PRIMARY CARE
At MD 2.0, we provide patients with superior primary care. We want to be the first to know about any health concerns that may arise. Primary care is performed and managed by your personal physician, Dr. Poncy or Dr. Lubarsky who are available to you 24/7.
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH
Drs. Lubarsky and Poncy believe in more than just treating you when you are sick. Our preventative medicine doctors want to ensure you are healthy year round by promoting a healthy lifestyle, yearly executive level physical exams, and helping to prevent disease.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
At MD 2.0, our concierge physician practice focuses on providing high quality care and individualized attention to each patient. Our model allows us to spend more time with each patient, allowing us to work closely with you on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and complex illnesses.
Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Amir Lubarsky
Board Certified Internist in Jupiter, FL
Dr. Amir Lubarsky's love of medicine allows him to listen compassionately and intently to his patients in order to provide the best outcomes.
Dr. Morgan Poncy
Board Certified Internal Medicine Doctor in Jupiter, FL
Dr. Morgan Poncy is a board certified internist who was raised in the Jupiter area.LATEST NEWS
Is Trick-or-Treating Safe This Year?
From a small Celtic festival in the British isles around 2,000 years ago, Halloween has morphed into an annual tradition of costumes, parties, haunted houses, and, above all, door-to-door trick-or-treating. According to a recent Harris Poll, 80 percent of those surveyed said handing out treats on Halloween is their favorite way to celebrate the holiday.
Because Halloween has become such a huge fall celebration, our concierge doctors want to provide the best information on Halloween safety and whether you should let the little ones partake this year.
A risky business
Knowing they’ll rain on everyone’s parade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nevertheless suggests people find another way to celebrate Halloween.
“Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses,” the CDC says. “There are several safer ways to participate in Halloween.”
While children represent only 10.6 percent of COVID-19 cases to date, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports, as of October 1, over 657,000 children have tested positive since the onset of the pandemic, and more than 100 have died. Now that schools across the nation have largely reopened, in part or in full, that number is likely to increase dramatically.
And even though children are at relatively low risk of dying from COVID-19, they can still spread the disease to at-risk adults in their household.
So what should you do to celebrate Halloween safely?
The CDC has broken down traditional activities into lower-, moderate-, and higher-risk activities as follows.
Lower risk
- Carve/decorate and display pumpkins with members of your household
- Carve or decorate pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
- Decorate your house, apartment, or living space
- Participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt. Give kids lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Have a virtual Halloween costume contest
- Hold a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Have a scavenger hunt-style search with your household members in or around your home, rather than going house to house
Moderate risk
- Participate in one-way trick-or-treating. Line up individually-wrapped goodie bags for families to grab-and-go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard).
- If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing bags
- Have a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than six feet apart
- Attend a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than six feet apart
- Go to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use and social distancing is enforced.
- If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
- Visit pumpkin patches or orchards
- Use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wear masks, and maintain social distancing
- Hold an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends, with people spaced at least six feet apart.
Higher risk
- Participate in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
- Hold “trunk”-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
- Attend crowded costume parties held indoors
- Go to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Go on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Use alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
- Travel to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19.
The CDC recommends avoiding all these higher-risk activities.
In addition, it cautions that a costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth or disposable mask. Any costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric. It must cover the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
Finally, it warns that people not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask. This can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it difficult to breathe. Consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask, instead.
If you have questions about Halloween safety or the safety of any activity, please let us help you evaluate your and your family’s risk.
Flu Shots Can Help Avert a ‘Twindemic’
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all adults and children older than six months receive a flu shot by the end of this month. The CDC says it takes at least two weeks for the vaccine to become effective. Then it won't reach its peak effectiveness until another week after that. And children who are being vaccinated for the first time need two vaccines spaced a month apart to become fully protected.
Therefore, our concierge doctors suggest you get your flu shot for the 2020-21 influenza season as soon as possible. While there have been scattered reports of shortages around the country, The Washington Post recently reported a record number of flu vaccine doses—between 194 million and 198 million—have been ordered. Because the vaccine is shipped in stages, more is on the way.
“This year I think everyone is wanting to get their vaccine and maybe wanting it earlier than usual. If you’re not able to get your vaccination now, don’t get frustrated. Just keep trying.”
The CDC's Dr. Daniel Jernigan, to the Associated Press (AP).
COVID-19 and flu overlap: a 'twindemic'
We were fortunate the 2019-20 flu season was winding down this spring as the coronavirus crisis began to hit the country. This year, however, we’ll be looking at the possibility of a “twindemic”—both waves hitting at once.
So it’s especially important that as many people as possible get vaccinated for the flu this year. The flu shot won’t prevent COVID-19, but it can help reduce the strain on our already overburdened health care system.
“Since hospitals and doctors’ offices are going to be very busy caring for COVID-19 patients, a flu vaccine can help decrease burdens on the health care system and make sure that those who need medical care are able to get it.”
Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association (AMA) and an immunologist in Fort Worth, Texas, told CNN.
Last year, the CDC estimated that the flu killed 22,000 Americans, and resulted in hospitalization of an additional 400,000. By contrast, at least 215,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since March.
Hopeful signs
Health experts are hopeful the precautions we’ve been taking to avert COVID-19—hand washing, social distancing, and wearing masks—will mean this season’s flu won’t take as severe a toll as in previous years. But they all insist that widespread vaccinations are necessary.
Even if the flu vaccine isn’t 100 percent effective in preventing influenza, it has been shown to reduce the length and severity of the illness in those who contract it. In addition, if you’re unlucky enough to contract COVID-19, you won’t want your body’s defenses to be weakened by a prior bout with the flu.
This is already present in the Southern Hemisphere, where each season’s flu strikes over the summer. From South Africa to Australia, public health experts reported remarkably low levels of influenza among their populations. They attributed this partly to coronavirus lockdowns and to extremely high participation in influenza vaccinations.
One pharmacy in Cape Town, South Africa, for example, reported that the demand for flu shots was four times higher than in previous years. People were trying to avoid the co-morbidity (simultaneous presence of two or more diseases) of contracting the flu in addition to COVID-19.
“People were lined up outside the pharmacy down to the corner of the street waiting to get their injections. We had to prevent people from coming into the store.”
Ellis Henen, owner of Sunset Pharmacy, told The Post.
Additional benefits of the flu shot
We hope Americans will have the same attitude to this year’s flu shot.
Some people think they’re still protected from the one they received last year. But having received a flu shot last year won’t protect you from this season’s strains of the virus. This is because your immunity from a year ago has deteriorated by now. In addition, manufacturers create a new vaccine each year based on which strains the World Health Organization (WHO) expects to be predominate. This is based on which strains were seen over the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. So this year’s shot will include strains different from those in last year’s inoculation.
It’s important to remember, even if you contract influenza after receiving the shot, it’s likely to be less serious than if you’d skipped being inoculated. And the flu vaccine offers additional benefits, especially among the elderly. For older people and those with chronic health conditions, recent studies show the extra benefits of a flu shot. It's as effective in preventing a heart attack as quitting smoking, using cholesterol-lowering drugs, or taking blood pressure medications.
So be sure to let us know if you’re interested in getting a flu shot. If you encounter a shortage, we may be able to help you locate a supply nearby.
My husband and I have been patients of Dr. Poncy for over ten years and have been extremely pleased and happy for him. He is not only a brilliant internist, but also a wonderful person. Now that he and his partner, Dr. Lubarsky, have opened the concierge practice it is better than ever. The nursing staff is superlative as is the front office staff. The office is very well appointed and comfortable. We feel very fortunate to have such a competent and caring physician.
About 11 years ago, I first met with Dr. Poncy. I came away from my appointment with him confident he understood my problem and contributed some thoughtful suggestions. Over the years, he has never changed. The outstanding staff Dr. Poncy has put together, along with his partner, Dr. Lubarsky, are the best! I honestly feel, when I have an appointment, it is like visiting "family".
I recommend Dr Lubarsky emphatically. He is a true professional: thorough, compassionate and an excellent diagnostician!
We have been concierge members for only 6 months but so far we have been very pleased. The office atmosphere is very relaxed and the doctor is able to give us the time we need. Time in the waiting room is minimal and we have been able to obtain spur of the moment appointments with no difficulty. We are happy that we joined
The new practice has a very warm, friendly, feeling to it. We don't have long waiting times. Everyone is very prompt.
I have been a patient for over 30 years. I actually look forwarded to a visit. Pleasant, professional in every way, I consider myself very lucky.
A great Dr. & great staff, minimum wait time. Spends as much time with you as you need. Same day appointments.
Dr. Poncy has been my primary care doctor for over 8 years. I've known Dr. Poncy for over 8 years. My neighbor recommended him for my diabetes and heart problem. The staff at Dr. Poncy's office is always very pleasant and Dr. Poncy is very patient to my concerns.
I have been a patient of Dr. Lubarsky since 2004. He has been such a great physician to me and my wife for several years. Recently, I was hospitalized at Jupiter Medical Center. My wife contacted him and he immediately responded and came to the hospital. Without Dr. Lubarsky's support, I don't think I would be at the health level I am at today.
I'm a big fan of Dr. Lubarsky! After moving from New York, I researched area Internist throughout Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens. Dr. Lubarsky was a home run!
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