Main Entrance/Exit Closure Beginning Tuesday, September 15

As of Tuesday, September 15, The Main Entrance to the Hospital will be closed for several weeks. Patients and visitors are advised to enter and exit the campus from Mayerat Drive, which is off Newman Street. Signage will guide you through the campus. Please allow extra time to navigate the new traffic pattern. Patients are encouraged to utilize the valet when possible.
The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Primary Care Center will have a new home once construction is completed. The new Bertrand Chaffee Health Center is a major investment in our campus and community.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work toward completion of our new Bertrand Chaffee Health Center.

New York State Department of Health: COVID-19 Updated Guidance for Hospitals Regarding Visitation

Updated: 6/18/2020

On June 17, 2020, the NYS Department of Health declared that hospital visitation can begin again with strict safeguards that will limit the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 to patients, staff, and visitors.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has adopted and is implementing the following measures in order to resume visitation on the Medical Floor:

  • Visitation hours are from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm, only. Visitors are only to visit the patient’s room and should not walk around other areas of the Hospital building.
  • Per the NYS Department of Health, visitors must be greater than 18 years old, with the exception of end-of-life visits.
  • Visitation will be limited to one visitor per patient at a time.
  • Visitors must wear a mask over their mouth and nose when in the Hospital building. If entering an Isolation Precaution room, visitors will be required to wear all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If the visitor does not agree to wear all appropriate PPE, they can be denied visitation.
  • Visitors must enter Bertrand Chaffee Hospital through the Main Entrance lobby door and must proceed directly to the screening table.
  • Visitors will be screened for temperature, any COVID symptoms in the last 14 days, and any contact with a COVID positive person in the last 14 days.
  • Information about the risks of visiting will be given to the visitor at the screening desk and their name, phone number, who they are visiting, and the date and time of the visit will be recorded. Visitors will be given a “Visitor” sticker to wear.

Emergency Room visitation remains unchanged; one visitor per patient at the discretion of the Emergency Room staff and will undergo the screening process and procedures as outlined above.

Ambulatory Surgery patients undergoing same-day procedures may be accompanied by one person, only, and will undergo the screening process and procedures as outlined above.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, following guidance from the New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reserves the right to modify these policies and measures at any time.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CATTARAUGUS COUNTY TOWN HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION PRESENT GIFTS FOR THE YOUNGEST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS AT BERTRAND CHAFFEE HOSPITAL

The Cattaraugus County Town Highway Supervisors Association delivered a supply of new toys and stuffed animals for the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Emergency Department on December 17. Staff in the ED gives out toys to its youngest patients and visitors. The Association also collected toys during the holiday season to deliver to Olean General Hospital, Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services, the Ronald McDonald House in Buffalo, and the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.

Representatives from the Cattaraugus County Town Highway Superintendents Association present gifts for the youngest emergency department patients at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital.

From left: Teresa Fink, RN, Town of East Otto Highway Superintendent Tom Benz, Diane Metz of Suit-Kote, Rachael Conklin, RN, and Casey Suraf, LPN.

BCH Women’s Association Hosts Chicken Barbeque Fundraiser

The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Women’s Association will host its annual Drive-Thru Chicken Barbeque Dinner on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, from 3pm until 6pm, in the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital parking lot.

Dinners are $10 each and include Wendel’s Poultry Farm Chicken, one side, roll, and a homemade dessert. Presale tickets are available to purchase from BCH Women’s Association Members, the BCH Gift Shop and the Hospital switchboard until September 24. Presale tickets are highly recommended – last year’s dinner sold out!

The BCH Women’s Association, in existence for over 70 years, holds many fundraisers throughout the year to donate to the BCH Foundation. This dedicated group of women has raised over $300,000 since 1995, supporting clinical equipment purchases and building improvements at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. The group meets the first Wednesday of every month at 7pm at the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. New members are welcome and encouraged.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Begins to Make Way for New Building

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

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.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital accepts donation from VFW Post 5260

Ally Olsen graciously  accepted a $1,000 donation from the Felton Burns VFW Post 5260 on behalf of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital. The donation will be used to purchase a bariatric wheelchair for use on the Medical Unit of the hospital. The members of the local VFW expressed interest in donating to the hospital because it is something that we all use from time to time. We thank them for this generous donation.

Pictured from left to right
Roy Gill, Senior Vice Commander, Tom Schalberg, Commander, Ally Olsen, BCH/JBR, Bob Bieber, Trustee and Darrell Gray, Jr. Vice Commander

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital provides acute inpatient care, 24 hour emergency care, laboratory, imaging, rehabilitation, respiratory, surgical services, and primary care for the 535 square mile rural service area of Southern Erie, Cattaraugus, and Wyoming Counties.  Long term care services are available through the Jennie B. Richmond skilled nursing facility, offering 24-hour nursing care, plus personal care, social and rehabilitation services, and recreational services.

JBR Welcomes Olsen as New Administrator

March 11, 2019 – SPRINGVILLE, NY  — The Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home has announced it has hired a new administrator, Allysa L. Olsen, to manage operations for the 80-bed facility in Springville.

Olsen brings to the Jennie B. a background in social work and crisis counseling. She has experience in assisted living, long-term care and sub-acute rehabilitation facilities in Western New York, specializing in admissions and discharge processes as well as advocating for resident rights and needs. She earned a Long-term Care Administration Certificate from D’Youville College, and a Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University at Buffalo. The South Buffalo native began work on March 11.

“I’m eager to meet the residents and staff at the Jennie B.,” said Olsen. “JBR is a treasured part of Springville and I look forward to maintaining its tradition of quality long-term nursing care and short-term rehab services.”

“Allysa has a wealth of social work experience,” said Bertrand Chaffee Hospital CEO Nils Gunnersen. “We’re looking for her to continue our focus on residents’ medical, social and emotional needs.”