Columbia-Greene Workforce moves ahead with summer program

By DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—All five Roe Jan area towns have now joined the effort to get Columbia Memorial Health’s Copake Rapid Care facility at 283 Mountain View Road, reopened.

The rapid care facility has been closed since late last year (2022) after having reduced and sporadic hours during the pandemic. Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) has said that lack of staffing is the main hurdle to reopening.

With no other medical facility in eastern Columbia County, residents in this part of the county have to travel to hospitals in Hudson, Great Barrington, MA, or Sharon, CT, for urgent medical care–all at least 30 minutes away.

Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) operates two other rapid care facilities, one in Valatie, northwestern Columbia County, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 7 days/week; and another in Catskill, Greene County, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. 7 days/week, according to its website (www.columbiamemorialhealth.org/locations/).

In her July 13 report Copake Supervisor Jeanne Mettler noted, “The support for saving Rapid Care in Copake is growing.”

A five-town coalition made up of: Copake, Hillsdale, Ancram, Taghkanic and Gallatin, is now advocating for the reopening of Copake Rapid Care, “and there is some reason to believe that their efforts will be successful.”

The group, which meets as needed, has met three times with CMH leadership. At the most recent meeting June 28, Ms. Mettler said the “coalition urged that a quick solution was less important than a lasting solution.” Representatives for the towns called on CMH to make a public statement of their intent to reopen once the staffing issues are resolved. CMH indicated a willingness to issue a press release to this effect, Ms. Mettler said.

At the July 20 Ancram Town Board meeting, Councilperson Amy Gold asked audience members if they knew of a physician assistant who might be interested in working at the Copake Rapid Care facility. She said CMH is looking for a PA to anchor the facility.

Supervisor Mettler said this week she received a recruitment notice from CMH seeking a physician assistant that CMH plans to use to advertise for the position.

The notice says in part: “Combine a deeply satisfying career with an unparalleled lifestyle in Upstate NY without sacrificing competitive income. Enjoy an abundance of recreational and cultural activities; live on a lake, hop a train to Manhattan after work, golf, ski, mountain bike or hike on weekends.” For more information contact Michael Weisberg, MD at mweisberg@cmh-net.org.

Ms. Mettler noted in her July report that “Rapid Care first opened in Copake in 2016 with tremendous community support.” After CMH closed the Rapid Care facility and the town learned that CMH might also close the primary care facility at the Copake location, “the Town of Copake reached out to CMH to advocate for the reopening of Rapid Care and the continuation of primary care in Copake. Copake was first joined by Hillsdale and Ancram in these efforts. It is gratifying that we are now supported by all the towns in southeastern Columbia County.”

Contacted for update from CMH’s perspective, CMH spokesman William VanSlyke told The Columbia Paper this week, “We are working closely with Town leadership on a communication plan that will provide area households with a status update of the Rapid Care facility, reaffirm our commitment to the Copake care center, and address our ongoing efforts to re-establish the Rapid Care service as soon as possible.”

To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com