The extra-wide hallways can accommodate two wheelchairs passing side by side. Flat-screen televisions and eye-catching artwork in the spacious lobby bathed in natural light offer patients a welcome environment in which to rest.

But look past the fresh paint and the smooth faux-wood floors and there’s much more to appreciate at WellMed at Northwest 410, the newly relocated clinic that has been designed to be the prototype for the future of senior healthcare.

“We made Northwest 410 to be geriatric focused,” said Dr. Carlos Hernandez, chief of medical affairs for WellMed Medical Management, who sees patients at the Northwest 410 clinic. “We’re very proud of this facility because it’s patient friendly and senior friendly.”

Being senior friendly has been the mark of WellMed’s success. WellMed operates more than 30 clinics in Greater San Antonio, Austin and along the Treasure Coast of Florida. The diversified healthcare company is one of the largest senior healthcare provider in South Texas, claiming more than 50 percent of the Medicare Advantage (HMO) market as its patients.

Overall, WellMed serves more than 80,000 patients – with more than 42,000 of them seniors – through its clinics and more than 100 partner physician offices in Texas and Florida.

In February, WellMed at Northwest 410 moved a few blocks to its new home at 4438 Centerview, a free-standing building with a large parking lot and state-of-the-art medical features on the Northwest Side. The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It closes at noon on the 2nd Thursday of the month for staff training.

What makes Northwest 410 friendly to seniors? The clinic was designed with maximum input from Hernandez and Dr. Cindy Johnston, WellMed medical director, who is board certified in family practice.

“When we sat down to look at the design of the clinic, we wanted to update it to meet the needs of the seniors who are the bulk of our patient roster,” said Johnston, a member of the clinical faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. “One easy-tosee example is the extra-wide hallways. There are designed so wheelchairs can be pushed side by side. No one has to pause or move out of the way if wheelchairs are passing by each other.”

The clinic also features special tables in some examination rooms that lower all the way to the ground. “There’s no hopping up on the table for patients with certain physical limitations,” Hernandez said.

Another difference is the lack of medical equipment hanging from the walls in the examination rooms. This makes for a more comfortable, less intimidating atmosphere for patients. Portable equipment such as battery-powered blood pressure units are wheeled into the exam rooms as needed.

No-glare lighting overhead makes it easier for patients with failing eyesight to see their surroundings

Northwest 410 also boasts its own X-ray lab and an in-clinic pharmacy so patients can avoid making a special trip for these services. A WellMed podiatrist and dermatologist routinely make rounds at this and other WellMed clinics – offering more convenient access to specialist services that can take months to schedule in other cases.

One of the most extraordinary differences is one that patients may never notice: The entire clinic is paperless, lacking a medical records room or storage facility. All patient medical records are securely stored electronically, giving physicians online access to patient data from their home computer or mobile devices, if necessary.

“Northwest 410 has been designed to be the clinic that can provide patients with the most comfortable and effective healthcare environment,” Hernandez said. “It truly fits in with our vision to change the face of healthcare delivery for seniors.”