All systems are a go for a $3 million enhanced urgent care facility in Clifton Park, provided by Ellis Medicine and being built on Sitterly Road at the former Alpaun Haus location.
Ellis Medicine was originally one of three medical institutions that looked to the New York State Department of Health for approval of a 24-hour satellite emergency department to serve the Clifton Park-Halfmoon area, in December 2009. If approved, that facility (also pegged at $3 million) would have been open around the clock, had 12 beds, been able to receive ambulances and would have been the first of its kind in the Capital District. That venture, however, was denied by the DOH, who didn’t see a need for such a facility, according to Donna Evans, Ellis Medicine’s manager of public and community relations.
Ellis Medicine regrouped and came up with the enhanced urgent care facility that was recently given the go-ahead. It will be open 10 a.m. until midnight, be staffed by Ellis doctors and nurses, have six treatment bays and treat patients with breaks, sprains, asthma attacks, fever, migraines, minor burns and lacerations, animal bites, rashes and skin infections, earaches, kidney stones and other non-life-threatening illnesses. It will also treat and stabilize more serious conditions for transport to a hospital, according to Evans.
Clifton Park Supervisor Phil Barrett said after the first project’s rejection, he went to the DOH and lobbied on behalf of additional medical services in the area.
`As far as this application being approved, it’s a very exciting development. Not only does it increase and enhance medical services in the town of Clifton Park but really all of Southern Saratoga County,` said Barrett. `It’s also a redevelopment project beecause a building that’s been empty for a number of months will now be filled with this new investment. We’ve worked hard for many years to bring additional private sector investment to town.`
Barrett said while he is encouraged by the urgent care center that is slated to be complete by early 2012, he would ideally like to see a full hospital built in the area.
`This is going to greatly increase and enhance what we currently have in town, but that’s not to say we don’t want more. The state is thinking this is all the town really needs at this point and we don’t necessarily agree with that. We think there should be additional serevices, maybe including a full fledged hospital. It’s something we haven’t given up on,` said Barrett. `Hopefully at some point in the near future, that may become a reality but it’s kind of out of our hands directly. We need a hospital network willing to invest those funds to build a facility and also need state approval, and at this point, the DOH has made it clear that such a project wouldn’t get approved.`
The Clifton Park-Halfmoon area has two other urgent care facilities already, one on Route 146 run by Seton Health and another on Route 9 run by an independent company, said Barrett.
Evans said Ellis Medicine is `very pleased` and eager to get started on the project, which will require working with a developer to create the center.
`From the get go, we wanted to meet one of the fastest growing areas in the state by providing enhanced services closer to home, and that’s what we feel this facility will accomplish,` said Evans. `We’re bringing quality services closer to home for our neighbors in Southern Saratoga County. It’s an important project and reflects our ongoing commitment to better meet the healthcare needs of the community.`
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