CCMH Announces Affiliation with Hamot

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital announced its official clinical affiliation with Hamot Medical Center which will enhance local healthcare in the region.

The partnership will allow expanded opportunities for Charles Cole such as trauma/emergency services, regional transportation, homecare/durable medical equipment, after hours pharmacy coverage, education and peer relationships, professional recruitment/retention, and medical office joint ventures. Patients will retain choice for tertiary care and local control of CCMH will not be affected.

CCMH has had a long-standing affiliation with Hamot through the availability of Hamot-affiliated cardiologists, neurologists, and most recently through the inception of telemedicine which allows patients to see a specialists from a tertiary center close to home. CCMH’s board of directors explored options over the past year and found Hamot to be a logical choice due to their successful working relationship and similar philosophies and missions.

“We are very confident that Hamot offers demonstrated advantages and is an excellent partner for our hospital,” said Ed Pitchford, CCMH president and chief executive officer. “This affiliation presents an opportunity for us through access to additional capabilities and expertise and to develop a tightly integrated network to boost quality and coordinate services, where it makes sense. We can also reduce costs for our organizations and those seeking care with us, all the while making sure patients get what they need, when they need it.”

“This is an important day for our community and our hospital. We have joined forces with a very successful and forward thinking healthcare organization. We are excited about the possibilities this affiliation will provide our area residents, employees and physicians. The Hamot affiliation strengthens our hospital’s ability to reach out to residents with quality health care throughout northcentral Pennsylvania. A regional approach such as this can benefit our local community by offering a broad range of services while creating added efficiencies in the delivery of health care,” said Charles Updegraff, CCMH board chairman.

Hamot Chief Operating Officer Jim Fiorenzo believes the strength of this affiliation is built upon a shared vision. “There are numerous external forces affecting the delivery of healthcare today but by forming closer relationships like this affiliation between Hamot and CCMH, we can deliver on our commitment to provide excellent patient care and create new solutions for the delivery of healthcare in Northwest Pennsylvania.”

“That’s why our organization is working with Hamot, a much larger organization with an excellent reputation that will offer us services that we otherwise might not be able to have. Charles Cole is an economic base for the community and it is essential that we are able to continue to grow by keeping as much care in the region as possible. This area needs to have a full-service, primary care hospital that is dedicated to excellent, patient-centered care and that is a mutual goal of the leadership of both Charles Cole and Hamot,” Pitchford said.

Hamot has been recognized by numerous national organizations including US News and World Report and Thomson Reuters for outstanding quality and clinical excellence in a wide range of services including cardiac, orthopaedics, neurology, urology and critical care medicine.

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital is a full service, comprehensive health system based in Coudersport with service throughout north central Pennsylvania. In addition to the hospital’s main campus in Coudersport, CCMH provides primary health care, including wellness and physical therapy, to surrounding communities in four counties at rural health centers in Galeton, Ulysses, Westfield, Shinglehouse, Port Allegany, Eldred, Smethport, and Emporium. For additional information on the hospital’s services and medical providers, visit www.charlescolehospital.com.