Access to high-quality health care is important, which is why having a comprehensive primary care network close to home is so vital to employee health and lower health-care costs.
UPMC Hamot, with its extensive number of primary care providers (PCPs), which includes family medicine physicians and internal medicine physicians, delivers exactly this type of care, benefiting employees, their families and employers throughout the region.
With this trusted network, UPMC Hamot is committed to supporting the health of employees and their families at every stage of life. By providing employees with consistent, preventive and ongoing care, UPMC’s services offer significant advantages for both workers and employers alike.
Employees who maintain good health through regular checkups and screenings are less likely to miss work due to illness or long-term medical conditions. With fewer sick days and more consistent attendance, employees can contribute more to their teams, benefiting the overall productivity of the business.
Kim Boyles, executive administrator of UPMC Hamot’s Primary Care Network, knows all too well the benefits of having access to such PCPs. She oversees UPMC Hamot’s urgent care facility in Erie and 22 primary care offices, which include more than 400 providers and staff, stretching from Interstate 80 in Clarion County north to Erie.
“Primary care is the gatekeeper to all health care and overall health management,” explains Boyles. “Primary care is really about patients playing an active role in their health care, which can lead to early detection of health problems. You’re getting comprehensive care because that physician or provider knows not only your medical history, but also your personal history. They also know a patient’s social determinants, whether you can afford medications, what your housing status is, what your transportation situation is.”
According to Boyles, whether someone is sick or not, choosing a PCP is a good first step.
“Your overall health should always start with your primary care provider,” she says. “You need to have a relationship with your physician. It’s essential. Take charge of your health and schedule that visit. Our network offers same-day access, and we are here to support the community.”
Which PCP is Right for You?
A cornerstone of UPMC Hamot’s Primary Care Network is its array of primary care physicians. Family physicians are specially trained to care for patients of all ages, from infants and children to adults and seniors. Their ability to treat a wide range of health concerns for the whole family is invaluable for employers who want to support their employees’ well-being both at home and at work.
Julia Rodi, M.D., is one of the new primary care physicians in the Erie area. A native of Brazil, she received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed her residency at Saint Vincent Family Medicine Center. In August, Rodi joined Your Hometown Health Partners in Millcreek Township and is affiliated with UPMC Hamot.
At Your Hometown Health Partners, Rodi is one of five primary care physicians and five advanced practice providers (APP) in the practice. The providers take a holistic approach to health care, offering routine checkups, vaccinations, preventive screenings and health counseling to keep patients healthy and to help ward off serious conditions from developing.
“As family medicine doctors, we can offer the full spectrum of care, and we’re also very outpatient focused,” she says.
For parents, a family medicine physician can be a great place to turn for pediatric care — everything from childhood illnesses to immunizations. For adults, family medicine physicians also handle general wellness and chronic conditions, and help patients stay on track with health goals.
These primary care physicians build relationships with patients, gaining a deep understanding of their medical history and personal health needs. This familiarity helps them catch potential health issues early, offer personalized advice and provide preventive care that reduces the risk of more serious health conditions later in life.
According to Rodi, it’s not only physicians but a team of medical professionals and staff who play a key role in a patient’s care.
“We have medical assistants and nurses and even some of our APPs who have been here for many years, so it’s not just the physicians seeing the patients,” adds Rodi. “It’s the whole office that really is a part of the community of care.”
Internal Medicine
While family medicine physicians offer care for patients of all ages, internal medicine physicians — or internists — specialize in the care of adults, particularly those dealing with complex or chronic health conditions. Most general internal medicine physicians provide care for their patients in an outpatient setting and may also follow their patients when hospitalized.
David Hutzel, M.D., who specializes in internal medicine, is one of eight physicians at Greenfield Internal Medicine in Erie and is affiliated with UPMC Hamot. He completed his residency at Portsmouth Naval Hospital and medical degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and has nearly 30 years of experience in the medical field.
According to Hutzel, as people age, their health-care needs often become more specialized. Internal medicine physicians help patients maintain their health, reduce the risk of complications, and ensure that treatment plans are comprehensive and effective. This ongoing care is crucial for maintaining employee productivity and preventing absenteeism due to unmanaged health issues.

“I had one patient — a big, strong, blue-collar worker — who never complained and came in for what sounded like a simple cold. When I listened to him, I knew something was wrong. Turns out, he had not just a cold, but lymphoma,” he says. “By seeing these patients for so many years and knowing their history, when something is significantly wrong, it becomes much more obvious much more quickly.”
Internal medicine physicians also coordinate care with specialists, as necessary. For example, if a patient requires cardiology care for heart disease, the internal medicine physician works in tandem with cardiologists to ensure the patient receives timely treatment. This level of coordinated care helps prevent miscommunication and ensures that the patient’s health is managed comprehensively.
Since Hamot’s merger with UPMC in 2011, there has been a greater number of subspecialists from the Pittsburgh area providing electronic consultations and seeing patients as part of a referral. Many of those specialists now come to Erie on a routine basis, allowing more patients to stay closer to home for care.
“We can’t handle everything, but we’re all in the same system,” says Hutzel. “So, when my patients do go down to UPMC Presbyterian or UPMC Passavant, their medical records are all there, and there’s no duplication of tests.”
Prevention is Key
One of the most significant benefits of UPMC’s provider network is its focus on preventive care. Routine checkups, vaccinations, screenings — particularly for breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and heart disease — and lifestyle counseling can help conditions from becoming more serious.

For example, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and early-stage diabetes can often be managed with lifestyle changes and medication when detected early. Physicians offer regular screenings to catch these conditions early, reducing the likelihood of more serious health complications, such as heart disease or stroke, which can help keep employees healthy at work.
“We will get patients who haven’t seen a doctor for 30 years come in and they tell you, ‘I have no medical conditions,’ only to find out they have 10 medical conditions they just didn’t know about,” says Rodi. “It is really important to come to your annual physicals to make sure that you’re getting your preventive health care. It is our role as a family physician to catch a medical condition early before it really becomes a problem that spirals out of control.”
For example, when pap smears were implemented, cervical cancer incidence rates fell by a half from the 1970s through the 2000s. “Just think about all the lives that were saved, all the morbidity and mortality that was prevented just by doing that,” says Rodi. “We’re checking: Are you up to date on your mammograms, your colonoscopies? If you smoke, can we help you stop smoking? Have you had your CAT scans to check for lung cancer? We’re going through a whole list based on your age and your risk factors to see what could be going on. We’re also asking what risk factors you might have based on your lifestyle. Are you eating the way you should be eating? Are you exercising? And how can we help you do that in a way that’s going to be sustainable and that’s going to work for your lifestyle.”
“Sometimes getting somebody’s diabetes under control might take two or three years where it might take three or five years to get somebody off cigarettes and get their emphysema under control,” adds Hutzel. “Or it might take even longer to get somebody off alcohol or drugs. We are here for the long game; our victories are sort of won over time.”
Employers can take an active role in promoting wellness at work to keep their teams healthy and reduce care costs. Hutzel points to discounts on insurance or cash bonuses for smoking cessation and weight-loss challenges as great options for employers. “It does help,” says Hutzel. “They have less people calling off, less recidivism and a more stable workforce when they have a healthier workforce.”
In business, all employees help contribute to their organization’s bottom line, but especially those in key leadership positions. Hutzel also sees patients once a week through UPMC Hamot’s Executive Physicals Program. The program provides comprehensive and thorough preventive health services in a private setting for busy business executives.
All patients in the program receive a personalized written summary of their evaluation from nutrition, hearing and vision, to bloodwork, chest X-rays, stress tests and carotid Doppler ultrasounds, for example. They then receive a summary of their exam, test results and pertinent advice on maintaining optimal health. “It’s really for people who want a very thorough comprehensive evaluation, from head to toe,” says Hutzel.

Greater Access
Access to UPMC’s primary care network also has been made quicker and easier with advances in technology.
At UPMC Hamot, patients have not only in- person access but also 24/7-online access to their PCP office and medical records through the MyUPMC patient portal. The robust portal — accessible via MyUpmc.upmc.com or the MyUPMC App, gives patients access to their own medical record and communication with the providers. They can submit prescription requests, schedule their own appointments — in person or telehealth, when appropriate — review their own test results, lab results and ask questions about medical treatment.
In fact, many physicians dictate their notes right in front of their patients, so patients now hear exactly what’s being entered into their medical record and patient portal.

“I am a very interactive provider, and I like to have the patient involved in their care,” explains Hutzel. “You have back pain or knee pain. Let’s get the X-ray before you come in and look at it together so you can understand why I am referring you to surgery or why I’m referring you to physical therapy.”
Patient education enables individuals to make more informed decisions about their health care.
“It also really empowers patients to develop that relationship with their primary care provider and take an active role in their health care,” says Boyles.
Whether it is in family medicine or internal medicine, physicians say establishing a PCP of record and scheduling a physical exam is a good start.
“It’s sort of like maintaining your car, so it’s not these major adjustments,” says Hutzel. “Get yourself established with a physician that you like and trust. Keep your appointments and follow-ups.”
Instead of looking for a magic pill, Hutzel says patients also need to take personal accountability when it comes to their overall health and discuss topics like exercise, weight loss, smoking, drinking, sexual activity and other lifestyle matters. “I think it’s really important that patients have an open and honest discussion with their physician,” he adds.
As a new provider in the Erie region, Rodi says she is excited about establishing more connections with new patients and their families. “As for employers, I’d encourage them to help employees make time to come to these appointments,” she states. “It’s really important because in the long run, we’re helping prevent them from having issues down the road.”
For more information about UPMC Hamot’s Primary Care Network, visit UPMC.com/EriePC