EVERGREEN HEALTH ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ASPIRE OF WNY AND ACQUISITION OF PRIMARY CARE CLINIC

Evergreen plans to operate a new primary care site at 7 Community Drive in Cheektowaga

BUFFALO, NY—Today Evergreen Health announced its partnership with Aspire of WNY, particularly its acquisition of Aspire of WNY’s Article 28 Primary Care clinic. Under this agreement, Aspire will cease operations of its Primary Care clinic located at 7 Community Drive in Cheektowaga, New York due to unsustainable reimbursement rates. Evergreen will begin providing primary care and podiatry services to patients at that location in the first quarter of 2022. This is the second announcement of its kind for Evergreen in 2021.

“I am excited to be partnering with another great Western New York organization this year,” said Raymond Ganoe, president and CEO, Evergreen Health. “Aspire of WNY has a long history of providing critical services to the people in our community who need them the most. I am confident that our new patients will receive the same high-quality care they have come to trust and rely on at Aspire. We are committed to providing judgment-free, affirming care and I’m thrilled to be welcoming another new group of patients to the Evergreen family.”

Leadership from Evergreen and Aspire of WNY mutually came to this agreement with the well-being of patients as the main goal. For Evergreen, this is the second growth opportunity of its kind this year, further expanding its services under the enhanced reimbursement rates it receives as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike entity and ensuring patients receive top quality care. The first announcement was a similar partnership and acquisition of the People Inc. Article 28 Primary Care clinic. In both instances, the partnerships have been strengthened by the collaboration between like-minded and mission-driven organizations.

Evergreen will start providing primary care and podiatry services at Aspire’s Health Care Center at 7 Community Drive in Cheektowaga, New York. Once the transition occurs, Evergreen will add 1,000 patients to its current patient population, with new patients that include people with developmental and similar disabilities.

“Finding a partner that we knew our patients could trust and that shared the same values as Aspire was very important to us,” said Renee Filip, president and CEO, Aspire of WNY. “We are pleased to have found that trusted partner in Evergreen and our patients will be happy knowing they will receive the same quality care from the same providers. The sustainability of services and improving patient outcomes were driving factors in this partnership and it’s a great example of the healthcare community coming together to do what’s right for patients.”

Evergreen will lease the existing 6,290 square foot clinic at 7 Community Drive in Cheektowaga, where it will provide its primary care and podiatry services. The adjacency of Evergreen’s clinic to Aspire’s rehabilitation and other services within the building will help ensure ongoing coordination of patient care.

“Collaboration is a key component to improving health outcomes,” said Ganoe. “As a healthcare community, we all have a role to play. When we innovate and collaborate, patients win. I’m proud to be a part of a community that values sharing ideas and exploring new ways to build stronger and sustainable programs and services so that everyone in Western New York has access to the care they need and deserve.”

Evergreen intends to offer employment to all Aspire of WNY Primary Care employees in order to retain their high-quality team and decrease any disruptions to patient care. The Aspire of WNY Primary Care team will officially become Evergreen employees when the New York State Department of Health provides final approval. Until that time, the staff will remain Aspire of WNY employees. Evergreen expects to begin operation at its new clinic in the first quarter of 2022 and will continue to operate its existing primary care clinic at 206 S. Elmwood in downtown Buffalo. Evergreen is also finalizing the opening date for its other new Primary Care clinic at 800 Hertel Avenue in Buffalo.

“I am grateful for the Aspire Primary Care team and all the ways they have made a difference in the lives of our patients over the years, both big and small,” said Filip. “I know Evergreen will provide the ongoing support and resources this talented and caring group of individuals need.”

Evergreen Health fosters healthy communities by providing medical, supportive and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York – especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system.

As a not-for profit agency, Aspire of WNY is driven by the core belief that children and adults with developmental disabilities have the right to realize their full potential and live as independently as possible. Aspire compassionately and relentlessly works toward facilitating this end. Our total commitment to the development of innovative, individualized programs, continual integration of the developmentally disabled within the community and to providing full-service solutions to the populations it serves, makes Aspire the leading agency of its kind and a true asset to the Western New York community.