UPMC Chautauqua

UPMC Chautauqua is continuing to expand its health care services as part of Jamestown’s health and wellness district.

Cecil Miller, vice president of operations at UPMC said that while the hospital has not been “actively involved” with the city regarding the city’s second Urban Design Plan, the hospital plays a key role in the health and wellness district.

“Certainly as the city’s own hospital and really one of the largest hospitals in the region, we play a great part in the healthcare corridor,” he said. “Not only UPMC the hospital, but certainly our partners at GLPP at the Riverwalk Center.”

Miller said UPMC partners with agencies such as Western New York Urology, Western New York Cancer Care and The Chautauqua Center. As the city’s health and wellness district continues to expand, Miller explained that each of the health care providers work together for the benefit of the community.

“I think there’s a great partnership throughout all the agencies in the health care corridor,” he said.

Regarding recent updates at UPMC Chautauqua, Miller said the organization has invested over $50 million in the hospital since the hospital joined the UPMC system about six years ago. As a result of the sizeable investment in the hospital, UPMC has recently completed new projects and is in the process of planning new projects to improve the hospital and provide better health care for the community.

“We have a brand-new radiology area, new CT and a new robot for our robotic surgery program,” he said. “We are just planning a new laboratory project as well as cardiac health lab, many infrastructure projects and we just continue to keep upgrading the facility.”

As far as the health and wellness district, Miller said the health care corridor has continued to add new services, as well as new health care experts. As a couple examples, Miller explained The Chautauqua Center has recently added new health care providers and UPMC recruited a new pulmonologist and some other specialists within the past year.

“We all continue to recruit new physicians and new providers,” he said. “I think the services provided within the corridor definitely have expanded.”

Regarding the future of Jamestown’s health and wellness district, Miller said he believes it will continue to grow so that health care providers will be able to better serve and meet the needs of the community. He stressed the importance of having health care providers in the community that can provide a wide range of services so that residents do not have to leave the community to get necessary health care services.

“We want it to be convenient, especially for the underserved portion of our community,” he said. “We want easy access to health care for all our residents.”

While the health and wellness district is primarily concerned with meeting the health care needs of the community, Miller added that the health care providers located in the area also provide economic benefits for the Jamestown community. Miller said UPMC is one of the “biggest economic drivers” in both Jamestown and Chautauqua County.

Miller also highlighted the ability of the health care community to serve as one of the main reasons for people to move to the Jamestown area.

“People who are looking to relocate here certainly look for two things,” he said. “That’s health care and schools. I think providing high quality health care is very important to bring new people into the area and to keep the ones we have.”