Webb Property Owners Association (WPOA) President Letty Haynes, recently submitted a letter to the Town of Webb on behalf of the organization and its Health Committee Chair, Dr. Ronald A. Miller, voicing its concerns on how to improve health care functionalities within the Town of Webb.
Town of Webb Supervisor Robert Moore read highlights of the letter to the audience at the town’s monthly board meeting on Tuesday, September 13.
The letter’s list of concerns included the availability of Central Adirondack Family Practice physicians, access to physical therapy services and Centrex Laboratory testing services, access and utilization of HASCA (Home Aide Service of the Central Adirondacks), as well as the functionality of the Office of the Town of Webb Health Center Fund.
“I see the letter from WPOA as reaching out with a willingness to participate in this exploration and ultimately in the future of providing for primary healthcare for our community,” Supervisor Moore said.
According to Moore, in March 2011, the Town of Webb Board authorized Dr. Thomas Dennison, Director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship to conduct and complete a situational assessment of the TOW Profes-sional Offices.
Moore said it was Dr. Dennisson’s suggestion to carefully approach the conversation with regard to the future of health care.
“I think we all take this issue extremely seriously, as I’m sure everybody in the community does,” Councilman Mike Ross said.
In the Haynes letter, the suggestions made to the Town by Dr. Dennisson were outlined.
Suggestions included having a formal dialogue with Drs. Webster and Socash to share their perspective regarding long term stability, which should also include detailed discussion regarding the recruitment of an additional physician.
Dr. Dennisson also felt that dialogue should include efforts to transition the town Health Center into a certified diagnostic and treatment center, and to also consider affiliating with larger health systems like St. Elizabeth or Faxton-St.Luke’s health care.
Following further discussion by the Board, Supervisor Moore reiterated his desire to handle the Health Care concerns as carefully as possible.
“What we have in the Town of Webb may not be perfect, but it does provide a level of health care. We don’t want to threaten what we have, we want to build on it and build for the future,” Moore said.
