Your Commonly Asked Questions
"How do I call to request an Emergency Physician House Call™ for Advanced Medical and Surgical Wound Care with Dr. John A. Sterba?"
For the Greater East Aurora Area only, please call (716) 655-6854 (office), (716) 998-7474 (cell), Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
"How convenient are Emergency Physician House Calls™ for Advanced Medical and Surgical Wound care with your PORTABLE ER®?"
From our medical research, within about six minutes Dr. John A. Sterba packs up any additional medical/surgical kits and then conveniently brings the PORTABLE ER® immediately to you in the privacy of your own home. If Dr. Sterba is on another Emergency Physician House Call™, he can expertly triage your problem over-the-cellphone and accurately estimate how quickly he can come to care for you.
From our medical research, it is not medically necessary for 91% of our patients seen by Dr. Sterba on his Emergency Physician House Calls™ with our PORTABLE ER® to ever go to the ER. This helps most of our patients to avoid the time, expense and frustration of going to an over-crowded, under-staffed and expensive hospital ER, and to avoid all exposure to hospital infections published in the medical literature to be coming from being in the ER.
From our first published medical research article: "In conclusion, Physician House Calls using the Community-Based Portable ER provides faster, better and cheaper care – including advanced wound care - when compared to the hospital-based ED or urgent care facility.” (pg. 21, Sterba, JA. Wound Care on the Go. ‘Portable ER’ Allows Physician to Reinvent House Calls. Today’s Wound Clinic. 2012, September: 18-21.)
From this medical research, the time when Dr. Sterba orders his basic or comprehensive blood chemistry test until he clearly explains printed lab results to patients and family members using our portable Point of Care (POC) Blood Chemistry Laboratory is conveniently under 14 minutes (medical research: 13.8 minutes (+ 5.2 minutes (SD), n = 45 patients)).
"Can Dr. Sterba become my Primary Care Physician?"
No. You must have your own Primary Care Physician (PCP).
Dr. Sterba is not a PCP. He is an acute-care medical and surgical specialist of Emergency Medicine and Wound Medicine and Surgery. He does not replace or become your PCP. If you don't have a PCP, Dr. Sterba can recommend local PCPs who are accepting new patients. To help others in our community, if you learn of other PCPs accepting new patients, would you please call Dr. Sterba so he can advise others how to find their PCP? Thank you.
"Who are Emergency Physician, John A. Sterba, M.D., Ph.D., FACEP, FACCWS, and Mrs. Janice E. Sterba?" "What is Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.?"
Dr. John A. Sterba is a Board-Certified medical and surgical acute-care specialist for children and adults through the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery (ABWMS), and the American Board of Urgent Care Medicine (ABUCM). Dr. Sterba is Emergency Medicine Residency-trained in children and adults and is highly trained and experienced in the treatment of illnesses, injuries and wounds for all ages.
Dr. Sterba is a medical doctor (M.D.) and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP) and a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists (FACCWS). Dr. Sterba is medical scientist holding a Ph.D. with Distinction in Physiology specialized in the non-invasive measurements of cardiovascular (heart & blood vessels) and pulmonary (lung) function. He holds two Post-Doctoral Fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, and Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Mrs. Janice E. Sterba is the Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and Medical Transcriptionist Editor. Beginning in 2015, there were five officers in the five-member voting Board of Directors with Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc., including Dr. John A. Sterba, Mrs. Janice E. Sterba, Ms. Tracy L. Lewandowski (Director of Comfort & Caring), Mrs. Cheryl O'Brien (Director of Home Care Services), and Mrs. Kathy Armenat, RN, CPNP (Director of Medical Affairs). In 2022, Mrs. Cheryl O'Brien and Mrs. Kathy Armenat, RN, CPNP retired from our Board of Directors.
In 1993, Dr. Sterba moved to Western New York working as a local Emergency Physician in our hospital Emergency Departments (EDs, commonly called ERs).
In 1998, Dr. Sterba was lead to begin a part-time private medical practice overseas in International Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care Medicine. In 1998, Dr. Sterba received a large grant to conduct medical research in Pediatric Medical Rehabilitation through Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. with Children's Hospital of Buffalo.
From 1998 onward through Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc., Dr. Sterba developed Emergency Physician House Calls™ inventing and Federally Registering the nation's first community-based PORTABLE ER® discussed in "The History of the Portable ER".
In 2015, Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. was awarded an emergency vehicle grant ($122,060.00) from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation of Buffalo to purchase the nation's first prototype Emergency Medicine armored emergency vehicle to transport the PORTABLE ER®. In 2023, Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. was awarded a second emergency vehicle grant ($140,975.00) from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation of Buffalo to purchase a replacement Emergency Medicine armored emergency vehicle to transport the PORTABLE ER®.
Dr. Sterba enjoys teaching patients and their family members in their home. He has been a paid Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine in Western New York through Kaleida Healthcare, Daemen College and D'Youville College. He serves as a community lecturer on Emergency Physician House Calls™ demonstrating the PORTABLE ER® to the public.
Dr. Sterba teaches interested medical students, physicians, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants who request to become fully equipped to start-up their own Physician House Calls. Physicians and mid-level providers are encouraged to please contact Dr. Sterba at PhysicianHouseCalls@roadrunner.com to request an outline of his convenient Take-Home Version of the Seminar, "Practicing Medicine by Physician House Calls", which includes over 180-slides and many handouts (e.g., all CPTs used on Physician House Calls).
Since February 16, 2009, Dr. and Mrs. John and Janice Sterba have successfully operated their growing private medical practice of Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care Medicine for children and adults exclusively by Emergency Physician House Calls™ using the PORTABLE ER®.
As of January 1, 2019, Dr. and Mrs. Sterba have provided over 5,500 Emergency Physician House Calls™ serving all neighbors in the Greater East Aurora, NY Region through Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.
Beginning in the summer of 2019, Dr. Sterba began exclusively providing only Physician Advanced Medical and Surgical Wound Care, at-home, in the Greater East Aurora Area, "caring for those in greater need".™
For more information on Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.,please go to:
Please see our GuideStar Link to Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.:
http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/16-1560404/saved-grace-ministry.aspx#top
On October 12, 2015, Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. became a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Charity, meeting all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Dr. Sterba is a Member of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Clinical Wound Specialists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Greater East Aurora, NY Chamber of Commerce.
"What about medical insurances?"
All the major private medical insurances (BlueCross/BlueShield, Independent Health, Univera, UnitedHealthcare, Empire Plan, others, plus Medicare, Medicaid, and U.S. Military TRICARE) pay and are very supportive for our Emergency Physician House Calls™ with our PORTABLE ER®. We bill medical insurances directly, not patients.
"What do you do with the money?"
All insurance money, all insurance required Co-pays, all insurance high-deductible required payments and all personal tax-deductible donations to "Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc." are used 100% to "care for those in greater need" ™. All donations are payable to "Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc." are tax-deductible with receipts personally given to patients and the end of your Emergency Physician House Call™ or mailed to you.
Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. is a Federal and New York State Public Charity organization like the American Red Cross or Salvation Army, and it is a Federal and New York State Non-Profit (Not-for-Profit) organization.
"Is there Donor Privacy"
Yes, donor privacy is assured, and we maintain no list of any donors.
"Are you cheaper than the expensive hospital ER?"
Yes. We are much cheaper for both advanced surgical wound care and especially for medical care with labs.
From our medical research, the cost of providing advanced surgical wound care at-home billed to medical insurance companies for 45 patients was only 25% of the insurance charge of hospital-based emergency departments (EDs), commonly called ERs.
Our next research study showed the cost of providing medical care with blood chemistry labs done at-home billed to medical insurance companies for 100 patients was only 10% compared to the hospital ERs.
"Does Medicare pay and approve these Emergency Physician House Calls™ using your PORTABLE ER™?"
Yes. Medicare has approved payment to physicians conducting Physician House Calls, called physician "home visits", starting January 1, 1998.
Recently, Dr. Sterba successfully appealed Medicare (Corporate Medical Directors, National Government Services) and won for payment to Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. based upon actual Emergency Physician House Calls™ with the PORTABLE ER® and medical research. More importantly, Dr. Sterba convinced Medicare to start paying all physicians across America for over 300 procedure codes when these surgical skin procedures are conveniently done at-home for patients by Physician House Calls.
"I don't have any health insurance. Will you care for me?"
Yes. Patients are not billed or charged. We encourage donations to "Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.". All donations are tax-deductible and are gratefully appreciated, used 100% to care for those in greater need. This way we are all caring for each other as Good Neighbors.
"How does 'Obamacare' affect Emergency Physician House Calls™ with the PORTABLE ER®?"
By Federal Law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA, commonly called 'Obamacare') will continue to pay for community physicians like Dr. Sterba to conduct Physician House Calls, Trademarked by Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. as Emergency Physician House Calls™ using the nation's first PORTABLE ER®. This is guaranteed by Federal Law.
The U.S. Government has recently announced it is redirecting money away from the more costly hospital-based patient care healthcare systems such as the hospital ER. Local community physicians like Dr. Sterba, who provide more cost-effective, community-centered medical care, will continue to be paid and supported by our U.S. Government and by private insurances even during Healthcare reform.
"Do I have to be labeled, "home-bound" to receive Dr. Sterba's care, like with visiting nurse practitioners?"
No. Elderly and disabled patients do not need to be labeled "home-bound" to be cared for at-home by Dr. Sterba.
Dr. Sterba cares for everyone as a "V.I.N." ("Very Important Neighbor!"), much more important that a V.I.P! We are all commanded by the LORD to love and care for each other as Good Neighbors.
"Does Dr. Sterba coordinate his care with my Family Practice doctor, with my doctors, with my therapists, or if I really have to go to the hospital ER?"
Yes. While at your home or immediately following your Emergency Physician House Call™, Dr. Sterba can call on his cell phone if needed to speak with your Primary Care Physician. He carries an updated list of Primary Care Physicians accepting new patients, and an updated list of all medical and surgical specialists, all therapists, all healthcare services, and regional "Home Care" agencies he knows and approves. This allows Dr. Sterba to personally set up and confirm any needed follow-up appointment or help find you the best physician or therapist to meet your needs.
After your Emergency Physician House Call™ , few patients must still go to the hospital ER for further tests or care, or to be admitted. This is medically necessary 9% of the time, (see Research and Publications), Dr. Sterba, a well respected emergency physician, will then speak directly, doctor-to-doctor, with the hospital "ER doctor", an emergency physician, to arrange your best possible Emergency Medicine care.
After the first your Emergency Physician House Call™ , Dr. Sterba mails a full-color copy of all medical records and other records. This may include printed lab results from his portable Point of Care (POC) Blood Chemistry Lab, other Rapid Diagnostic Tests, and confidential color photographs, diagrams and progress reports of healing from Advanced Medical and Surgical Wound Care of 'bedsores' (pressure injuries-pressure ulcers) and/or venous leg ulcers, arterial insufficiency ulcers, and skin tears, etc. Other reports sent by Dr. Sterba can include X-ray (radiograph) dictations from any X-rays done at-home, nutritional assessments and dietary recommendations, printed results and professional interpretation from his portable computerized-calibrated Pulmonary Function Tests, and any follow-up information about your medical, surgical, nutritional and personal care. This confidential doctor-to-doctor team approach works best to ensure your best possible medical care.
Any follow-up Emergency Physician House Calls™ , Dr. Sterba prepares and Faxes his Summary Progress Note, any other labs, or wound care measurements with progress to all doctors involved, written in "doctor-to-doctor" language.
Dr. Sterba's professional medical and surgical care has been recognized by patient's Primary Care Physicians (Family Practice/Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN), other medical and surgical specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and family members and caregivers.
Dr. Sterba takes all the time needed to answer all questions and concerns. He provides written, easy-to-understand Home Care Instructions at the completion of every Emergency Physician House Call™.
Dr. Sterba sets up or oversees the best possible home care with all types of healthcare or non-healthcare providers and aids. This includes private duty nurses, nurse's aids, other personal home care providers personally known by Dr. Sterba. Dr. Sterba can also set up insurance-covered nursing care, home care, and hospice.
Dr. Sterba sets-up care following admission to the hospital and he revises your medical and home care plans, reviews labs, reports and communicates with directly with all doctors, providers, medical/nursing caregivers, aids, and local or long-distance family members. He adjusts your medical and therapy treatment plan as necessary. This doctor-supervised home-based team approach works very well to ensure your best possible medical care.
"Can I call Dr. Sterba after hours?"
Yes, but only if you are currently being treated by Dr. Sterba for that specific medical problem. While under his care, please call Dr. Sterba anytime (24/7), nights and weekends.. Do not wait until we open again.
Patients can always call their Primary Care Physician, or decide on their own to go to the hospital ER or to an urgent care facility.
There is much "behind-the-scenes" extra work needed after your Emergency Physician House Call™. Dr. Sterba devotes much time to more and more medical insurance paperwork, lengthy insurance company phone calls and at times, appeals and re-appeals to successfully get all insurance companies to finally pay Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. what they are obligated by law and contract to pay. All medical records, Quality Assurance, insurance coding & billing, and insurance company appeals and re-appeals are expertly and confidentially done by Dr. Sterba, President & CEO of Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc.
After your Emergency Physician House Call™, Dr. Sterba completes and updates your medical records and he communicates directly with other doctors. He must order supplies, inventory and resupply 92 Medical/Surgical Kits making up the PORTABLE ER®.
Patients currently being treated by Dr. Sterba can reach him 24/7, even on weekends and at nighttime, by either his home-office phone (716) 655-6854, or cell phone (716) 998-7474. His home-office phone number is also found in the Telephone Book under "John Sterba, MD, PhD" (655-6854). Please be understanding; Dr. Sterba works an average of 76+-hours per week, and he and Mrs. Janice Sterba have a family.
Please do not call Dr. Sterba after hours for some other brand new or unrelated medical problem he is not treating. Please call your Primary Care Provider/Physician. You should call 911 and go to the nearest hospital ER if you or your family member or caregiver feel you have an emergency or you can't reach your PCP.
"Can I just come over to your house to be treated?"
No! Patients are not invited, seen or treated at the private home of Dr. and Mrs. John A. Sterba. Dr. Sterba exclusively cares for patients living at-their-home. Saved by Grace Ministry, Inc. has no public accommodations. Dr. Sterba also cares for guests and family members visiting people in their private homes, and people staying as guests at temporary residences (e.g. Roycroft Inn or Hampton Inn). Dr. Sterba cares for people living in commercial, private Independent Living Residences (e.g. Fox Run and others) and Assisted Living Centers. Dr. Sterba is not a nursing home doctor; he cannot treat patients living in a Skilled Nursing Facility, Rehabilitation Unit or in Long-Term Care.
"What if I call 911 and get 'checked out' by an EMT or paramedic?"
Anyone calling for an ambulance or the Fire Department who is seen by a First-Responder, EMT or Paramedic at their home, and then signs off legally refusing to go to the ER, has not received adequate medical care by a physician.
This is a potentially serious, life-threatening mistake and should not be done. If there is any concern, you must go to the hospital ER by ambulance to have the Emergency Physician expertly evaluate, diagnose and treat you.
If you have any further questions or concerns and you live in the Greater East Aurora Area, please call Dr. Sterba during our days and hours of operation, Monday - Friday, 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., (716) 655-6854 (office), (716) 998-7474 (cell). Thank you.