New Andover medical office 'a beacon of hope for improved healthcare access' in area
13 Main St. has always been a hub of activity in the Village of Andover.
Long before he became the CEO of Jones Memorial Hospital, Jim Helms worked at the Market Basket, a grocery store that later became Maier’s Market.
Today, the building at 13 Main St. is a community centerpiece once again as Jones Memorial formally cut the ribbon on a new primary care facility that is expanding access to health care in southeastern Allegany County and nearby towns in Steuben County.
“One of the hospital’s goals is to expand the available healthcare services for residents in Andover and the surrounding community,” said Helms, noting that the village is an important population center amid more rural areas.
“Access to care is so important and this expanded office not only solidifies our commitment to providing the best quality healthcare close to home, but will allow us to bring in other specialty providers to consult and treat patients there in the future.”
Jones Memorial Hospital spent more than a year transforming the former supermarket into a modern, 3,800 square foot medical office. The building has been outfitted with six exam rooms, a separate treatment room, a blood draw station, and offices to support three providers. The office is currently accepting patients.
The Andover staff includes Dr. Ryan Nightingale, nurse practitioners Ann Mullins and Alexis Niedermaier, LPNs Megan Sexton, Aimee Davison and Renee Evingham, receptionists Denise Nevol, Dorene Burrows and Bonnie Meyers, and Office Manager Miranda Phelps, according to JMH.
Congressman Nick Langworthy, on hand for the event, said the facility will allow Jones Memorial to treat more patients and provide access to more specialists, offering “a beacon of hope for improved healthcare access for this part of Allegany County (and) for the entire Southern Tier.”
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“Too often our small towns have faced the challenge of limited access to quality healthcare,” said Langworthy. “Families have been forced to travel long distances to seek medical attention in places farther and farther away from their home, often causing financial hardship or delays in receiving the care they deserve. This center is going to be an important cog in that wheel.”
Helms credited Dawn and Tony Niedermaier, former owners of Maier’s Market, with “planting the seed” for the idea of Jones utilizing the building. Support from Teresa and Dick Joyce helped make the vision a reality.
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The Andover office opens as Jones Memorial is in the midst of a $25 million Transformation and Modernization project in Wellsville that will change the nature of health care in Allegany County, consolidate more services under one roof, reduce the need to ship patients to Rochester, and bring more services to “health care deserts” in rural parts of the county.
The project is adding a third floor to JMH that will feature over 14,000 square feet of clinical space.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Jones Memorial Hospital opens new Andover primary care office
