Centrally located, comprehensive facility to
improve access to quality healthcare for adult and pediatric
patients in Greater Springfield region
In an effort to improve health equity and meet the growing needs
of the Springfield community, Baystate Health today announced a
plan to build a comprehensive community health center in the heart
of the city, made possible by the generous support of its
longstanding partner, MassMutual.
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MassMutual is donating approximately 10 acres of land valued at
an estimated $5 million in the southeast corner of its Springfield
campus, as well as providing financing and other support for the
project. In addition, the MassMutual Foundation is donating $5
million over five years to support the new state-of-the-art health
center that will be owned and operated by Baystate Health. The
expected cost for the project is $45-$50 million in total.
The proposed ~90,000-square-foot community health center, which
will be accessible at the intersection of Wilbraham Road and Alden
Street, will centralize services, creating a medical neighborhood
caring for children, families and adults and providing
comprehensive primary care, integrated behavioral health and
ancillary services for the Greater Springfield area. The new center
will have greater access by public transportation, ample free
parking and easy access from major thoroughfares.
Prior to conveyance to the Baystate Health Foundation,
MassMutual will clear the site of the existing buildings, and the
lot will be subdivided into its own parcel – separate from
MassMutual’s headquarters. Construction is expected to begin
sometime in 2025 and be completed in 2027.
“Thanks to the generous donations and substantial support
provided by MassMutual and the MassMutual Foundation, Baystate
Health’s vision to create a comprehensive, integrated community
health and wellness center to serve the most vulnerable populations
in Greater Springfield can advance towards realization,” said
Baystate Health President and CEO Mark Keroack, MD.
In addition to MassMutual’s support, the project will also
benefit from some expected state and federal grants. The land that
will be donated to Baystate Health represents ~10% of MassMutual’s
approximately 100-acre Springfield campus. The company’s move
toward digitization and bringing its employees together in its
iconic main office building on State Street has left a portion of
its property underutilized, including two vacant buildings. Rather
than leave this space unused, the company wanted to find a better,
more long-term meaningful use for the land – one that would serve
the community MassMutual has called home since 1851.
“Throughout our long histories in Springfield, both MassMutual
and Baystate have had an enduring commitment to each other’s
success as we’ve worked toward our own respective – yet similar –
pursuits, helping people live better, more fulfilling lives,” said
Roger Crandall, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
MassMutual. “We are incredibly proud that a portion of our property
will serve a more meaningful purpose and a greater good, expanding
access to high-quality medical care to improve the health and
well-being of our community for generations to come.”
With the new community health center and wellness hub in place,
Baystate Health will consolidate services from four of its existing
Springfield health centers to the new building, where they will
continue to provide services, plus more, for adult and pediatric
patients at the new location. These centers will remain open and
fully functional until their services can be transitioned to the
new health center and Baystate Health is committed to engaging the
community and local leaders during the planning phase of the
project.
The centers and their services that will be transitioned to the
future Wilbraham Road location include:
- The Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center
- Baystate High Street Health Center
- Baystate High Street Pediatrics
- Wesson Women’s Clinic
These existing community-based facilities are limited in size
and scope with many infrastructure challenges that require
significant upgrading and capital investment to allow for growth
and expansion of services. The new center will provide Baystate
Health with a state-of-the-art, modern facility to provide robust
care for patients as well as attract top providers.
“We intend to co-locate four of our existing Springfield
community health centers into a larger, modern facility to create
this unified health care delivery wellness hub,” said Keroack.
“Several convergent factors have informed our vision. The positive
outcomes we have demonstrated in our Medicaid Accountable Care
Organization, involving more than 50,000 of the region’s most
under-served patients, have provided value to this population,
improved health, and allowed us to begin to address health
disparities and inequities. We could not do this without the
generosity of MassMutual and the MassMutual Foundation.”
Combined, the four existing community health centers planned for
the move currently serve 125,000 patient visits annually. In the
envisioned community health center campus on the land to be donated
by MassMutual, Baystate Health expects patient visits to increase
to 145,000 annually by 2028.
“This is a terrific announcement for the Springfield community,
one that will greatly benefit the Pioneer Valley for years to come.
I would like to thank Dr. Keroack and Mr. Crandall for being great
stewards of western Massachusetts, always exploring ways to invest
in our communities,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal. “Baystate
Health has long been committed to improving and expanding access to
care throughout western Massachusetts. As Dr. Keroack nears the end
of his tenure, I cannot think of a better way to celebrate his
achievements than with the unveiling of yet another initiative that
will deliver the best results for patients throughout our
region.”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stated, “Two titans of their industries
once again come together for the betterment of our Springfield
community to continue to proactively facilitate good health
outcomes, especially when dealing with mental health situations. My
administration was proud to support this health initiative with
nearly $1 million in ARPA funding. Again, my thanks to Chairman,
President and CEO Roger Crandall of MassMutual for their continued
philanthropic efforts, to Dr. Mark Keroack, President and CEO of
Baystate Health for their continued health investment efforts, and
thanks to Congressman Richard Neal for always being our advocate on
the federal level.”
As two of the area’s largest organizations, MassMutual and
Baystate Health have come together to support the Springfield
community before. A few examples include:
- Baystate Health’s integral role in the MassMutual Foundation’s
work in the North End of Springfield focused on bringing together
residents, service providers, community leaders, and other
stakeholders to identify and prioritize removal of barriers to
community financial well-being for the neighborhood’s
residents.
- MassMutual and Baystate Health’s support of The Alliance for
Digital Equity, a Western Massachusetts-based coalition of
community-focused organizations working toward digital equity for
all people.
- MassMutual’s $3 million donation to help Baystate Health fund a
‘Hospital of the Future,’ an expansion that would provide more
patients with life-saving care.
- MassMutual’s donation of medical supplies to Baystate Health
and redeployment of Springfield-based health professionals working
in MassMutual’s Wellness Center to serve broader community needs in
the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MassMutual has been a supportive citizen and a longstanding
corporate partner to many organizations in the community, including
Baystate Health, since the company's founding in 1851. This
historic partnership is a continuing example of each organization’s
commitment to serving the needs of the Greater Springfield
area.
About Baystate Health
Baystate Health is a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare
system serving more than 800,000 people throughout western New
England. Baystate Health is the largest healthcare organization in
western Massachusetts. With roots dating to the founding of
Springfield Hospital in 1883, Baystate Health has been providing
high-quality and compassionate healthcare in the Pioneer Valley for
more than 140 years. Its mission is to improve the health of the
people in its communities every day, with quality and compassion.
With a focus on safety, value, and experience, Baystate is not only
a keystone of the region, it is a national leader in healthcare.
Visit www.baystatehealth.org
About MassMutual (Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company)
MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is
run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners.
Founded in 1851, the company has been continually guided by one
consistent purpose: we help people secure their future and protect
the ones they love. With a focus on delivering long-term value,
MassMutual offers a wide range of protection, accumulation, wealth
management and retirement products and services. For more
information, visit www.massmutual.com.
About the MassMutual Foundation
The MassMutual Foundation, Inc. is a dedicated corporate
foundation established by MassMutual. The MassMutual Foundation
fuels initiatives that increase financial resilience within
communities served by the company and fosters a culture of
community engagement for MassMutual's employees as well as
affiliated financial professionals. In support of this mission, the
Foundation invests in programs that help people access resources
needed to earn, protect, and help build their financial capability
and thrive. The Foundation also supports community vitality efforts
where MassMutual operates. To learn more about the MassMutual
Foundation, please visit www.massmutual.com/foundation.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240521479833/en/
Media Contacts: Baystate
Health: Lori Howley, Interim VP of Marketing and
Communications Baystate Health 413-794-7651
Lauralee.Howley@baystatehealth.org MassMutual: Laura Crisco, Head of Media Relations
413-887-1519 LCrisco@MassMutual.com