Woodstock, VT – The greater Woodstock community has a rich history of receiving necessary health care services from the Ottauquechee Health Center, which is operated by Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center. This Ottauquechee Health Center building was sold last month. The former owner of the building itself was the Ottauquechee Health Foundation, whose mission is to promote and support programs that identify and help meet the health care needs of Woodstock and the surrounding communities through grants, funding and support.
Liza Deignan, President of the Ottauquechee Health Foundation, states, “The sale of the building enables necessary health care services to remain in the Woodstock Community for generations to come, and also, provides the Foundation with a greater opportunity to focus on its mission to meet community health care needs through grants and funding.”
The existing Ottauquechee Health Center building was designed in the early 1970’s for health care delivery, as was appropriate at the time. Unfortunately the building today does not meet modern healthcare standards including privacy requirements or appropriate patient flow for primary or specialty care. Likewise, the building is not energy efficient and is in need of major renovations such as replacement of the windows, replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and upgrades to room design to meet American with Disability Act requirements and patient need.
To address these issues, the Ottauquechee Health Foundation has sold the Health Center building to DEW Properties, LLC., headquartered in Williston, Vermont with a regional offices in Keene and Hanover, NH. DEW will make the necessary upgrades to meet today’s standards, has executed a long-term lease agreements with Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center, and all the existing providers currently practicing in the building. Don Wells, President, DEW Construction states, “we are pleased to be provided the opportunity to improve the facility in Woodstock. Not only will this improve the patient experience, it will make better use of our natural resources and conserve energy.”
Construction will take place in phases to allow patients to be seen throughout the renovation with minimal interruption. Kevin Donovan, CEO, Mt. Ascutney Hospital states, “we are committed to the ongoing provision of quality medical care for Woodstock and surrounding communities. The upgrade of our facility will allow us to continue to make good on that commitment and to provide the residents of greater Woodstock with a more modern facility.”
