Larger space will provide opportunity for more medical services 

September 18, 2019: People Inc. is pleased to announce that it is embarking on an expansion plan to relocate its Elmwood Health Center, an affiliate of the agency, by purchasing a parcel of land from Uniland Development. Currently located at 2128 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, NY, on the border of Kenmore, the new location will only be a few blocks down the road at the corner of Elmwood and Hertel Avenues. The new Elmwood Health Center anticipates an early 2021 opening, and People Inc. will then relocate staff from other leased space to the 2128 Elmwood location. 

People Inc. is a leading agency at the forefront of providing health services and it has taken great strides to ensure the Elmwood Health Center remains in this medically underserved corridor in the city of Buffalo. The organization continues to seek funding support for this much-needed expansion project. From 13,000 square feet to the new 32,000 square foot facility, the increased space will result in extra services and ample patient parking. The new location will provide nearby communities and families more access to affordable health care, with offerings such as onsite dental services, pharmacy and durable medical equipment. 

The Elmwood Health Center expansion represents best practice, bringing together a wide variety of health and wellness services in one convenient location. Core continuing services will include internal medicine; audiometry; neurology; speech, physical and occupational therapies; pediatric and adult medicine; social work; behavioral health; counseling and podiatry. The enhanced care will provide an innovative system for medical physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical support staff and social workers to work as a team and provide a coordinated approach to health care delivery integrating behavioral health. A special wheelchair clinic with an onsite durable medical equipment provider, providing readily available access for assessments and specialty equipment for patients, is also under one roof. 

Additionally, a new Dental Clinic will be co-located onsite to provide much-sought-after dental care, an extreme need for people with developmental disabilities. From 500 patients in 1994 when the Elmwood Health Center was established to over 5,000 patients today, the new location will have the capacity to provide services to over 7,000 patients. Increased patient access will also be available, with lower waitlist times, an increase of examination rooms from 10 to 22, and four treatment rooms for primary and specialty care.

“We are so excited to embark on this expansion of health care services,” said Rhonda Frederick, People Inc. president and CEO. “Twenty-five years ago, People Inc. started the Elmwood Health Center because we saw the need for people with developmental disabilities to receive appropriate healthcare, and we’ll continue to offer this expertise to even more people with disabilities with the expansion. Their family members, staff and community members are also able to receive great healthcare services with us. Our plans to have more comprehensive services under one roof will be more convenient for patients all-around.”

Uniland remains the owner of 18 adjacent acres and one vacant three-story building at 1934 Elmwood. The developer has plans to restore the entire site over the next several years into a mix of office, retail and residential. Uniland Construction will build-out the existing structure and construct an addition and the parking area. 

“People Inc. is a great community partner and this new health clinic will add a vital service to the neighborhood,” said Uniland Vice President Michael Montante. “This project is the first in a multi-phase mixed-use redevelopment for the entire site along Hertel and Elmwood. This is a significant location in North Buffalo and we expect neighbors, visitors and passersby to see significant improvements in the aesthetics with this phase.”

Uniland is currently working to finalize a deal with another business to operate at the site. 

Twenty-five years later since its founding, the Elmwood Health Center now provides services to people from Niagara Falls to East Aurora, NY. 

In addition to being certified as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Council for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the Elmwood Health Center has received national recognition for its creative use of electronic health information. The Elmwood Health Center has been awarded a National Outcomes Excellence Award for its advanced use of electronic health information (eHIT) in patient care delivery, as well as having been recognized as a Health IT Visionary by New York State eHealth Collaborative. In addition, and in partnership with HEALTHeLINK, the Elmwood Health Center pioneered the online reporting of childhood immunizations to the NYS Department of Health.

Founded in 1994, the Elmwood Health Center, an affiliate of People Inc., is a health care facility that provides a wide range of medical, rehabilitative therapies and counseling services for children, teens, adults and seniors. Specially designed services for individuals with developmental disabilities are provided.

People Inc. provides programs and services to more than 10,000 people with special needs, their families and older adults throughout Western New York and the greater Rochester region. Since 1970, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity. To learn more, visit people-inc.org. Like us on Facebook at People Inc. and follow us on Twitter @PeopleIncNews.