UVM Medical Center Invests in Wellness and Prevention with Construction of Primary Care Facility in Essex

Burlington, VT – A new adult primary care facility that will provide patients with access to more services at one location, improve patient privacy and comfort, and facilitate coordination of care is being built in Essex, Vt. by the University of Vermont Medical Center.
The building, located on the corner of Route 15 and Essex Way, will replace the current undersized, outdated, leased space that houses the Adult Primary Care-Essex practice. The new facility is designed to support a team-based approach to care in which physicians work alongside advanced practice providers, social workers, dieticians, mental health counselors, wellness coaches and others to address all of the factors in a patient’s life that have an impact on maintaining or improving their health.

“This is the latest in a series of recent investments in primary care throughout the Network because we know it is the foundation of our efforts to create a health care system focused on wellness and prevention,” said UVM Health Network President and CEO John Brumsted, MD. “I look forward to seeing the improvements in care that our dedicated and talented staff will bring about here, and sharing what is learned throughout our primary care system.”
The new practice, designed with patient input, will include 14 exam rooms, space for patient consultations and education, and multi-purpose spaces to support team-based approaches to health and wellness. Other features include:

• A room dedicated to telemedicine services.
• Space designed to meet the needs of bariatric patients.
• Care delivery space is separated from public and administrative support areas to maximize patient privacy and patient flow.

 “What we’re creating here represents the future of primary care within the UVM Medical Center,” said Interim President Stephen Leffler, MD. “We are committed to having spaces that facilitate a comfortable, convenient patient experience and support our providers in delivering innovative, patient-centered care.”

Adult Primary Care-Essex has been a leader in developing telehealth options for patients including piloting “e visits” which allow patients to receive recommendations for managing medical concerns without having to make an appointment or travel to the practice. Use of telehealth technology will be expanded in the new practice.  

“This facility will bolster the kind of teamwork and innovation that’s needed to improve the health of this community,” said Jennifer Gilwee, MD, division chief for General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at UVM Medical Center. “In this new space, we will be able to advance the work we’re doing in chronic disease management and addressing the social determinants of health.”

The $8.6 million project includes purchasing land and constructing a 12,500 square foot building which is designed so that up to eight exam rooms can be added if needed. It is designed to meet or exceed Energy Star and Vermont Commercial Building energy standards, and to qualify for LEED certification. The project was approved by the Green Mountain Care Board earlier this year and is being paid for out of capital funds. It is expected that the practice will be open for patient care in the Spring of 2020.

“I want to thank and congratulate our facilities planning team, patient advisors, Department of Medicine leadership and all the others who played a role in making this important project a reality,” said Dr. Leffler.

About the University of Vermont Medical Center

The University of Vermont Medical Center  is a 447-bed tertiary care regional referral center providing advanced care to approximately 1 million residents in Vermont and northern New York.  Together with our partners at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, we are Vermont’s academic medical center. The University of Vermont Medical Center also serves as a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. 

The University of Vermont Medical Center is a member of The University of Vermont Health Network, an integrated system established to deliver high quality academic medicine to every community we serve.

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