Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Welcomes Dr. Nadeem Haq

Announcement, ,
Dr. Nadeem Haq

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is pleased to announce cardiologist Dr. Nadeem Haq has joined the BCH Heart Center.

Dr. Nadeem Haq, MD, FACC completed Medical School at University of Punjab, Pakistan. He completed Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine and Cardiology Fellowship in Adult Cardiovascular Disease at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Haq is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and is a member of the American Society of Echocardiology, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and the Society for Vascular Ultrasound.

Dr. Haq has published or presented his research in a number of venues including the West Virginia Journal of Medicine, the American College of Physicians (ACP) Annual Associates Meeting, the Southern Medical Association Annual Assembly, and the American Gastroenterological Association.

He previously served at Trinity Medical Cardiology as Co-Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Director of Echocardiography at Buffalo Mercy Hospital and President of the Cardiology Group of WNY. In addition to his duties at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, Dr. Haq practices at Great Lakes Cardiovascular and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Haq practices non-invasive and invasive cardiology, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Haq join our team at BCH,” said BCH CEO Nils Gunnersen. “His wealth of experience and excellent reputation in the WNY community will be a great asset to our patients and our Heart Center practice.”

Dr. Haq joins Dr. Gomez, Dr. Smith, and Lauralee Sprague, NP in the clinical care of cardiac patients.

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 and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home CEO Announces Retirement

Announcement
BCH & JBR CEO Nils Gunnersen

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home CEO Nils Gunnersen announced he will be stepping down from his leadership role by the end of 2022.

“Nils has served as CEO of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home since December 2008 and has provided visionary leadership to our campus throughout his tenure,” said Gary Eppolito, President of the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Board of Directors. “His guidance has not only preserved but has grown services and certainly fulfilled our organizational mission of Keeping Healthcare Local.”

Under Gunnersen’s leadership, BCH has made great strides at advancing local healthcare. Some of these many accomplishments include the creation of BCH Primary Care, BCH Heart Center, and the BCH Surgical Centers, modernization of the imaging department, and strengthening the partnerships with Keystone Healthcare and Mercy EMS / Mercy Flight.

“We will miss Nils’ experience as a health leader, we will miss his thoughtful leadership, but we will especially miss the great sense of humor he shared with us, even during unprecedented and stressful times for the healthcare industry,” said Johanna Healy,  Chair of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee. 

Recently, Gunnersen was instrumental in the completion of the construction of the Bertrand Chaffee Health Center, recruitment of new providers for the Primary Care Center, and establishment of the Bertrand Chaffee Orthopaedic Surgery Center. Notably, Gunnersen has been responsible for making strategic investments to our campus while recruiting and retaining a multitude of new providers and staff to BCH and JBR, as well as strengthening BCH’s position of independence as organization. 

“It has been my pleasure to serve Springville and the surrounding communities over the last 14 years,” shared Gunnersen. “I am proud of what we, as a team, have accomplished together to strengthen local healthcare services. My utmost gratitude and appreciation goes out to the BCH and Foundation Boards, volunteers, physicians, and staff. We could not have accomplished our many achievements without the commitment and tireless work of these great people.  It has been my privilege to be a part of this dedicated team. A special thank you for the tremendous support Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home receives from our community. We are so honored to serve and take care of you.” “The Board has formed a Committee to begin the important work of identifying Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home’s next leader,” stated Eppolito. “We are committed to a transition by the end of the calendar year.”

JBR becomes a Regional Test Center for the Certification Exam for Nursing Assistants

Announcement, ,
Photo included: Pictured are graduates from our June 2022 Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program. Pictured L-R JBR Nursing Home Administrator Carole Francis, Elizabeth Dimpfl, Leah Seltzer, Laura Esposito, JBR Assistant Director of Nursing Samantha Vecchio, and JBR Director of Nursing Renna Thaine.

Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home is proud to announce a collaborative agreement with Prometric to become a regional test site for the New York State Nurse Aide Certification Exam. Prometric is a leading provider of technology-enabled testing and assessment solutions to many of the world’s most recognized licensing and certification organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies. They support more than seven million test takers annually at their testing locations in more than 180 countries around the world.

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has contracted with Prometric to develop and administer the New York State (NYS) Nursing Home Nurse Aide Competency Examination and manage the NYS Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry (NAR). All individuals performing nurse aide duties in a nursing home on a full-time, part-time or contractual basis must meet minimum training and competency requirements in accordance with state and federal regulations and be listed in good standing on the NAR.  The majority of nurse aides on the registry become certified by successfully completing a NYS-approved nursing home nurse aide training program and passing the Competency Examination. The exam consists of two parts: 1) a Clinical Skills exam (practical portion); and 2) a Written (oral) exam.

In early December of 2021, Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home received notification that it was approved for a New York State Nurse Aide Training Program and began to offer training classes in January 2022. Since then, they have had two graduating classes. A challenge the nurse aide candidates was the distance traveling to and from area regional testing sites – some candidates were asked to test 4 hours away. The administration team at Jennie B. felt this limited the chances of candidates passing the exam and as a result, entered into discussions with Prometric to develop a testing area here on the Bertrand Chaffee campus. A computer lab area was created for the written part of the exam and a laboratory area to test clinical skills. “This was no small undertaking as we needed funds to create the computer and simulation laboratories,” reports Carole Francis, Nursing Home Administrator for Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. “We saw an opportunity to develop and train new and current staff caring for our residents,” commented Renna S. Thaine, Director of Nursing for Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. “This will allow us to develop candidates’ skill sets so that our residents receive the highest quality of care possible. This is our commitment to them and the communities we deliver care in.”

Training coursework is held regularly throughout the year and paid for by the organization. The next CNA training course will begin on August 1; applications are due by July 25. To learn more about the CNA training program or to apply, please email aszarzanowicz@bch-jbr.org.

Bertrand Chaffee Primary Care Welcomes Erin Vogl, PA

Announcement, ,
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

Announcement, ,
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

Announcement, , , ,

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.