ASHLAND – After 30 years of serving the Ashland community through heart and vascular and orthopedics, OhioHealth will cement its dedication with the new OhioHealth Ashland Health Center opening by early 2021.
Located on State Route 250 and George Road, the $14 million building will expand OhioHealth services in Ashland.
“We believe in this community, we can service a lot of people and do it very well right here at this corner in this intersection,” said Vinson Yates, president of OhioHealth Mansfield and Shelby Hospitals.
The Ashland Health Center will have eight treatment rooms (one equipped with a bathroom for patients in isolation), a resuscitation room and imaging capabilities for emergency patients. Emergency health physicians and a clinical team experienced in treating patients with severe or life-threatening conditions will be available 24/7.
The Ashland Health Center sits right across State Route 250 from Amberwood Parkway, which is where OhioHealth currently has physician practices for primary care, orthopedic as well as heart and vascular. OhioHealth also has lab and rehabilitation services, such as physical therapy, are also on Amberwood. More than 30 associates will relocate to the new building and Yates anticipates adding more than 50 new jobs right in the Ashland community.
“We’re looking to create convenience,” Yates said.
The 22,000 square-foot facility features four separate sections: emergency care and lab services on the first floor and a primary care practice and therapy on the second floor.
The emergency care portion of the facility will feature a walk-in and ambulance entrance, private patient rooms, advanced imaging capability such as CT, X-ray, lab and a resuscitation room.
The primary care practice will feature normal health care services such as annual screenings, exams, physicals, appointments while providing preventive, wellness and illness care.
If a patient were to come to the primary care facility and show poor vital signs, they can be brought right downstairs and be provided with treatment. However, if that patient did not show signs of stabilization, they would be transferred over to Mansfield Hospital to continue the next higher level of care if they need a long term admission or intensive care.
“(Ashland Health Center) really is a good pipeline to get patients in,” said Amanda Bowers, administrative nurse manager of emergency services. “Our goal is that if they’re transferred from here to (Mansfield Hospital), they’ll be able to bypass the emergency department at Mansfield and go straight to a room to continue their care as necessary.”
Yates gave a soft date of Jan. 27, 2021 for the grand opening. Although it could change, he said they’re “getting to that point.”
“We all know the way you do well in healthcare is you begin with quality,” Yates said. “If you have the right quality and the right service, you’re going to make a difference. And that’s what we’re looking to do in this community.”
