OPINION: PROHEALTH ON PATH TO MAKE CT HEALTHIER

James McDuffie, 76, of New Haven had trouble navigating the health care system because he can't read or write. But when he was paired with ProHealth Physicians Care Coordinator Joanne Foss, things turned around. She helped him get additional Medicare benefits he didn't know he was eligible for because he couldn't read about all his options.

Dr. Angelee Carta, of ProHealth Physicians in Manchester, had been caring for patient Valerie for 35 years when she noticed Valerie slipping into depression after her husband was diagnosed with leukemia. As a part of Optum, ProHealth Physicians offer patients such as Valerie easy access to mental health services through an innovative program that embeds mental health professionals in primary care clinics.

These are just two examples of the many stories of the local caring providers who go above and beyond every day and the patients who benefit from it. As a part of Optum, ProHealth Physicians invest in our communities because they are backed by extensive resources to provide wrap-around services and focus on delivering healthy outcomes to our friends, loved ones and neighbors throughout Connecticut.

A part of Connecticut communities since 1997, ProHealth Physicians serves 325,000 patients across the state, providing adult, family and pediatric care. Its clinician-led, community-based model is designed to deliver personal, proactive, and constant care, ensuring every patient receives the attention and support they need to thrive.

At the heart of ProHealth Physicians' approach is a commitment to early intervention. In the past year alone, we have screened over 90,000 patients for colon cancer, more than 40,000 for breast cancer and over 190,000 for depression - demonstrating a relentless focus on catching problems early, when they are most treatable.

To further support healthy outcomes, we continually invest in our community practices to provide state-of-the-art care with the latest health advancements. Just last summer, we opened a beautiful new facility in Bristol, prioritizing our patient experiences with things such as noise-reducing technology to keep the lobby quiet and peaceful, a new infusion suite and specially designed care team spaces where your clinicians collaborate to deliver excellent care with the best outcomes.

Health care is complex, and we don't have all the answers, but our teams are working tirelessly for our communities to make the state healthier. We should be working hand-in-hand across the state toward this shared goal and allowing large group practices to be a part of the conversation and a strong resource for our communities. It benefits us all.

Dr. Carlos Valentin is primary care physician at Wallingford Family Practice and medical director of Population Health at ProHealth Physicians.

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2026-01-14T10:01:35Z