The Daily Dose
When Bigger isn’t Better
Sanjay Taneja, MD
Dr. Sanjay Taneja knew from an early age he wanted to be a doctor. As a child, he remembers spending his summers at his grandfather’s medical clinic in India where he developed an interest in, and eventually, a lifelong love for medicine.
Taneja began medical school at the age of 18 and graduated with honors when he was 23 years old. In 1993, he made his way to the United States where he married his wife, Shweta, and opened his practice in Saratoga Springs, NY in 1997. Taneja says his passion for helping people has only grown stronger over the years.
“I just love what I do. It makes me feel good to know that I’m helping people.”
Taneja runs the practice with a staff of just four employees. Among them is Patty Birdsall, a licensed practicing nurse (LPN) who has been with Grand Medical since day one. She and Taneja are proud of both the relationship they have developed with their patients and their high-touch approach to care.
“Our patients are family, so we do what we have to do. That sometimes means calling them on evenings and weekends or following up after surgeries and procedures,” said Birdsall.
The practice is particularly proud of the care they provided during the pandemic, which included daily phone calls to patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
Taneja admits that it’s not easy running a small, independent medical practice, but says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
John D. Bennett, MD, FACC, FACP About the Author
John D. Bennett, MD, FACC, FACP, is president and CEO of Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP), an award-winning, physician aligned, not-for-profit health plan based in Albany, NY. Bennett has held the position since 2008 after serving more than 10 years as chair, vice chair, and board member for CDPHP. During his tenure, CDPHP has been ranked among the top-performing health plans in New York and the nation, most recently named #1 in Customer Satisfaction in the 2023 J.D. Power Member Health Plan Study. Under his leadership, CDPHP has also become known as a model employer regionally and nationally and was recently named among the top five Best Companies to Work for in New York by the Society for Human Resource Management, as well as Forbes Best-in-State Employers 2022. Prior to joining CDPHP, Bennett served as founding member and CEO of Prime Care Physicians, PLLC. During his tenure, he co-led a team of 25 cardiologists and helped grow the practice to a 100-physician multi-specialty group. Bennett is board certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Internal Medicine, with subspecialties in internal medicine and cardiology. He earned his medical degree at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, and a Bachelor of Science degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Bennett completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Albany Medical Center. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Physicians. Bennett is currently board chair for the Center for Economic Growth and the Capital Region Chamber, and vice chair for the Palace Theatre. Bennett also serves on the boards of the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC), the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Russell Sage Colleges. Bennett is a member of the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council where he helps shape decisions related to New York State's public health and health care delivery system. Well-known locally and nationally for advancing health care innovation, Bennett was recently named to Crain’s New York Business 2021 Notable in Health Care, as well as the Albany Business Review’s Power 50 list.
Comments are closed.