- October 19, 2022
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Even with 4.5 feet of flooding from Hurricane Helene, Reed Medical Group did not miss a day of work during back-to-back hurricanes.
During house calls to its patients the week before Hurricane Milton came, Dr. James Reed and his staff pondered where they would call home after losing about 90% of everything from their clinic.
Dr. Daren Spinelle, the former concierge doctor at the Medical Suite at The Paradise Center, felt similarly to Reed Medical Group after losing his home in the north end of the island. His displacement from his home caused him to feel unsure about continuing his practice at The Paradise Center.
These situations led Reed and Amy Steinhauser, executive director of The Paradise Center, to have an idea. He had recently chatted with Steinhauser about becoming a sponsor of The Paradise Center, but the building they lost in the hurricane solidified their permanent partnership.
Reed Medial Group is now the full-time resident of the Medical Suite of The Paradise Center. Together, the two organizations plan to fundraise to purchase the Tidewell Foundation building. Reed and Steinhauser hope the center will become the hub for health and wellness on Longboat Key.
“Our visions align so well, so this is really the best thing for both of us,” said Steinhauser, “I think it is the perfect thing to merge all of the wellness services to support our community in the best way. Our plan together is to garner the support of Longboat Key so that his practice and The Paradise Center can thrive here for a long time.”
Without Spinelle’s practice at the Medical Suite, Reed Medical Group will become the primary concierge medical services on the island with the goal of making healthcare more accessible to residents. Spinelle will be moving on as a mobile doctor, which will allow him to see his Longboat patients at the Medical Suite when needed.
Along with his primary care services, Reed said patients will have their pick of medical specialists thanks to Spinelle's carefully curated staff. Patients will have access to dermatology, chiropractic care, audiology, physical therapy, hormone replacement therapy and lifestyle medicine.
“The thought is this to be a home for health professionals to cross paths,” said Reed. “A lot of health problems can be handled by good primary care, but we have connections with the best specialists in town. There are also things we can’t do that Paradise Center programs will be able to fill, such as yoga and tai chi, as well as grief groups and socialization that we want to build on.”
Through this partnership, Reed also hopes to expand social opportunities for his patients to mingle and build community. He has started brainstorming with Steinhauser on different events they want to host and start support groups such as bereavement groups. To celebrate their partnership, a VIP reception will be hosted in January as the start of this new era for both teams.
Reed Medical Group started work in the Paradise Medical Suite the week after Hurricane Milton with a booked day of appointments for Monday, Oct. 21. With their hopeful purchase of the building, Reed Medical and The Paradise Center are excited to use the Tidewell offices to expand their programs and health opportunities for residents.
Paradise Center Wellness Director Debby Debile said the environment was already abuzz with the newness and hope from this alliance. It was the positivity they needed after going through the craziness of the hurricane season.
“After the hurricane, everybody's been separated and trying to find what's the next move,” said Angie Weaver, director of patient operations for Reed Medical Group. “I feel like this will bring people together and bring something uplifting to the community. It shows resilience for Longboat that we’re getting back up on our feet. We still have hope for this community. There's still a lot that we have to offer.”
