necessary medications in pharmaceutical studies that relate to their specific conditions.
Perhaps most unique to the practice is MCA's Wellness Center, which provides a variety of preventive care options for patients. Experts in exercise physiology help patients with cholesterol-lowering strategies, post-surgery rehabilitation regimens, and weight loss programs. Because the Wellness Center primarily serves those 65 years of age and older, patients often find that social opportunities result from their involvement.
Memorial Clinical Associates is a full-service primary care practice consisting of eight providers:
- Dr. Roger Schultz - Internal Medicine
- Dr. Richard Pohil - Internal Medicine/Pulmonary Disease
- Dr. Lisa Hitchins - Dermatology
- Dr. Miguel Franco - Internal Medicine/Pulmonary Disease
- Dr. Marsha Hughart - Internal Medicine
- Dr. John Levins - Internal Medicine
- Dr. Craig Jefferies - Family Practice
- Dr. Bhakti Gidvani - Internal Medicine/Critical Care/Pulmonary Disease/Sleep Medicine