As Dr. Katherina Canales applied a blood pressure cuff to her right arm, Helene Bakalcaqk smiled.

Bakalcaqk is a resident of Jewish Federation Towers in Irvington, and her smile was a clear indication of how much she appreciates Canales' house call.

The weekly half-day medical office hours for residents "are very helpful," said the patient. "I come sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month, when I need to see the doctor."

The service has been in effect for several months for residents of the 134 units at the MetroWest Jewish Community Housing Corporation facility in Irvington and for those in the 92 units of the JCHC's Village Apartments of the Jewish Federation in South Orange.

Physicians from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center spend one morning a week at each apartment complex, treating six to eight patients each time.

"It seems to be working very well and providing them with enough service, particularly if they have something acute between their regular doctors' visits," said Canales, a geriatrician who makes the visits from her practice at Beth Israel. "Not all the residents are our patients. Some have their own private doctors, but if they have a question about treatment or medications, they come to us," she explained.

Residents are billed directly for the doctors' services, with the housing corporation providing the office space at no cost.

"It is a service for residents who do not have their own transportation or don't want to have to go out to see a doctor," said JCHC executive director Harold Colton-Max. "People can come and have their vitals checked. It is not going to take the place of everybody's physician, but if the demand increases, the Beth says it is willing to expand the level of service it provides."

That's something he would like to see. "We would like to extend the range of our services," Colton-Max said. "This is getting our foot in the door."