Bertrand Chaffee Primary Care Welcomes Erin Vogl, PA

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Erin Vogl, PA

Bertrand Chaffee Primary Care is pleased to announce the addition of Erin Vogl, PA to its practice, effective May 23, 2022.

Erin Vogl, PA, earned both her Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science from Daemen University.

Vogl brings over four years of internal medicine experience. She has a wealth of experience with in-home health assessments, as well as working in group homes and with developmentally disabled patients. A Colden resident, Vogl “understands the importance of keeping health care close to home and looks forward to providing accessible health care to those in our rural community.”

“We are thrilled to have Erin join our Bertrand Chaffee Primary Care,” said BCH CEO Nils Gunnersen. “She is a great complement to our team of providers and the entire BCH family.”

Vogl and other providers at Bertrand Chaffee Primary Care are accepting new patients at the Bertrand Chaffee Health Center, located at 210 East Main Street in Springville. Please call (716) 592-8140 to schedule an appointment.

Bertrand Chaffee Orthopaedic Surgery Center Opens

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Pictured L to R: Jim O’May, PA; patient Nancy Bodekor; Dr. Paul Mason

On Monday, May 2, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital welcomed its news providers Dr. Paul Mason and Jim O’May, PA to the BCH family with the opening of the Bertrand Chaffee Orthopaedic Surgery Center.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is thrilled to offer orthopaedic services to Springville and the surrounding communities and for these two providers to be a part of the BCH team.

To schedule an appointment at the Bertrand Chaffee Orthopaedic Surgery Center, please call (716) 794-3299.

BCH-JBR Celebrates First Graduation Class for Nursing Assistant Training Program

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The healthcare field is one of the top industries in the 2020s and continues to grow. Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Chaffee Nursing Home in Springville are pleased to announce the first graduating class of their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, which was held in January.

The CNA training course is offered at the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital/Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home campus and is approved by the New York State Department of Health. Coursework consists of three components, including Theory and Fundamentals, Lab, and Clinical. Enrollees in the training program are given the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to function safely in a clinical setting. Those who successfully complete all components of the course and the State of New York examination will receive a State of New York Certification for Nursing Assistant.

“Our training course prepares candidates for a career as a CNA. Our comprehensive and balanced classes for students interested in becoming CNA’s consist of an individual who provides basic care under the supervision of a licensed nurse,” states Renna Thaine, Director of Nursing for Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. “Certified Nursing Assistants, both locally and nationally, are one of the most in-demand jobs in the allied healthcare field and we want to recruit caring compassionate individuals that want to learn and grow with our organization.”

“Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Chaffee Nursing Home are keeping healthcare needs local for our surrounding communities and keeping job opportunities local,” states Carole Francis, Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.

Training coursework is held regularly throughout the year and paid for by the organization. The next CNA training course will begin on March 7; applications are due by February 15. To learn more about the CNA training program or to apply, please email aszarzanowicz@bch-jbr.org.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Announces Office Opening of WNY Pediatric Endocrinology

Announcement,

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of WNY Pediatric Endocrinology’s newest location at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital on Wednesday, August 28. Their doctors are both certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics in Pediatric Endocrinology and have over 10 years of experience treating patients.

Nadezhda (Nadia) Danilovich, MD graduated from Gomel State Medial Institute in Belarus and completed her residency and fellowship at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. She is a member of the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Endocrinology.

Shannon Fournter, MD graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo and her fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is a member of the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Endocrinology.

The doctors will be treating the following conditions:

• Growth concerns
• Short stature
• Abnormal weight gain
• Early or delayed puberty
• Pituitary dysregulation
• Thyroid concerns
• Bone health
• Lipid concerns
• Adrenal disorders
• PCOS and other menstrual irregularities

Please call (585) 201-7112 to schedule an appointment or visit their website at www.wnypedsendo.com. Drs. Danilovich and Fourtner look forward to serving Springville and the surrounding communities.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Begins to Make Way for New Building

Community,

Crews have completed work on the former Concord Medical Group building to prepare the site for construction. The demolition of the existing structure marks an important step in beginning phase of the construction of BCH’s new medical arts facility. Site preparation and demolition work was completed by Empire Building Diagnostics of Depew.

“Many people have shared their stories of the excellent care they received from the providers in the former Concord Medical Group Building” remarked BCH CEO Nils Gunnersen. “We acknowledge the important role CMG played in the history of our community and are pleased to be working with the Concord Historical Society to have a number of items like the paintings and mosaics displayed at the Heritage Building on Franklin Street. BCH is excited to continue on this positive trajectory, grow our services, improve health care access to our community, and keep healthcare local.”

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital will continue to keep patients, employees and neighbors informed about progress at each phase through its website and Facebook page. The construction of the new medical arts building is made possible through an $11.3 million grant from New York State Health Care Facility Transformation Program.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Welcomes Dr. Salvatore Calandra

Announcement, Community, People,

The Bertrand Chaffee Heart Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Salvatore Calandra will be joining the Heart Center in early May.

Dr. Salvatore Calandra, MD is a Board Certified Cardiologist who has been practicing in the WNY area for the last 28 years. He was a partner with the Cardiology Group of WNY for 26 years and Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab and Intervention for the Catholic Health System for 17 years. He presently is the Director of Cardiology for Mobile Healthcare Partners/Mobile Primary Care. Recently, he has joined the cardiology team at ECMC.

“We need to strive to educate individuals to be proactive in their cardiac and vascular health and to educate our patients to recognize the warning signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke,” said Calandra. “Time is of the essence to get to a doctor or seek medical attention.”

“Dr. Calandra brings a wealth of experience to our Heart Center team,” said CEO Nils Gunnersen. “His focus on patient education and dedication to the heart health of our WNY community echoes the mission of BCH and keeping healthcare local.”

The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Heart Center, located on the hospital’s first floor, provides a comprehensive array of clinical and diagnostic cardiac and vascular services, including outpatient consults, echo, regular and stress echo testing and pacemaker interrogation. For appointments, call (716) 592-9644.

Shepherd Joins BCH Primary Care as Physician Assistant

People,

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has welcomed a new physician assistant to its Primary Care Practice as of June 2018.

Rebecca Shepherd, PA-C has been a physician assistant since 2006. She has worked in urgent care and emergency medicine departments in the Buffalo area, also having practiced alternative and complementary medicine in Buffalo and Fredonia.

She grew up in a family of physicians in Silver Creek, New York, and graduated with her physician assistant degree from D’Youville College. Prior to that, she earned a master of education degree from SUNY Fredonia, and spent many years teaching pre-K through high school, and working with persons with developmental disabilities.

“Shepherd is another great addition to our primary care practice,” said Nils Gunnersen, CEO. “We continue to recruit providers who believe in the value of local healthcare and who see the great things ahead for our facility, including the construction of a new medical arts building for primary care and specialty services.”

Shepherd also has a degree in naturopathy, and continues to be very interested in natural medicine, alternative therapies, nutrition, lifestyle changes and preventive medicine. “I moved to Ellicottville four years ago to enjoy more time outdoors and a more active lifestyle,” said Shepherd. “I am very pleased to be working so close to home in the wonderful community of Springville.”

The practice is accepting new patients and also accepts all major insurances. For an appointment, call (716) 592-8140.

The Price is Right for Lab Week

People,


National Medical Laboratory Technologist Week started off with enthusiasm and fun as the lab put together a facility-wide “Price is Right” challenge for employees.

This started a week of celebrations and activities to draw attention to the important role of the lab at the hospital for our patients, medical staff, nursing team and employees.

#teamchaffee

Live What You Love: Mary Lou Wright Retires after Four Decades at BCH

People,

Mary Lou Wright has a quote above her computer that states, “Live What You Love.” For all but a few months of her entire professional career, Wright has been part of the fabric of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and its Physical Therapy Department, doing exactly that: living what she loves. That career includes a time period that has extended for more than half the hospital’s history.

Starting in June 1975, Wright applied her bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from the University at Buffalo to part-time roles at Fiddler’s Green Manor and Bertrand Chaffee Hospital. “Within a year, BCH asked me to come here full time,” said Wright. Three years later her supervisor relocated to Florida, and she was offered the director of rehab position.

In her first years at BCH, most patients were seen on an outpatient basis. “Back then, therapists were not allowed to evaluate patients,” Wright offered. “We would get a prescription from the physician basically telling us what to do.”

She continued, “As the profession grew, physical therapists became recognized as an integral part of the patient care team. We now perform in-depth evaluations to determine a diagnosis, individual plan of care, and prognosis.”

When asked about how physical therapy has changed across five decades, Wright explained, “So much of the basics of PT have always been the same – heat and cold, massage, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, exercise – those things have not changed.”

She offered this explanation, “But now, the field has expanded to a more hands-on approach, such as manual techniques, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. There are new advances in aquatic therapy, vestibular rehab, orthotic and prosthetic devices, and even robotic technology…Patients can also have direct access to PT without a prescription, but with some limitations attached.”

It is the responsibility of the physical therapist to determine the best plan of care for each individual. “In a way, we’re like mechanics,” said Wright. “We help with the fine tuning and getting patients to run – or walk and function – better. It’s all about quality of life.”

Wright initially wanted to be a teacher, but when she was entering college in the 1970s, the market for educators was flooded. But for the past 43 years, she has served as a teacher in a different way, working with thousands of patients on their road to recovery from injuries, surgeries and chronic conditions.

“I have always felt I became what I was meant to be, and have loved what I do,” Wright remarked. “I can only hope that I have had some positive impact on the lives of those we call our patients, many of whom I am now lucky to call friends. It is the lives we touch and the relationships we develop that make healthcare such a unique field. I will miss that the most.”