“Even despite a mishap due to Zocdoc not checking with the office to make sure the appointments that Zocdoc wrongfully claimed the office had, the clinicians here were able to see my dad the same day. The service here is fast, friendly and professional.”
Tanima Hasan, Patient's daughter
Google review, June 2026
Challenge
For a clinician, timely access shapes everything that follows. A patient who cannot be seen delays evaluation, and conditions such as infections, injuries and flu are the kind where prompt assessment matters.
Solution
KEL Healthcare Medical Services structures its clinics for this situation. Acute care covers infections, injuries, flu and sudden illness, with same-day evaluation and treatment. Walk-ins are welcome at all four locations in Woodside, Staten Island, Wading River and Brooklyn, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Results
Tanima's father was evaluated the day he arrived, with no second trip. She described the service in a public review as "fast, friendly and professional." KEL's owner replied within two days, thanked her, and promised to share her shout-out with Lucinda and the rest of the team.
Access is the first step of care
The national picture is difficult. AMN Healthcare's Merritt Hawkins 2022 survey of 15 large U.S. cities found an average wait of 26 days for a new-patient physician appointment, up from 21 days in 2004. New York was the shortest in the survey at 17.4 days, still well over two weeks.
When care cannot wait, patients often turn to the emergency department. Texas A&M researchers report that nearly 40 percent of ER visits are not medical emergencies, and a separate analysis estimated that 13.7 to 27.1 percent could be treated at urgent care or retail clinics. That analysis put the potential saving at roughly $4.4 billion a year if suitable visits moved to lower-cost settings.
Tanima Hasan met this problem directly. She booked her father's visit through Zocdoc, a third-party scheduling platform. By her account, the platform listed appointments the office did not actually have because it never confirmed availability with the practice.
Same-day evaluation built into the practice
On-site diagnostics support those decisions. Laboratory work, EKG and rapid tests let clinicians gather information during the visit rather than sending patients elsewhere first. Referral services coordinate care with a trusted specialist network while the primary care team stays involved. Care is guided by current clinical research and national guidelines, and results are explained in plain language.
Results
Beyond one visit, the review adds to the 486+ verified reviews behind KEL's 4.9 out of 5 Google rating.
A clinical perspective on same-day access
A booking error is an administrative failure, but for the patient it can become a clinical one if it delays assessment. KEL's clinicians treat the schedule as a tool rather than a barrier. When a patient arrives, the question is what that patient needs, and the team works to answer it that day.
Same-week primary care appointments across all four locations support the same approach. Patients who need routine or follow-up care can be scheduled promptly, and those with urgent concerns do not have to choose between waiting and the ER.
Continuity matters too. A patient seen promptly for an acute concern can be folded into ongoing care, with chronic disease management, preventive screenings and referrals available if the visit reveals a wider need.
What patients can take from this
If a booking falls through, call or walk in. KEL's team will work to see you. Providers include Dr. Amara Osei, MD, FAAFP, the medical director, and Dr. Karl E. Latortue, MD, an internist with more than 20 years of experience, together with the practice's nurse practitioners.
