PLATTSBURG, NY | by Robin Caudell | June 25, 2019
Original article can be found at: https://www.pressrepublican.com
PLATTSBURGH — Hudson Headwaters Health Network celebrated the grand opening of its new Plattsburgh Family Health center recently.
The pink ribbon was officially cut by Headwaters CEO Tucker Slingerland, M.D., University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital President Michelle LeBeau, Hudson Headwaters COO Dominick Bizzarro, Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman, and Plattsburgh Family Health staff.
The ceremony signified the beginning of what officials hope is a new era of care in the region.
HEADS TOGETHER
CVPH and Hudson Headwaters hosted a soft opening of the newly constructed 19,125 square-foot facility back in February.
“We are pleased to partner with CVPH to deliver high-quality primary care serves to the residents of Plattsburgh now and into the future,” Tucker Slingerland, M.D., Hudson Headwaters CEO, said in a news release.
“Our mission to provide all patients with the best possible health care, regardless of income or insurance situation, is made possible in large part because of partnerships with organizations like CVPH.”
LeBeau said CVPH and Hudson Headwaters share a commitment to providing high-quality care to the communities they serve.
“This partnership improves access to primary care services here and that’s a real win for all of us,” she said.
Hudson Headwaters is designated as a federally qualified health center.
“It receives some of its funding from the federal government for its operations,” Jane Hooper, community relations manager at Hudson Headwaters, said.
“Part of what federally-funded qualified health centers agree to do is to see patients regardless of insurance status, regardless of their ability to pay.”
There is a sliding-fee schedule, and the center has an ongoing Quality Assurance Program like most organizations of its kind.
“We serve typically medically under-served areas,” Hooper said.
“For example in the North Country, there’s been a decline over the past number of years in terms of primary care providers. We fill that need by providing primary care services.”
FULL-SERVICE CARE
Plattsburgh Family Health will offer comprehensive primary care for all ages — newborns, teens, adults and retirees.
Women’s health, integrated behavioral health and social work support are all within the center’s scope.
The project was funded by a $3.6 million matching grant from the New York State Capital Restructuring Financing Program.
CVPH built and owns the new building, which is located in the hospital’s Health Plaza at 87 Plaza Boulevard in Plattsburgh.
“Our piece is a 19,125 square-foot facility that houses primary care,” Hooper said.
“We have a number of primary care physicians, who are able to establish patients in the Plattsburgh area. We’re really excited. It’s been really good so far. We’ve surpassed the number of patients we thought we would have.”
CONVIENENT LOCATION/HOURS
The center features 20 primary-care exam rooms and two treatment rooms.
“So like if someone needed to have stitches or someone needed something more than a typical exam, there are two rooms to be able to do that,” Hooper said.
“There are two Behavioral Health rooms, where they can meet with a behavioral health provider, and then two private consultation rooms. So sometimes if you’re in an exam room and then a physician needs to talk to you after the fact, there are two of those rooms available.”
Plattsburgh Family Health patients can easily access CVPH services such as the Diagnostic Center and Blood Donor Center via a connecting hallway.
“One of the nicest things I think about this particular facility is its proximity,” Hooper said.
“So if you go to see your primary care physician, and he says, ‘OK, time for a mammogram,’ you can head down the hall and have that done right there or lab work. There’s a radiology suite right next door, basically, along with lab for blood draws, urine samples and things like that.”
The hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“It’s located right on the bus route (Clinton County Public Transit), so we tried to make it as convenient as we possibly could,” Hooper said.
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