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Joseph Irwin, MD, FAAFP

My Locations

WellSpan Family Medicine - West Main Street
1635 W. Main St., Suite 700
Ephrata, PA 17522
(717) 738-2468
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About Me

Why I chose to pursue a career in healthcare:

Medicine attracted me because it blends so many things. It is, first and foremost, a science. I continue to study the human body in all of its complexities and variations. It has been humbling in that the learning never really ends. It is also an art: I learned how to deliver a baby, listen to the heart, or make a diagnosis. Medicine involves years of training and being able to sift through infinite shades of gray. It is a humanity; communicating with patients is imperative, which guides asking the right questions, AND listening to their answers. That can often bring you to the diagnosis before an examination takes place.


What I want my patients to know about me:

I am a good listener. I really like to make diagnoses, especially rare ones. I think outside the box. I view patients as partners in health where mutual decisions can be made. I am non-judgmental.


What I do when I'm not seeing patients:

I love being with my family. We like to hike, travel, eat-in, and play games. I also love classical music. I have a wonderful piano that I play for relaxation. My favorite composers are Debussy, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Liszt. I am an intermediate player and extremely bashful about playing in public (something I am trying to work on). I also like to drive really really fast. Fortunately, I can take this passion to the track where I race my car a few times a year. I am an avid gardener. I am studying the sustainability techniques set forth by Rainer and West.


Clinical Interests

  • Addiction to Cigarette Smoke
  • Adolescent Medicine
  • Contraception
  • Dermatology
  • Diabetes
  • Health & Wellness
  • Hypertension
  • Joint Aspiration/ Injections
  • Mental Health
  • Neonatal - Perinatal Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Skin Lesions
  • Soft Tissue Injections
  • Women’s Health
  • LGBTQ Health
  • Transgender

Education & Credentials

  • Medical School: University of Pennsylvania
  • Internship Program: Lancaster General Hospital
  • Residency Program: Lancaster General Hospital | Family Practice

WellSpan Hospital Affiliations

  • WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital
  • WellSpan Ephrata Hospital

Health Plans Accepted

WellSpan Financial Assistance Program participant

  • Aetna
  • Aetna Better Health
  • Amerihealth Caritas PA
  • Capital BlueCross
  • Cigna Healthcare
  • Cigna Medicare Advantage
  • Gateway Highmark Wholecare
  • Geisinger
  • Highmark Blue Shield
  • HPP/Jefferson Health Plan
  • John Hopkins Health Care
  • PA Health & Wellness (Centene)
  • PA Medical Assistance
  • PA Medicare
  • Preferred Health Care
  • Railroad Medicare
  • Tricare
  • United Healthcare
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • WellSpan Health Plans

Patient Reviews

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Physician star ratings and patient comments come from after visit survey data that is compiled by Press-Ganey, a leading independent performance measurement company. WellSpan is committed to posting all feedback, whether positive or negative. However, comments may be edited or removed if they are profane or risk the privacy of our patients.



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