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Business & Tech

Construction Proceeding on Hartford HealthCare Medical Center

Working with the shell of the existing Blockbuster building on Route 44, Hartford HealthCare is aggressively constructing their latest health care center in Avon.

Construction proceeds as the “Blockbuster” building on Route 44 is being transformed into a urgent care walk-in clinic.  

HealthCare, the group that owns Hartford Hospital and other medical care operations in the state, plans on having the facility ready by Oct. 4.

No strangers to Avon, the group already operates the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center on Fisher Road, and the Hartford Hospital Avon Wellness Center on Simsbury Road.

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The new walk-in clinic will have a different focus than those centers, providing an urgent care primary physician practice, a walk-in treatment center for cuts, bruises, and minor ailments, a surgical consultation practice and a community education center. The walk-in center will be open seven days per week.

The center is part of the strategic mission of Hartford Healthcare to provide an entire range of services to its patients in various communities. The company currently has over 80 satellite facilities.

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Karen Goyette, vice president of strategic planning and business development said, “We are constantly looking for opportunities in the market to improve access to primary care.”

One of the aims of recent health care reform laws is a coordination of providers for all aspects of medical care. The Hartford HealthCare plan is to advance that aim with a coordination of resources. The urgent care practice will be an extension of the primary care of the Hartford Medical Group from the Avon Wellness Center, but also with the addition of three new physicians.

Avon Town Planner Steve Kushner said, “one of the trends in the medical business is for a retail-type storefront presence. It will provide more convenient opportunities for patients.”

The community educational aspect of the center will allow for digital information sources, as well as Web conferencing. The design is technologically advanced, featuring iPads, and kiosks for checking in.

Goyette said the design of the health center is meant to capture the feel of a hotel lobby rather than a medical practice.

“Patients will be greeted as guests, and be able to see a physician quickly.”

An open house is planned for Oct. 15 and will take the form of a farm festival. Local farmers have been invited to participate, and the feature attraction will be a pumpkin carving competition pitting local chefs against surgeons. All proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center.

The construction management is being undertaken by local contractor CASLE Corporation. The architect for the project is Mark Fey of Don Hammerberg Associates, of Farmington.

No new structures are being built on the property. The existing shell of the building is being used for the new center and covers 13,000 square feet.

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