CAZENOVIA — On Sept. 21, Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) partnered with the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce (GCACC) to present an event at the Hampton Inn & Suites Cazenovia to spread the word about the healthcare services offered by the hospital and the upcoming expansion of services at the Cazenovia Family Health Center.

CMH, a Crouse Health partner, is a 25-bed critical-access hospital in Hamilton that provides urgent care, primary care, and specialty healthcare to communities throughout Madison County and parts of Onondaga, Chenango, and Oneida Counties. The hospital’s services are connected to and supported by Community Memorial Family Health Centers in Hamilton, Waterville, Munnsville, Morrisville, and Cazenovia. The hospital and health centers are guided by a board of directors comprised of business, education, and civic leaders.

“I could tell you dozens of stories of Cazenovia residents who have been amazed by the level of service they received at Community Memorial Hospital,” said Cazenovia resident Brad Wheler, who is in his 11th year on the CMH board. “I’ve served 10 years as treasurer and chairman of the finance committee. I’ve seen firsthand the quality, caring healthcare service the hospital provided for my mother, my wife, and other family and friends. At a time when healthcare in New York State is under great stress, Community Memorial Hospital is providing outstanding, caring, and convenient top-quality healthcare. It is a resource our community should have a greater awareness of.”

The Sept. 21 event, which drew more than 85 Cazenovia residents, gave attendees the opportunity to meet CMH President/CEO Jeff Coakley and several physicians. They also learned about CMH’s decision to introduce cardiology and general surgery visits to the Cazenovia Family Health Center. The facility, which is on John Trush Boulevard off Route 20, also offers primary care services.

Attendees were introduced to primary care provider Dr. Jocelyn Morin, general surgeon Dr. Gregory Ripich, cardiologist Dr. AV Singh, and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richelle Takemoto.

According to Keara Connors, CMH’s executive director of community relations, Morin previously split her time between Cazenovia and another CMH family health center, but she is now seeing patients in Cazenovia full-time. She specializes in family medicine.

Ripich and Singh will be seeing patients in both Cazenovia and Hamilton.

“Dr. Singh is anticipated to begin seeing patients in Cazenovia starting in November,” said Connors. “Dr. Ripich has already started scheduling patients in Caz.”

In a Sept. 25 press release, CMH announced that Singh is also expanding his practice by welcoming two additional nurse practitioners this fall.

All procedures and surgeries are performed in Hamilton.

Takemoto, whose office is in Hamilton, specializes in orthopedic trauma and total joint arthroplasty of the hip, knee, and shoulder. CMH is in the process of building out a new orthopedic office, which is expected to open this winter.

“It was exciting to meet so many community members of Cazenovia to share about the orthopedic services at Community Memorial,” Takemoto said in the press release. “The guests of the event were so welcoming to learn more about our primary care, general surgery, and cardiology services.”

According to Connors, CMH decided to expand access to healthcare in Cazenovia in response to feedback from community members who felt there was a lack of resources in the area.

“With much of our services located in Hamilton, a short 20 miles away, we felt that offering additional services in Cazenovia would help bridge that gap for residents,” she said.

In the Sept. 25 press release, Coakley stated that as part of its commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of Cazenovia residents and minimizing the need to travel to cities for specialized care, CMH will continue to explore opportunities for further service enhancements in the region.

GCACC Executive Director Anna Marie Neuland expressed her eagerness for the chamber to continue to partner with CMH to educate the community about new healthcare services and programs.

Updates on new services, healthcare resources, and upcoming community events will be posted on CMH’s social media platforms. Additional information on CMH’s current services is available at communitymemorial.org.