Aiken Physicians Alliance Expands Healthcare Options for the Community

Doctor and patient With so many in the Aiken community aware of the importance of a long-term relationship with a primary care provider, our established providers have grown increasingly busy. We’ve recruited new primary care and internal medicine physicians, and added a new location, to help ensure that our patients will continue to have timely access to quality primary care, close to where they live and work.

A Partner in Your Healthcare

Whether you see a doctor to maintain your good health or because you’re experiencing a medical issue, having a relationship with a primary care provider you trust can make a difference. A 2019 JAMA Internal Medicine study reinforced just that, finding that adults seeking regular primary care were more likely to keep up with their prescribed medications, had routine preventive visits more often and followed through on regular important screenings, such as colonoscopy and mammography, than those who did not consistently see a primary care provider.*

Seeing your family doctor — also known as your primary care physician, internal medicine physician or nurse practitioner — on a regular basis helps them to get to know you, your health conditions and your concerns. This kind of consistent relationship is important to getting the most informed healthcare advice possible, especially when it comes to seeing specialists and navigating the healthcare system as you get older.

Meeting Your Needs

The primary care physicians at Aiken Physicians Alliance are devoted to treating the whole person and offer personalized and comprehensive services for all ages, including well checks, sick visits, annual exams, diagnosis and treatment of common conditions, chronic illness management, coordination of care, patient education and other specialty services.

Meet the New Doctors

Marie Cesa, MDMarie Cesa, MD
Internal Medicine
Primary Care - Graniteville
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“My philosophy is to always be a physician with a heart. I treat my patients, not a condition or a disease. I want my patients to know that I am always listening to them. Also, in both curative and preventive care, promoting health entails teamwork between the doctor and patient, and teamwork is part of our foundation at APA.”


Chris JoachimChris Joachim, DO
Family Medicine
Primary Care - Graniteville
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“The specialized support and expertise of the medical community in this local area has been impressive; getting my patients appointments with specialists has been more seamless than what I’ve experienced in other areas. I’m looking forward to fostering long-term relationships with my patients.”


Maria PimenovaMaria Pimenova, MD
Internal Medicine
Primary Care - Southside
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“I strive to create a comfortable environment where everyone is an active participant. I am a strong advocate for preventive medicine and a healthy lifestyle to help the community thrive, especially in the face of the current pandemic. I am happy to be a part of a great multidisciplinary APA team to deliver excellent care to our patients.”


Tiffani ThomasTiffani Thomas, MD
Family Medicine
Primary Care - Medical Park
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“I want my patients to be able to look to me not only as a source of knowledge or information, but also as a source of motivation, of direction and of encouragement. I am so thankful that Aiken Regional has helped me fulfill this goal of being not only a physician, but also a coach.”

Fall-Winter-2022-QoL
Click here to see full issue (pdf).

New Family and Internal Medicine Physicians see patients at the following locations:

Primary Care - Graniteville
124 Bettis Academy Road
Graniteville, SC 29829

Primary Care - Medical Park
121 Aurora Place | Suite B
Aiken, SC 29801

Primary Care - Southside
420 Society Hill Drive
Aiken, SC 29803

*-“Quality and Experience of Outpatient Care in the United States for Adults With or Without Primary Care,” January 28, 2019.