Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1344691
Oneida Health: ONEIDA HE A LTH ha s been prov id i n g endoscopic procedu res to pat ient s i n Centra l New York for a lmost 30 yea rs. In 2019, Oneida Hea lt h wa s faced w it h t he a nticipated closu re of a pr ivately- o w ne d out pa t ient GI pr a c t ic e t h a t pr ov ide d pat ient pr o c e du re s i n t he h o s p i t a l f o r m o r e t h a n 2 0 y e a r s . W i t h a d e s i r e t o k e e p c a r e l o c a l , Oneid a Hea lt h bega n t he proces s of r e cr u it i n g a nd bu i ld i n g it s ow n GI out pat ient net work . W hat bega n as a few exa m rooms in t he hospita l in t he m id-90s ha s now evolved to a modern endoscopy center with the latest advanced technolog y and an outpatient off ice lead by fellowship- trained and board-cer tif ied physicians who provide a comprehensive approach for a ll ty pes of gastroenterolog y proce- dures, testing a nd treatment. "Providing exceptional care close to home is at the core of everything we do," says Gene Morreale, President and CEO at Oneida Health. "With the inevitable departure of the only outpatient GI office located in Oneida, our leadership team was determined to create continued access to digestive disease services for the patients we serve. This opportunity provided us with the ability to develop a newly designed program focused on the highest level of safety and patient experience, second to none." A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH Oneida Health's new outpatient office, Oneida Health GI Specialists, opened in August 2019 with the recruitment of Uzma Abbasi, MD, Nurse Practitioner Deborah Cla rey, a nd a well-ex perienced ca re team with decades of gastroenterology experience. In 2020, Oneida Health also welcomed Rashaan Friend, DO, MBS. Together, they provide a one-stop shop for patients with a focus on patient safety and care. "Myself, Dr. Abbasi, and Deborah offer in-office visits for all types of gastroen- terology conditions in a convenient and comfortable outpatient setting," Dr. Friend says. "We also provide advanced diagnosis in a hospital nationally recognized for patient safety and experience." "Our goa l is to be a comprehensive digestive disease center that can provide for the needs of every patient right here in Oneida," Dr. Abbasi says. "Beyond colonoscopies a nd gastroscopies, we provide numerous specia lties includ- ing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan- creatography (ERCP). We are a lways SINCE 2019, ONEIDA HE AlTH HA S QUICKlY DE VElOPED A FIRST-Cl A SS GA STROENTEROlOGY PROGR AM lED BY FEllOWSHIP-TR AINED PHYSICIANS AND AN E XPERIENCED ADVANCED MEDICAl PROVIDER. A S A lOCAl HOSPITAl-BA SED OUTPATIENT OFFICE, THE Y PROVIDE A PATIENT-CENTERED APPROACH FOCUSED ON SAFE T Y FOR All T YPES OF GA STROENTEROlOGY CONDITIONS WITH SPECIAlIZED ADVANCED THER APEUTIC TRE ATMENTS. Oneida Health GI Specialists 301 Genesee Street Oneida, NY 13421 315‑361‑2385 A Comprehensive Approach to Gastroenterology Office Info Oneida Health has invested over $1.5M in 2019 in new technology and the expansion of its Endoscopy Center. 1 4