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Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center Holds Grand Opening at 716 Health

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October 25, 2024

High-Tech, Multi-Specialty Surgery Center Is Among the Largest in the State

Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center (NASC) marked the grand opening of its new facility at 716 Health with a Grand Opening Celebration & Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony on October 24. Administrators and surgeons from NASC, referring physicians and medical technology partners gathered to celebrate this milestone, joined by local dignitaries and key partners in the medical complex’s development, including Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation. Brief remarks were provided by Brian E. McGrath, MD, William M. Wind, Jr., MD, FAAOS, and NASC Chief Executive Officer Ronald S. Mornelli, three of the visionary leaders behind NASC.

In addition to Dr. McGrath, Dr. Wind and Mornelli, other key visionaries behind the conception and development of NASC include Leslie J. Bisson, MD, (Sports Medicine, Knee & Shoulder Arthroscopy, Clinical Research Department Chair at UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and one of the physician owners of NASC); Steven D. Schwaitzberg MD, FACS, (UBMD Surgery Chair and one of the physician owners of NASC); Joseph D. Mills, Jr., MD, (Colorectal Surgeon with UBMD Surgery and one of the physician owners of NASC); and Director of Clinical Operations at UBMD Surgery Ashley McGowan.

NASC is proud to be part of the newly built 716 Health medical complex — a $120 million, 160,000-square-foot medical and surgical complex that has helped redefine the landscape of accessible health care in Western New York. Located at 111 North Maplemere Road, 716 Health serves community members by offering the highest caliber ambulatory surgery, general surgery, orthopaedics, sports medicine, orthopaedic urgent care, imaging and rehabilitation services — all in one convenient, centralized location.

Sponsored by University Orthopaedic Services, Inc., University at Buffalo Surgeons Inc., 33 physician members and an affiliate of Kaleida Health, the new, 38,000-square-foot NASC facility contains 14 total surgical and procedure rooms, making it among the largest — if not the largest — freestanding, multi-specialty ambulatory surgery centers in the state. Expected to provide more than 10,000 procedures per year at full capacity, the facility includes seven hospital-sized operating rooms, four endoscopy suites and three procedure rooms that enhance patient care with the latest state-of-the-art equipment and technology.

“When we appeared before the Department of Health a year ago this June, the committee said this is the largest ambulatory center they had ever granted a certificate of need for,” says Dr. McGrath, Lower Extremity Joint Replacement & Reconstruction, Hip Arthroscopy & Reconstruction Surgeon with UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and one of the physician owners of NASC. “It’s much bigger than the other centers in Western New York, and will serve as a magnet center providing the highest technology.”

Prepared to deliver care using the latest medical advancements, NASC has two operating rooms set up for robotic general laparoscopic surgery and two joint replacement rooms set up to be fully technologically advanced with robotics and high-end equipment, including some AI technologies. For efficiency and patient flow, the center is also equipped with Bluetooth technology to track the patient’s journey and minimize wait times, and smart operating rooms include the ability to track the sterilization process through Computer Vision.

“This grand opening serves as an embodiment of progress and innovation in health care, and our collective dedication to public service and healing,” says Mornelli. “Other ambulatory surgery centers in town were never envisioned or built to have robotics and other high-end technology in the operating room. Many were built before that tech even existed, or needed to be right-sized for their other intended purposes. That’s where this center is breaking ground as more of a technologically advanced ambulatory hospital.”

NASC is positioned to redefine the standard for world-class surgical care in the region. The center has received full accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), epitomizing the leadership team’s commitment to continuous quality improvement and patient-centered care. Also dedicated to the highest level of excellence in provider expertise, NASC’s wide range of outpatient services include orthopaedics, sports medicine, colorectal surgery, general surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, breast surgery, and colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures.

“As part of our effort to meet the demands for care we have seen in our community, we have equipped three NASC operating rooms to be sports medicine rooms,” says Dr. Wind, a Sports Medicine, Knee & Shoulder Arthroscopy Surgeon with UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and one of the physician owners of NASC. “We see a high volume of sports injuries, and care for several professional, collegiate and high school teams. It is our goal to provide patients with the best level of care and the quickest scheduling they can receive to facilitate a speedy recovery.”

Overall, ambulatory surgery centers, like NASC, increase the region’s surgical capacity and capabilities, and they help free up hospital operating rooms for more emergency or intensive care procedures. For some, they also provide a more cost-effective alternative to hospitalization, and get care for patients closer to home. The goal is to enhance the overall health care system, working side by side with hospitals to provide patients with the care options they need.

“Kaleida and Great Lakes Health System is a 50% owner of NASC on purpose,” says Dr. McGrath. “We wanted to help strengthen the health care system in Western New York, not just cherry pick cases and hurt hospitals. We desperately need hospitals and the high-end technology that can only exist in hospitals, as well as the recovery of an ICU or intensive cardiac monitoring. We need to support that and not strip those patients out of the hospital.”

During the NASC Grand Opening Celebration, facility tours followed the ribbon-cutting proceedings and remarks. Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and a chief vendor for NASC, also provided demonstrations of Mako SmartRobotics™ technology used in orthopaedic surgeries.

About Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center

Centrally located in the newly built 716 Health medical complex, Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center (NASC) is committed to enhancing the health care delivery system in Western New York by providing world-class surgical care. NASC proud to offer a comprehensive suite of outpatient interventions using the latest medical advancements and state-of-the-art equipment. As a safe, efficient and cost-effective alternative to hospitalization, services include orthopaedics, colorectal surgery, general surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, breast surgery, and colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures. Housing over 40 board-certified physicians with a wide range of surgical expertise, NASC’s 38,000-square-foot facility includes seven operating rooms, four endoscopy suites and three procedure rooms that enhance patient care with the latest technology and commitment to excellence. To learn more, visit northtownsasc.com.