HealthDrive, founded in 1989 by a physician and a dentist, is made up of local medical professionals - all of whom use their minds and hearts as well as their medical degrees in delivering thoughtful, attentive care.

People often ask me "Where did you get the idea to start HealthDrive?" I tell them the story of my business school spiral notebook in which I kept new ideas. One day, I jotted down the phrase "Mobile Dentistry" next to a little light bulb. That notation led to a Research Paper on the idea of bringing health care to people.  From there, I decided to create an organization whose mission would be to 'bring' quality care to people, instead of making them come to it. Most of the research paper was focused on care of the elderly because there were obvious benefits in bringing care to them; however, for me there was a natural attraction to caring for the aged. For that, you can thank my grandmother.

Grandma's Doctor

My grandmother, whom I met when I was seven years old, was an immigrant to the US.   She didn't speak a word of English and I couldn't speak any of her languages.   Yet, we found ways to communicate with each other. She loved when I played "Doctor" with her. I would motion for her to stick out her tongue so I could put in the back of a spoon and examine her throat; I would pretend to check her pulse and listen to her heart.

A soft touch, a kind word, and genuine concern would never fail to bring a smile to her face.
One day, while playing Doctor, she turned to my mother and with a bright smile, said something. I asked my mother what Grandma had said. She replied that Grandma said I was her "sunshine." I knew then and there that my destiny was to care for people, and that such care had to include a soft touch, a kind word, and genuine concern.

Money and Medicine

Years later, I would graduate from the New York University School of Medicine and pursue a career in surgery. During my two years of surgical training, I felt that something was wrong. Day after day, I saw that the economics of medicine were increasingly driving its practice. People who had never actually provided care were making decisions that affected patient care. I felt that people could more appropriately make such important decisions with training in the disciplines of both medicine and economics. There had to be a better balance between meeting health care needs and making money.
So, I completed my residency and went to Harvard Business School.

In the Beginning…

In 1989, I co-founded HealthDrive with Dr. Alec Jaret, a dentist who since 1983 had been providing the much-needed service of caring for elderly residents at long-term care facilities.  We shared a philosophy of aiming to set higher standards of care for the residence-bound elderly. In 1990, we recruited Dr. Jeffrey Morer, an Optometrist, and in 1992, Dr. Mary Manesis-Gilbert, a Podiatrist, to likewise establish high quality programs for the elderly in their respective specialties. In 1995, we added Audiology. As a team, we carefully and slowly grew our programs to serve thousands of elderly residents in many long-term care facilities.

Keys to Success

We grew our programs by closely following three principles. First, we would only work with providers after diligently reviewing their credentials and ensuring that they were well-regarded professionals.
Second, we insisted that these professionals demonstrate the highest standard of ethical behavior and provide their care with dignity, compassion, and concern for their elderly patients. Lastly, we required their treatment plans to be thoughtfully considered, medically appropriate and clearly documented so that their care could withstand close scrutiny.

At Your Service

We work closely with the residence staff and administration to help ensure that we fulfill our mission. Although, we believe that our efforts result in improved quality of life for most residents, we recognize that in all successful programs there is still room for improvement. So, just in case you think we are not meeting the needs of our elderly patients, we are always glad to be of assistance. To reach me personally, you can send me an email at service@healthdrive.com.

For your local service center, please call the number available on the Contact Us page of this web site.

Home Office

25 Needham St, Newton, MA 02461-1615
Tel (617) 964-6681
Fax (617) 630-0141
Steven S. Charlap, M.D., CEO and Chief Service Officer

Click here for driving directions to HealthDrive

Clinical Directors

Alec H. Jaret, D.M.D., Director of Dental Services
Jeffrey L. Morer, O.D., Director of Eye Care Services
Laura L. Tasse, Au.D., Director of Audiology Services
Mary C. Manesis-Gilbert, D.P.M., Director of Podiatry Services