Bassett Healthcare

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Nearly 40 years ago, the Carnegie Commission called for drastic improvement in the quality of U.S. rural medicine and pinpointed one existing hospital as the ideal prototype – Bassett. One year later, Time magazine featured Bassett as a model of rural health care delivery.

“Every statistic shows that rural medicine lags far behind what is available in urban areas...But Cooperstown...is a remarkable exception. Reason: it has The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, a mini-medical center that ranks among the best in the US." – Time, January 25, 1971

In 2008, the same missions of patient care, research and education that earned Bassett that recognition in 1971 remain the same, and the dedicated work of leaders, educators, researchers, physicians, employees and volunteers continues to guide the organization through growth and change.

Today, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital (MIBH) is the foundation for a network that encompasses four affiliate hospitals, 25 community health centers, and 13 school-based health centers across nine counties covering 5,000 square miles. The fourth affiliate hospital is new this year. Tri-Town Regional Hospital (TRH) is located in the Delaware County community of Sidney and will open in February as a 24/7 emergency care facility. The hospital will be staffed by about 50 full and part-time employees. The physician-staffed ED will have the capacity to treat up to six patients at a time, as well as hold patients for observation and treatment when needed. Other services available at TRH include radiology, CT scans and a full laboratory.

In 2008, Bassett is also continuing its transition to an enterprise-wide electronic medical record (EMR) and patients may notice laptop computers in the exam rooms. Patient records are immediately available to practitioners who can also now show patients their medication lists, x-rays and other test results on the computer.

“With the EMR, we are able to immediately access the latest information, such as what was done at a specialist appointment and make patient-care decisions with up-to-date information,” says Dr. Scott Cohen. Cohen and doctors Thomas Holmes and Grace Holmes, as well as family nurse practitioners Anne St. Pierre and David Hochman provide primary and preventive health care services for the whole family at Bassett Healthcare Norwich, located at 55 Calvary Drive. Specialty care is also offered, including oncology services, OB/GYN, endocrinology, nutritional counseling, rheumatology, pediatric, and general orthopedics, vascular surgery and pulmonary medicine. Call 607-336-6362 for an appointment.

Just in time for Children’s Dental Health Month, observed in February, Bassett is also expanding the oral health component of its School-Based Health Center (SBHC) program. Students at the SBHCs in Sherburne-Earlville, Delhi, Edmeston, South Kortright, Laurens and Morris now have comprehensive preventive dental services available including sealant and fluoride application.

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