Anyone who has had to drive 30 minutes or more to the doctor’s office knows that having access to dependable and advanced healthcare options is a game changer. In a region as large and geographically diverse as the Mid-Hudson Valley, that’s no small feat. With the recent opening of a state-of-the-art Women’s Health Center, Columbia Memorial Health (CMH) is making it easier for women in Columbia and Greene Counties to access the full spectrum of integrated gynecological care available across the Albany Med Health System.
“The Women’s Health Center will provide comprehensive, specialized care for women, ensuring they have the support and resources they need close to home,” says Dorothy Urschel, president and CEO of CMH. “Our goal is to improve health outcomes, offer compassionate care, and be a trusted partner for women throughout their lives and healthcare journeys.
As part of the System, the CMH Women’s Health Center is a centralized hub that can connect patients to a broad and deep range of specialists. “We’re clinically integrated into our Breast Health Center at CMH, and if the patient requires an experienced breast or colorectal surgeon, we have the experts available locally and provide an immediate appointment,” says Urschel.
Located at CMH’s Medical Office Building in Hudson, the Women’s Health Center is a peaceful, art- and light-filled space that is now home to 10 exam rooms, two procedure rooms, and an integrated team of six providers skilled in everything from minimally invasive surgery to physical therapy and specialized pain management. Comprehensive women’s gynecological care ranges from routine screenings to reproductive healthcare, postmenopausal health, and gynecologic cancer. Three highly skilled surgeons, led by Chief of Gynecology Dr. Edward Marici, will have the latest technological equipment at their disposal.
“This will allow us to offer comprehensive services—from preventative screenings to advanced, minimally invasive surgical treatments—all under one roof,” Marici says. “With cutting-edge laparoscopic technology and a patient-centered approach, we can ensure the best possible outcomes for everything from large fibroid uteri to uterine prolapse, bladder prolapse, and even stage IV endometriosis.”
A local painter has been recruited to paint community-themed murals, and the purpose-built space focuses on privacy, comfort, and calm. “We want our patients to feel comfortable here, and to be able to ask questions and feel they are heard,” says Urschel. “The environment of care is especially important to healing, and the new space provides a calming, healing environment. Every detail is designed with the patient’s privacy and dignity in mind.”
As the primary healthcare provider in Columbia and Greene counties, CMH serves a population of about 100,000 with a diverse range of needs. “We offer women’s health services and perinatal care to all underserved individuals in both counties on our Hudson campus and at Greene Medical Arts Center in Catskill,” Urschel says. “Our mission as a rural community hospital is to provide comprehensive quality care—education, regular provider visits, and preventative care, as well as translation and financial services and assistance.”
The Women’s Health Center was funded by grants from Stewart’s Shops, the Dake Family Fund, and Fenimore Asset Management, and by donations to the Columbia Memorial Health Foundation. “This center is a testament to our community’s shared belief in the importance of women’s health,” says James J. Armstrong, chair of the CMH Foundation Board. “We cannot thank our donors enough for their dedication to making this dream a reality.”
This article appears in November 2024.
