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HCAT Receives Physician Recruitment Grant From CRCF

The Health Care Action Team’s main goal of recruiting needed physicians to Jamestown will continue thanks to funding from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Last week, Dr. Lillian V. Ney, HCAT chairwoman, notified members of HCAT via email that they had received funding assistance from the Community Foundation for physician recruitment.

”The Community Foundation has generously funded us from the outset. HCAT’s first priority, early on when we started, was physician recruitment. It was the first thing we needed to do. It was what we needed to focus on,” Ney told The Post-Journal. ”We are particularly grateful to the Community Foundation because the environment has changes. UPMC has come to Jamestown and affiliated with (Jamestown Area Medical Associated-Great Lakes Physician Practice) and with WCA. They (UPMC) are a large player that has changed things. It makes us especially grateful to the Community Foundation for their continued support. Support from the Community Foundation is even more important during a time with UPMC because some might think it is not needed, but we think it is. Some practices are not associated with UPMC and this gives us flexibility to give physician recruitment grants as needed to get physicians that we still need today.”

In an effort to assist local medical facilities in recruiting primary care physicians to Jamestown, HCAT raises money to offer a monetary incentive to attract doctors to work in the area. HCAT assist in recruiting physicians through their incentive because many of the community’s health care practices don’t have access to the same funding amounts ”big city” medical practices have to convince new doctors to work in their cities.

With the arrival of UPMC, which merged with WCA Hospital to form UPMC Chautauqua WCA last year, and continued support from local foundations given funding to support physician recruitment, Ney said she is optimistic about a future where more physicians and medical specialists will work locally.

”I’m happy to say there is significant physician recruitment for us right now in the area. In the next five years, we are going to be in pretty good shape to provide services to the community that we really want.”

Ney said local medical practices working together has improved the physician outlook for the area.

”There is a lot of collaboration and a lot of energy with everyone working toward a common goal. The organizations who sit around our (HCAT) table have worked toward a common purpose, and it is inspiring to everyone,” she said.

The HCAT, which is a subcommittee of the Jamestown Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission, was formed to focus on the impact of health care on development in the community, as well as accessible, high-quality health care for residents. Partners on the team consist of City Council members; various foundations; UPMC Chautauqua WCA; Jamestown Area Medical Associates; The Resource Center; Jamestown Primary Care; Chautauqua County Health Network; The Chautauqua Center; Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County; Workforce Investment Board; SUNY Fredonia; Jamestown Community College Nursing Program; and Chautauqua County Health & Human Services and Mental Hygiene departments.

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