Provider Location: Farmingdale

Sheila Mellody, MD

Family Physician Values Patient Relationships

“By counseling patients on good nutrition, healthy choices, and preventative care, we can help them live their best lives.”

Inspired by her patients and driven by her passion for helping others, Dr. Sheila Mellody brings a caring and compassionate approach to primary care at Vanguard Medical Group’s Farmingdale office. It’s a dream role for this family physician who values the relationships that she has made over the years.

“I chose family medicine for the one-on-one continuity of care,” she said. “Getting to know my patients, seeing their kids grow, and helping them on a journey toward good health is truly gratifying.”

Dr. Mellody began her career in Denver, Colorado, in a women’s health practice, and brings that experience and special interest to Vanguard. She also spent time working in primary care in Virginia Beach. She returned to her home state of New Jersey to be close to family.

Patients say they like Dr. Mellody’s ability to explain things clearly. “I’m very thorough and very organized,” she said. “I make sure that my patients fully understand any diagnoses or treatments so that we are able to work together toward optimum health.” She also emphasizes the importance of preventative care and healthy lifestyle choices. “Regular screenings, good nutrition, and healthy choices really do make a difference,” she said. “I often tell my patients that good nutrition is the backbone of any treatment.”

When she’s not working, Dr. Mellody enjoys running, camping, cooking, and spending time with her husband and children.

Joseph W. Schauer, III, MD

Family Physician Offers Personalized Healthcare

“Quality, cost-effective health care is a right, not a privilege.”

Whether he’s reassuring an anxious patient, offering clinical expertise on the latest treatment, or checking on a homebound senior, Dr. Joseph Schauer brings a warmth and compassion to primary care that come from over 35 years of learning and of advocating for his patients. He continues a legacy begun by his father and uncle, who paved the way for patient-centered care at the very same Farmingdale practice, once known as Schauer Family Medical Group.

Dr. Schauer’s own journey in medicine began in high school. He knew he wanted to help others, and he took a summer job as a hospital orderly, solidifying his career path. When it came time to choose a focus in medical school, he selected family medicine. “I liked the idea of taking care of generations of families,” he said, “and of treating the whole person—body, mind and soul. You can do that in primary care, whereas you cannot in subspecialties.”

He returned home to Monmouth County to practice family medicine with his father, Joseph Schauer Jr., MD and his uncle, Edward A. Schauer, MD. They have since retired, and Dr. Schauer remains at the helm, joining with like-minded independent physicians at Vanguard Medical Group.

“What distinguishes our practice is the personal touch, the willingness to sit down and explain things to our patients,” he said. “Our patients love that they can get that individualized attention along with high-tech diagnosis and treatment.”

Over the years, Dr. Schauer has received countless accolades from his patients. “The outcome is not always good, because people sometimes have diseases that unfortunately progress, but there is always an element of gratitude,” he noted. “We will receive notes from families saying thank you for taking care of Dad or Grandpa. Those are incredibly meaningful to us.”

Dr. Schauer’s influence reaches far beyond the Farmingdale location. He is a past president of the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians. He chaired the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Primary Care Initiative, working with a major New Jersey healthcare insurer to develop and implement primary care initiatives built around the PCMH concept in New Jersey.

When he’s not working, Dr. Schauer enjoys traveling with his wife, gardening, golfing and pursuing that ever-elusive hole-in-one.

Jessica Timmerman, FNP, APN

Nurse Practitioner Advocates for Her Patients

“Mental health plays an important role in physical health, and both have to work together for optimum health.”

With a background in psychology and expertise honed by years of working in trauma, emergency medicine and the ICU, Jessica Timmerman is well prepared for the breadth and depth of family medicine. “I get to do all the things I’m good at and feel a calling to do,” she said, “and at the same time form meaningful relationships with my patients as we work together toward better health.”

As a nurse practitioner, Jessica can diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans, and prescribe medications. She is wound care certified and has a special interest in mental health and addiction. With her appreciation for the sciences and the connection between physical and mental health, she treats the full range of ailments and conditions in a family practice setting.

“Patients like that I listen,” she said. “I’m very good at physical assessments. In my first six years in urgent care, we only had access to minimal diagnostics. I learned how to pay attention to every detail.”

Jessica follows the science but also values holistic care, counseling patients on lifestyle changes that support good health. She helps them take charge of their health through preventive care. Jessica advocates for her patients and connects them with community resources for additional support as needed, from fighting cancer to battling drug addiction. “There’s a great sense of community in our practice, built upon generations of families whom we have served,” she said.

When she’s not working, Jessica enjoys the great outdoors, fishing with her husband and son, and trail riding on four-wheelers. Having once considered a career as a veterinarian, Jessica is the proud owner of a rescue dog and two cats.