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One-Stop Quality Medical Care - with a 15-Minute Maximum Wait!

By Kathy Watterson

Would you like to see your doctor without waiting a long time, especially when you're sick or in pain and suffering from the anxiety of facing the unknown? And do you wish you could have all your tests and procedures done at just one location, without the added hassles of getting directions, fighting traffic and dealing with strangers at a time when you're least able to cope?

Now you can.

At Sahara Medical Center, which opened in May, Dr. Ali R. Arbabi has seen to it that you won't be kept waiting more than 15 minutes. Nor will you have to leave the premises for most tests and procedures. Full blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound, echocardiography, osteoporosis screening, lung function tests and bone density evaluation are just some of the many services offered at the center. You can also schedule physical therapy or acupuncture treatments under the same roof.

Dr. Arbabi offers family and primary care, with an emphasis on geriatrics. Jeffrey L. Brown, D.O., a specialist in osteopathy, also practices at the center, which is located at 3013 W. Sahara Ave., two blocks west of the Palace Station Hotel/Casino.

The staff includes board-certified technicians and nurses.

Open Monday though Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Sundays), the 3,500- square-foot center is capable of accommodating 50-60 patients per day, and no patient ever has to wait for an appointment, even if the office is busy. "We remain open after hours if necessary," explained Eric Avakian, the facility's office manager.

Avakian said the minimal wait and extraordinarily well-equipped office make medical care far less stressful for patients.

"We have all the equipment, so we can do most tests right here, from x-rays to echocardiography, ultrasound, and pre-screening for stroke and osteoporosis," Avakian said. "Very few offices have such a comprehensive inventory of top-of-the-line equipment. And we'll soon offer MRIs as well."

Avakian said the center is in the process of adding more specialties: cardiology, neurology and podiatry, to name a few. The idea is to offer a smorgasbord of quality medical services while promising patients minimal waiting time and the ability to schedule most of their tests and procedures on the same premises.

Happily, all this added convenience comes at a reasonable cost.

"Fees at Sahara Medical Center are lower than most, and we're credentialed with most health insurance companies," Avakian said. "We accept Medicare and Medicaid, of course, and we also offer payment plans."

He said expansion plans are well under way. "In November, we'll be opening a second location at Flamingo and Eastern, near Desert Spring Hospital," Avakian said. "We'll be able to do colonoscopies there, and we're also adding a gynecologist."

Dr. Arbabi is a graduate of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and did his residency at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, also located in Houston. He moved to Las Vegas in 2004. For more information, call 362-3322.