September 17, 2024
The Valley Hospital recently celebrated the opening of the Earl A. Wheaton, Jr., MD Family Care Center in Ridgewood, named in honor of former Valley physician Dr. Earl Wheaton, Jr.
The center, formerly known as Valley’s Community Care Clinic, is located at Valley Health System – Ridgewood Campus, 223 North Van Dien Avenue in Ridgewood. It will also serve as the outpatient offices for Valley’s new Graduate Medical Education program, training the next generation of physicians.
Dr. Wheaton, an internist and rheumatologist, began his career at Valley in 1960 and served as an officer of the Medical Staff. He later moved into additional leadership roles, including Medical Staff President and Coordinator of Medical Affairs and Education, until his retirement in 2002.
Known for providing compassionate, personalized care and supporting patients in making educated choices about their health, Dr. Wheaton’s impact on the community was recognized through The Valley Hospital Distinguished Physician Service Award, which he received in 1998. Dr. Wheaton passed away in 2021.
“Earl Wheaton dedicated his life to medicine, to the care of his patients, and to the development of future Valley doctors,” said Audrey Meyers, Valley Health System CEO Emeritus. “In that spirit, there is no more fitting space to honor Earl’s legacy than this one – the Family Care Center, where our community will receive care and where our new class of residents will train, learn, and grow as physicians.”
Members of Dr. Wheaton’s family joined Valley staff, past and present, to officially dedicate the center in his memory.
Tim Wheaton, Dr. Wheaton’s son, shared that after family, his father prioritized four things: Valley, Ridgewood, medicine, and education.
“Valley wasn’t just a place to work for my father, it was a part of our daily lives, and an institution that he cherished,” said Wheaton, on behalf of his family. “The Earl A. Wheaton, Jr., MD, Family Care Center will help Ridgewood and surrounding communities, it will be an asset to Valley, and it will help educate and train practitioners in his beloved medicine. I can’t think of a better way to honor him, and I know that he would be grateful and proud.”
The Earl A. Wheaton, Jr., MD, Family Care Center offers outpatient healthcare services accessible to all members of the community, regardless of their ability to pay. Services offered at the center include primary care, prenatal care, pediatric services, and specialty appointments. The center accepts Medicaid, NJ Hospital Care Payment Assistance Program (Charity Care Assistance), and Medicare with Charity Care.
To schedule an appointment at the center, please call 201-689-3900. Walk-in appointments are not accepted.
Top photo caption: Dr. Earl Wheaton Jr.