BUSINESS: Personal Health Partners

“Medical services designed to give individuals the tools they need to evaluate and maintain personal, optimal health,” is the phrase that defines Personal Health Partners (PHP). Nan Bertone, RN, and her husband acquired the business in August 2011. Nan has served as a registered nurse for forty years—and is also an occupational health educator and an oncology nurse.

After taking over, she added services to the existing laboratory tests which only nurses are qualified for, such as immunizations and educational programs. “The original focus of the company was identifying people with diabetes and heart disease through laboratory testing. It grew into a company that did a lot of health ministry programs with churches and cities all over Oklahoma,” Nan explained.

Nan has three staff members who have each been with the company more than a decade. Linda Lonkerd is the lab manager and has been a medical lab technician for 15 years, 12 of those for PHP. Joyce Conaway is the administrative assistant and her daughter, Kim Waters, is the business office manager.

When not in the office, the staff travels all over Oklahoma and the U.S. offering health services and testing at various events, the largest being several United Methodist Conferences held each year for ministers and their family members.

Nan changed the name to Personal Health Partners because she felt it better illustrated the new direction the company would take. PHP offers a variety of services including screenings, immunizations, educational and informational programs, as well as a long list of lab tests, none of which requires a doctor’s script. Test results are mailed to the customer’s home in hard-copy format or as a PDF file on a USB drive.

“In order to make good choices, you need the information to back it up. You can order any test you want done and you can pay for it yourself. Oklahoma is 48th in the nation in the health of its residents. I passionately believe that if you know that information it’s a lot easier to focus on your health and make informed decisions,” Nan declared. “We do not do any treatment recommendations or any kind of diagnosis. What we do is give people the information they need and tell them if there is an issue with their tests, who to go to see and what to ask them.”

Most walk-ins are those without insurance or those with insurance not covering certain tests. Labs like PHP can do testing for much less than a regular hospital or clinical lab that accepts insurance.

As of August 1, 2012, because of health care reform, insurance companies are required to pay for health prevention services like immunizations for flu without co-pay. For more information about this and other medical matters, visit PHP’s website at www.urhealthpartner.com or call 330-5755.

The lab is located in Turtle Creek just east of Bryant at 2000 E. 15th Street, Suite 300. Office hours vary due to off-site activities, so call 330-5755 before visiting. For more information, visit www.urhealthpartner.com.