Partnership paying off

The days of driving more than 45 minutes to the nearest city to receive specialized medical care may be a thing of the past thanks to a new specialty care clinic opening today in Culpeper.

The University of Virginia Specialty Care — Culpeper is considered the first visible structure from the $40 million partnership between Culpeper Regional Hospital and the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville.

The nearly 2,600-square-foot clinic — located near CRH’s main entrance off Sunset Lane — offers endocrinology, infectious disease medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation and pediatric cardiology all under one roof.

Nearly 60 health care administrators and staff from U.Va. and CRH gathered in the clinic’s lobby Monday evening for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The cold rain forced the crowd to move the event inside.

“This week is a milestone in our partnership. It’s the most visible and most tangible evidence of our partnership and it’s a key aspect of us moving toward our vision toward clinical integration,” said H. Lee Kirk, CEO and president of CRH. “Having these physicians here and available to the people that we serve in Culpeper, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock and southern Fauquier areas is essential.”

R. Ed Howell, vice president and CEO of U.Va., said the new specialty clinic is part of what health care administrators had imagined for Culpeper.

“Bringing services like endocrinology, infectious disease and physical medicine and rehabilitation to the community was part of what we began our discussions and plans around some two years ago,” Howell said. “It’s nice to see what we planned and hoped for come to fruition.”

The office features six exam rooms, physician’s offices and two dictation suites and a handful of specialty physicians from U.Va.

The office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kirk said gastroenterology, rheumatology, pediatric urology and allergy specialists will possibly be added to the clinic in the future.

CRH Spokeswoman Abra Hogarth said the additional services depend on the community’s medical needs.

Dr. Susan Blank, an endocrinologist from U.Va., said she’s noticed a significant amount of patients from the Piedmont region traveling to Charlottesville for her services.

“I think it will be really nice for us to be here and it’ll make it easier for the patients to have a lot more access to medical care,” Blank said.

About the U.Va. Specialty Care — Culpeper

Features: Six exam rooms, two dictation suites and physicians who offer specialized services

Services offered: Endocrinology: Drs. Susan Blank and Meg Crook; pediatric cardiology: Dr. George McDaniel; Infectious disease, Dr. Amy Mathers; physical medicine and rehabilitation: Dr. Susan Miller

Size: Nearly 2,600-square-feet

Location: Near CRH’s main entrance off Sunset Lane

Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new U.Va Specialty Care – Culpeper opens today. For more information call 829-1919.