FEEDING HILLS – Baystate Noble Hospital recently opened the 6,000 square-foot Noble Express Care at 24 N. Westfield St. The clinic offers non-emergency and primary care, lab, radiology, outpatient services and minor procedures for adults.
The first Noble Express opened in 2013 on Union Street in Westfield.
Ronald P. Bryant, president of Baystate Noble Hospital, said the facility is split evenly between express care and primary care.
Several doctors from the former Hampden County Physicians Associates joined Baystate Noble.
“They had a prior office in Feeding Hills. We always wished to go back into that area and to have a presence there,” he said. “It’s an area we served well in the past and we’ve been growing.”
Noble Express Care gives access to patients and their families on a more continual basis, said Bryant, and also allows patients to see a doctor outside normal practice hours. The new facilities should lessen emergency room visits.
“There are many times a patient doesn’t have to go an emergency room but can go to a Noble Express Care,” he said. “Obviously, if a patient needs emergency care at that point, they would be referred to Noble’s emergency room.”
In most instances, patients likely need non-emergency care, especially when dealing with flu or cold symptoms or other non-life threatening conditions. Bryant emphasized that half the facility is dedicated to traditional primary care patients.
On Monday morning, the facility’s parking lot was filled with cars, a testament to Noble Hospital’s outreach to surrounding communities.
“Our market share has been growing in Feeding Hills over the past years,” said Bryant. “We anticipated it would be well-received by the community.”
Dr. Gary Jacobson, who operated a long-time practice in Feeding Hills, will join the clinic’s primary care side, which includes wellness and follow-up visits.
Noble Hospital and Baystate Health Systems merged in July 2015. Hospitals in Ware, Palmer and Greenfield now fall under the Baystate umbrella. The system employs around 11,500 workers, making Baystate the region’s largest employer.
“To be able to refer to the specialist over at Baystate, gives us the continuity of care our community needs. It now aligns us more closely. When you walk into the doors of Baystate Noble, you’re really walking into the doors of Baystate Medical Center now,” said Bryant. “The goal is to bring the same continuity of care here that you would get at Baystate.”
He noted Baystate Noble belongs to the regional heart attack program, which includes access to Baystate Medical Center’s cardiac care specialist.
“We’re all on the same team,” he said. Baystate Noble has no current plans to open additional express care clinics in the Westfield area.
The Feeding Hills Noble Express Care is opened 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. For more information visit Noble Express Care’s website at www.noblexpresscare.com.
