Barnes-Kasson County Hospital is adding new provider options, services and opening a new location.
“A lot of stuff has been on the burner for several years, everything got put on simmer with Covid,” said Dave Passetti, Executive Vice President of Barnes-Kasson County Hospital. That slow simmer has reached the boiling point, as multiple projects and plans are now moving forward.
The New Milford site is moving its location and combining services with the Blue Ridge Medical Center on Church Street. The health clinic will be operating under the Barnes-Kasson banner and will be open five days a week.
Providers at the New Milford location will include the addition of Nichole Rosa, Jessica Page, NP, Dr. Patrick MacConnell (podiatry) and Dr. B. Patel.
Passetti said combining with BRMC allows for better patient coverage, in the more aesthetically pleasing Church Street office site.
The Barnes-Kasson Family Health Center in Hallstead is also expanding to offer five full days of service, with Dr. Kirk Hinkley, Dr. MacConnell, and Joshua Wilbur, PA. The location also offers hearing services and has more options for providers.
Another family health clinic will be opening soon in downtown Susquehanna – near Schneider’s Market.
The downtown office will be under the medical direction of Dr. James DellaValle, MD. He will be working closely with PA Joshua Wilbur and Tyler Lauffer, NP, as well as Passetti, to help drive the vision of increased service lines in that office.
Wilbur worked as a PA with Dr. Hinkley and, Passetti said, the organization recognized “what a talent he is.” Lauffer was employed by Barnes-Kasson as a registered nurse, and now as a nurse practitioner.
Passetti said that Barnes-Kasson has been collaborating with Maternal Family Health to bring WIC services back to Susquehanna, and those services will be located at the downtown center.
“Adding WIC (services) is big,” Passetti said. “It took nearly three years to get it done.” Covid played a big part in slowing that process down, but now the service which has been missing from the Susquehanna community for a number of years, will return.
Passetti said the expansions give patients “lots of options. There’s a lot going on to the positive.” He said Barnes is expanding provider options, overall services, and employment opportunities.
“It’s all about access to care and convenience for people,” Passetti said of the addition of providers, locations and services.
Barnes-Kasson is also looking to add services at the downtown Susquehanna facility over the course of the coming year. “There are a couple of sorely missing services in the area,” he said, “Services that haven’t ever been provided or providers not in place.”
“There’s room there and space to spread our wings a little bit,” Passetti said, “and we intend to do it.”
When and how long before all of this will be done? Is the “hearing” option in Hallstead already in operation?