Med-East to Celebrate 20-Year Anniversary of Service to Community
WILLIMANTIC, CT, April 28, 2009–Organizers of the “birthday bash” for Med-East Medical Walk-In Center say they’re “absolutely delighted” to host a community event marking their 20th anniversary of service to the Windham region. The event takes place on Friday, May 8th—the actual date the doors opened in Willimantic in 1989—and is the culmination of a week-long series of events feting the facility. The week began with the Windham Region Chamber of Commerce hosting a “breakfast with pleasure” event at Med-East, and Selectman Jean deSmet proclaimed May 5th (the date of the Chamber event) Med-East Day in the town of Windham.
“We hope people from the community will stop by on Friday, to say hello and have a little light refreshment to celebrate with us,” notes Marie Hakmiller, Med-East’s administrator. “It’s wonderful to have been so much a part of the community for so many years, and we look forward to many more years of growth and service!”
Med-East is co-owned by the same physicians who piloted the service 20 years ago: Drs. Michael Kilgannon, Stephen Leach, and Edward Sawicki—and in 2002, they partnered with Windham Hospital. Their vision was to bridge the gap between emergency services at the Hospital, and the often overburdened primary care physicians who serve the community.
Over the years, the facility has evolved to meet the needs of their patients. Med-East is always staffed by at least one physician, and offers on-site x-rays, minor lab work, and referrals when needed. Travel- , employment- and school-related examinations, workers’ compensation cases, mandated drug screening, flu shots, and the treatment of minor maladies are offered without appointment. Hakmiller says, “We can’t serve patients in ongoing ways—we can’t become the family physician—but we are here to assist people who need help and can’t get into their regular doctor’s office.” Asked about deciding between Med-East and the Emergency Department, she notes, ”If you are able to walk into treatment, Med-East can handle your needs; if you need an ambulance or major assistance to get help, then the Emergency Department at the Hospital is the place to go.”
Med-East serves more than 13,000 patients each year; five years ago, they opened a second site (in Tolland), and the annual patient census now tops 19,000. Med-East offers convenient extended hours (including Saturdays and Sundays) at both sites, and accepts most major insurance.
For more information about Med-East, visit www.windhamhospital.org and click on the links for Med-East.
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