When UFT Welfare Fund Director Arthur Pepper was feeling sick one Saturday morning, his first thought was, “I don’t have time for this.”

Facing a tough schedule filled with back-to-back meetings, he knew he would never find the time to get to a doctor during the workweek. So Pepper decided to give a new multispeciality medical practice available to UFT members and retirees a try: EmblemHealth’s AdvantageCare Physicians.

This large practice, which is run by physicians, features a number of innovations, including having primary care doctors and specialists, including pediatricians, all work under one roof. With 36 facilities throughout New York City and Long Island, there’s a lot of choice of locations, and some centers include on-site labs, pharmacies and urgent care.

In Pepper’s case, he phoned that same morning, arrived

at 10:30 a.m. and half an hour later was done. “I saw the doctor — and my prescription was waiting for me around the corner at a local pharmacy,” he said. “It was great convenience with quality care and extended hours.”

For families, the practice offers the added advantage of physicians and specialists for all members of the family at the same location. Walk-ins are welcome, and the integrated network of specialists means that patients’ medical needs are addressed by doctors who communicate with each other.

“Our goal in creating AdvantageCare Physicians is to improve medical standards, with just the right amount of testing, not over- or under-testing,” said Gerren Faustini, the regional vice president of operations, during a tour of the Manhattan Flatiron District medical facility by the Municipal Labor Committee on Sept. 23.

Its brand-new facilities, comfortable reception areas and noticeable lack of wait times were all in evidence that day.

The new medical practice is open to all New York City municipal labor union members and accepts most New York City health insurance plans including GHI, HIP and Aetna.

Faustini said that the new practice is founded on a patient-centered approach, rather than the usual model where patients see a number of different doctors, none of whom talks to the others.

Every primary care physician in the AdvantageCare Physicians practice has a nurse, licensed practical nurse and patient service representative at the front desk who are all part of their team. They huddle each morning before the day begins to discuss the patients they expect to see and what their needs are. The team also coordinates care with specialist referrals and follow-up care.

“We aim to keep people healthy, not just treat them when they’re sick,” said Faustini.

Each facility maintains a number of open slots for same-day, urgent-care needs, with extended hours up to 9 or 10 p.m.

AdvantageCare Physicians’ system of electronic medical records ensures that all information follows the patients, whether they arrive for a scheduled appointment or show up for urgent care at another location.

“An empowered patient is our goal,” said Faustini. He cited the online patient portal at https://my.acpny.com/MyChart, where patients can send secure emails to their care team to ask questions about test results, discuss symptoms or ask any health-related question.

The medical offices of all physicians in AdvantageCare Physicians have received the highest (Level 3) certification by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The focus on patient satisfaction extends to how doctors are compensated, with those rated the highest receiving higher compensation. There is also a “citizenship credit” that takes into account how physicians are contributing to the community.

Referrals can be made outside the AdvantageCare Physicians network for patients with existing relationships with doctors they wish to continue seeing.

To learn more about AdvantageCare Physicians or if you have any questions, call 1-646-680-3000, a dedicated phone line for city employees.