From Campbell Square to Tacconelli's, Port Richmond has always been a place where people know their neighbors. The Polish bakeries on Allegheny, the corner stores on Belgrade, and the rowhomes that have been in the same families for three generations. But healthcare has become impersonal and corporate, even here. Fishtown Medicine brings back the "town doctor" feel. Ashvin Vijayakumar MD ("Dr. Ash") is a board-certified internal medicine physician you can text directly. Most visits happen by video. When you need an in-person exam, we come to your rowhome.

What anchors your week in Port Richmond?

Port Richmond runs on its own rhythm, more residential and quieter than Olde Richmond next door, with deep Polish-American roots and a tight community feel. The Sunday tradition. Krakus Market for the kielbasa run. Stocks Bakery for the pound cake. St. Adalbert's or one of the other parishes for the morning mass. Tacconellis for the reserved Sunday night pizza. Most of our Port Richmond members have been doing some version of this same Sunday for years; the primary care relationship should fit inside it, not interrupt it. The Campbell Square block life. Belgrade Street, Edgemont, the quieter blocks east of Aramingo. Neighbors who watch out for each other. The corner stores on Tioga and Allegheny. We do a lot of the multi-generational care work here: the older parents on the same block as the adult kids, the grandkids growing up two doors down. Care plans that account for the whole household, not just one chart. The newcomer wave. A growing share of our Port Richmond members are first-time homeowners who bought a rowhome here because Fishtown and Olde Richmond got out of reach. Theyre renovating one weekend at a time, learning the neighborhood, finding their bakery and their bar. Most came to us through a Fishtown referral and stayed because the care follows them, even across the line. The Port Richmond pattern is community, multi-generational continuity, and a quiet sense of place. We are not here to disrupt that. We are here to be one more steady relationship on your block.

How do I get to Fishtown Medicine from Port Richmond?

Most members never need to. Care happens by text, video, and home visit. If you ever want to meet at the Fishtown office, your options:

• Drive down Aramingo or Frankford (about 5 to 7 minutes off-peak).
• SEPTA 25 bus on Aramingo (about 15 minutes).
• SEPTA 5 bus on Frankford (about 15 minutes).
• Bike on Aramingo or Frankford (about 10 minutes).

Where do members go for labs and imaging?

Port Richmond is well covered:

• Quest Diagnostics in Fishtown and on Aramingo.
• LabCorp locations in Mayfair and Center City.
• Mobile phlebotomy to your rowhome.

For imaging, we send orders to Jefferson, Temple Aria, or independent imaging centers, with cash-pay rates if you are uninsured.

Will I see a different doctor every time?

No. You see Dr. Ash. Every time. That is the whole point of the model. The big systems on Aramingo rotate residents, PAs, and locum tenens. We do not.

Deeper Questions for Port Richmond Residents

I have a chronic condition (high blood pressure, diabetes, COPD). How does this work?

We manage most chronic conditions inside the membership: hypertension, type 2 diabetes, COPD (in coordination with pulmonology when needed), GERD, lipids, hypothyroidism, anxiety, and chronic insomnia. We do not lecture you. We work with your real life.

Are there health concerns specific to older Port Richmond rowhomes?

Yes:

• Lead paint and lead pipes in pre-1978 rowhomes. Most of Port Richmond's housing stock predates 1978. We can order a blood lead level if you are renovating, planning to conceive, or have grandkids in the house.
• Asbestos in older basements, pipe wrap, and floor tiles. Renovation timing matters.
• Mold in slow-leaking roofs and damp basements.
• Industrial soil legacy in lots near former industrial sites along the river. If you garden, raised beds with imported soil are smart.

What about air quality near I-95 and the Betsy Ross Bridge?

I-95 runs along the eastern edge of Port Richmond. The Betsy Ross Bridge brings truck traffic. Particulate exposure is real. We screen for asthma, allergies, and unexplained chronic cough.

Is Port Richmond walkable enough for daily movement?

Reasonably walkable for groceries and coffee. Less walkable for big destinations. The Delaware River Trail is a short bike ride. Campbell Square is right there. We build movement plans around what you actually have access to.

I have lived here for decades. Will you respect that history?

Yes. We treat your history as data. Many older Port Richmond members come on with 20 years of records and 8 to 12 medications. We take the time to review the whole picture and often deprescribe what is no longer serving you.

I am caring for an aging parent in Port Richmond. Can you help?

We see adults 18 and older, including many in their 70s and 80s. Home visits are excellent for older parents who find traditional offices exhausting. The relief for adult children is significant.

What if I work a physical job (construction, trades, warehouse)?

We are pragmatic about how physical work affects your body over decades. We focus on joint health, lower back pain, sleep, and inflammation labs when wear is more than mechanical. We are not a workers' comp clinic, but we know what the work does.

How does Fishtown Medicine compare to Temple Aria primary care?

Temple Aria is a fine community resource for hospital and specialty care. Their primary care runs on insurance economics: short visits, large panels, weeks-long scheduling. We are direct primary care: long first visits, same-day text access, no rotating residents.

I want longevity care, not just sick care. What do you offer?

The longevity layer:

• ApoB and Lp(a) for cardiovascular risk.
• Insulin sensitivity to catch metabolic dysfunction early.
• Hormones (testosterone, thyroid, cortisol).
• DEXA for body composition and bone density.
• VO2 max guidance.

What about TRT or hormone optimization?

Yes. For men, we run advanced hormone panels and address the systems behind low T (sleep, insulin, stress) before reflexively prescribing testosterone. For women, perimenopause and menopause are managed directly with evidence-based hormone therapy when appropriate.

I have not been to a doctor in years. Is this awkward?

Not at all. A lot of our Port Richmond members have not had real primary care since they aged out of their parents' coverage or since they last had employer benefits. We start where you are.

Do you accept Medicare?

We are not enrolled in Medicare. We can still be your primary physician under a private contract model. You still use Medicare for everything outside our membership.

Meet Your Physician

Ashvin Vijayakumar MD (Dr. Ash) is a board-certified internal medicine physician based in Philadelphia. He built Fishtown Medicine to give the River Wards the kind of long-haul, neighborhood-style primary care that big systems cannot deliver.