Message from the President on Regional Leadership

By Colleen DiPirro

Each and every month, the Amherst Chamber of Commerce staff reach's out to our members on a variety of subjects.  In addition to the First Monday e-newsletter which you are reading now, we send email blasts regarding workshops, networking events, health insurance and benefits information and updates and progress reports on public policy initiatives.  First Monday gives us an opportunity to go more in-depth on topics and projects we are involved in or want your feedback on.  As an organization, we are very involved in leadership activities throughout the region but, in an effort to not inundate our members with to much information, we are very selective and strategic with our electronic outreach and emails.  However, we think it is critically important for you to have recognition for what we do and how we represent you so this is the first in a series of articles we will be authoring on leadership initiatives.  Further, we will be inviting guest authors to publish a companion article on issues of broad interest.

Amherst Medical Corridor

Background

The Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21^st Century was a broad based panel created by former Governor Pataki and the NYS Legislature to undertake a rational review of health care capacity and resources in NYS>  It was created to ensure that the regional and local supply of hospital and nursing home facilities is best configured to appropriately respond to community needs for high-quality, affordable and accessible care, with meaningful efficiencies in delivery and financing that promote infrastructure stability.  The Commission was chaired by Stephen Berger and is referred to as the Berger Commission.

A directive of the Berger Commission included the closure of Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital which is being completed at this time.  That closure has resulted in a shift of medical practices and procedures - general and specialty - to the Millard Fillmore Suburban location.  Physicians, wanting to be close to the hospital where they perform procedures, are looking for office space in easy proximity to Suburban.  Developers, in anticipation of this shift, are purchasing parcels of land all around Suburban in an effort to have properties available, as needed. 

The Town of Amherst Planning Department, as part of the regular review of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, reached out to the Chamber and we brokered a meeting with the leadership of Kaleida and Millard Fillmore Suburban.  The purpose of the meeting was to attempt to determine current and immediate future land use needs for medical support practices.  We are taking into consideration Quality of Life as it relates to delivery and diversity of medical services for Northtown residents and employees with the positive impact on the tax base that an expanded economic foundation would provide.  Additionally, the density required for infill or expanded infrastructure projects must be considered from a traffic and neighborhood viewpoint.  Kaleida officials are sensitive to balancing the maintenance of the neighborhoods while responding to the medical needs of the community.  Collaboration between the public and private sector as evidenced by the Town of Amherst Planning Department, Kaleida and the Amherst Chamber of Commerce is another example of the leadership the Chamber strives to provide our members and the community at large each and every day.  We will continue to keep you informed as these discussions progress.

For more information on any aspects of this article, email me at cdipirro@amherst.org.