February 2, 2021
Evergreen plans to open a new primary care site at 1870 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo later this year to serve people in the community and persons with disabling conditions
BUFFALO, NY—Today Evergreen Health announced its partnership with People Inc., particularly its acquisition of the People Inc. Elmwood Health Center Primary Care clinic (Article 28). Under this agreement, People Inc. will close and cease operations of its Primary Care clinic located at 2128 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo due to unsustainable reimbursement rates. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, People Inc. began identifying potential partners and chose Evergreen for its similar mission, values and experience serving those who are underserved by the healthcare system. Sometime later this year, Evergreen will begin providing primary care services, as well as gynecology, podiatry and neurology, to people in the community and persons with disabling conditions and other special needs.
“I am thrilled to be entering this next phase of growth for Evergreen,” said Ray Ganoe, president and CEO, Evergreen Health. “People Inc. has roots similar to ours and provides critical services to people in our community who need it the most. We are confident Evergreen can continue to deliver the high-quality care the People Inc. patients trust and rely on. Our commitment to judgment-free, affirming, patient-centered care drives everything we do and we are excited to welcome this new group of patients to the Evergreen family.”
Evergreen intends to open a new primary care clinic located at 1870 Elmwood. This new clinic will fall under Evergreen’s Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHCLAL) scope of services. Once the transition occurs Evergreen will serve an additional 5,000 patients. Evergreen intends to offer employment to all People Inc. Primary Care employees in order to retain their high-quality team and decrease any disruptions to patient care. Evergreen will continue to operate its existing primary care clinic at 206 S. Elmwood in downtown Buffalo.
“Preserving the important services provided at the People Inc. Elmwood Health Center Primary Care clinic is what drove our decision to seek out an organization that could provide the financial stability needed to serve this group of patients,” said Rhonda Frederick, president and CEO, People Inc. “We believe we found the ideal partner in Evergreen, an organization that shares a strong commitment and experience in serving populations with unique healthcare needs. I firmly believe that collaboration is the best approach to maintaining services, supporting staff and meeting the needs of the community.”
The new partnership will be mutually beneficial to both Evergreen and People Inc., and most importantly the patients. For Evergreen, this growth allows it to expand its services to serve new populations as an FQHCLAL. Evergreen’s FQHCLAL status provides increased reimbursement rates, ensuring this group of patients receive the care they need and deserve.
“This is a great day for both Evergreen and People Inc.,” said Ganoe. When the healthcare community remains open to innovation and collaboration, patients win. Improving health outcomes should be a main driver in all of our decision making and I’m glad we were able to come together with People Inc. We’re all in this together.”
A new health center has been built at 1870 Elmwood Ave., which will be owned and operated by People Inc. Evergreen will lease space and operate its new primary care clinic (Article 28 space) within this new health center. There will also be separate areas for other People Inc. services, including rehabilitation and mental health counseling. There will be an on-site pharmacy and dental services. People First Mobility, an affiliate of People Inc., will also be in the building.
The People Inc. Primary Care team will officially become Evergreen employees when the New York State Department of Health provides final approval. Until that time the staff will remain People Inc. employees. Evergreen expects to begin operation at its new clinic sometime later this year.
“We are extremely grateful to the Elmwood Health Center team for their ongoing and outstanding commitment to patient care,” said Frederick. “I know Evergreen will provide the team with the support and resources they need to continue making a difference in the lives of their patients.”
Evergreen Health fosters healthy communities by providing medical, supportive and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York – especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system.
People Inc., a multispecialty non-profit health and human services agency, provides programs and services to more than 10,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, special needs, families and older adults throughout Western New York and the Greater Rochester region. Since 1970, People Inc. has assisted people to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity. With nearly 4,000 employees, People Inc. is one of the region’s largest employers. To learn more, visit people-inc.org, follow People Inc. on Facebook or Twitter @PeopleIncNews.