To the Editor:

When individuals or groups take their first small steps on large and important endeavors, the likelihood of success is quite small. Too many little things can go wrong. Too many essential details must be managed correctly; there are too many opportunities to lose focus and hope, too many strokes of bad luck or good luck to be endured or seized upon.

But as the work continues day by day and the details are managed one by one, the odds of success improve subtly. One day, they start looking pretty good.

Today, on Aug. 24, we are much closer to seeing Hilltown Healthcare open than we were at 7 p.m. on June 24. Nothing is certain yet — the future isn’t promised — but momentum is building. Here is where we are right now:

— 1. If you have not already, read H. Rose Schneider’s excellent article on page 10 of last week’s Altamont Enterprise (“Martin to open family practice in December, hopes for federal designation,” Altamont Enterprise, Aug. 22, 2019).  Schneider and The Enterprise reached out to Jill Martin, who spoke clearly about a wide range of topics, including: leasing and refurbishing of the office building at 1772 Helderberg Trail, the application for designation of the Helderbergs as “medically underserved,” the vitalist program, negotiations with insurance companies, and plans for initial staffing;

— 2. We reached out this week to the regional “Alliance for Better Health” concerning the vitalist program. The Alliance is a system of nearly 50 providers in the Capital Region that are dedicated to healthcare quality through coordination and innovation. ABH was the source of support for the vitalist program last year. We want to apprise ABH of our progress toward restoration of a healthcare center in the Helderbergs, and to ask that the Alliance resume its support for the program when Hilltown Healthcare opens in December;

— 3. The professional limited liability company, or PLLC, was first approved by the New York State Education Department. Then we just got word on Tuesday, Aug. 26, that the New York State Secretary of State has approved the PLLC, which means Hilltown Healthcare is now an official business in New York State.

The delay has not been a problem yet during negotiations with insurance companies for credentialing; the companies appear to be willing to begin negotiations on the basis of the State Education Department approval;

— 4. We have a meeting scheduled in early September with one of the larger regional healthcare plans to discuss the role of an independent medical service within the larger local healthcare system. We have been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm for this meeting on the part of the plan executives and are looking forward to this discussion.

At this point, it is appropriate that we thank Albany County Health Care Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen for the encouragement she offered; following our initial meeting, she then reached out to several professional contacts on our behalf and put Jill into direct contact with them. Our forthcoming session with the healthcare plan grew out of the commissioner’s involvement, and we anticipate additional talks with other county Department of Health officials to come.

In addition to following through on our behalf with connections to potential business partners, Commissioner Whalen’s interest underscores the importance of Hilltown health to the county, thus helping us as well with the “focus and hope” challenge described above; and

— 5. Finally, per above, Jill is moving ahead with leasing and re-modelling plans for 1772 Helderberg Trail. Once she and her husband feel even more momentum, and once the odds of success grow just a bit more, they intend to put a “Coming Soon” sign out on the lawn.  Keep your eyes open.

Raymond Schimmer

Berne

Editor’s note: Ray Schimmer, an emergency medical technician volunteering with the Berne ambulance squad, also worked in the vitalist program, which used a video feed and proxies to visit homebound patients. When the Berne doctor’s office was closed earlier this summer, Schimmer spearheaded a movement to find adequate healthcare for the Helderberg Hilltowns.