On Friday February 3rd, representatives from Columbia Development Companies and Community Care Physicians unveiled the new 20,000 square-foot, 4 acre medical building located at 35 Empire State Boulevard, Castleton. The new facility, built by BBL Medical Facilities and designed by HCP Architects, is home to Community Care Physicians’ practice, Schodack Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
The planning for this building coincided with the medical practice’s transformation into one of the area's first nationally recognized patient centered medical homes. “When we started talking about building a new office about five years ago, we had not initially intended to create a building that would be first of its kind in the Capital District,” said Rommel Tolentino, MD, the physician manager of Schodack Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. “We found ourselves with this great opportunity to integrate the concepts of the patient centered medical home into our new space.”
This building leverages technology for better patient care and allows for open workspaces and improved collaboration. The office uses a novel onstage/offstage arrangement so clinical work areas are close to the exam rooms without being readily visible to the patient. There are shared nursing stations and care management rooms for staff to work together more efficiently as a team. The electronic health record system, which is shared among all Community Care Physicians’ offices, also integrates with a new patient tracking board to better serve patients and improve workflow. The waiting room has an iPad station for patients to use and there is an on-site fitness center exclusively for staff of Schodack Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
“The positive reaction to this project from the Town and public and the growth of CCP speaks to the need for this facility here in Schodack and in Southern Rensselaer County,” said Rich Rosen, Vice President of Columbia Development Companies. “Patients can now find outstanding care here, in a new, modern, efficient facility and we’re proud to be a part of that accomplishment.”
Schodack Internal Medicine and Pediatrics has been part of the community for more than 30 years. They are a team of pediatricians, dual trained internists/pediatricians, and physician extenders that care for patients of all ages. New patients are welcome and most major insurances are accepted.