Bassett Convenient Care Clinic Quickly Becomes Key Access Point for Summer Patients

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
HARTWICK SEMINARY

Less than two months after opening its doors, Bassett Healthcare Network’s new Convenient Care clinic near Cooperstown is already seeing a surge of demand, treating more than 1,200 patients and emerging as a critical access point for both residents and the thousands of visitors who arrive in the region each summer.

Located at 4580 State Highway 28 inside Bassett’s Hartwick Seminary Specialty Services facility, the walk‑in clinic opened June 1 and has rapidly filled a long‑standing gap in local acute‑care options. In June alone, more than 100 of the clinic’s patients were entirely new to Bassett Healthcare Network—a reflection of the area’s heavy seasonal tourism and the influx of baseball families attending Cooperstown Dreams Park and other tournaments.

Bassett officials say the clinic has become a steady resource for baseball players, families, coaches, staff, and umpires seeking treatment for sprains, falls, hit‑by‑pitch injuries, heat‑related conditions, and other non‑life‑threatening issues that commonly arise during tournament play. By absorbing these cases, the clinic is helping preserve emergency department capacity at Bassett Medical Center for patients with more serious medical needs.

The clinic is also seeing consistent use from year‑round residents. Tick bites, upper respiratory illnesses, minor injuries, and acute conditions make up a significant portion of daily visits—a pattern Bassett leaders say underscores the community’s need for accessible, same‑day care.

“Bassett is taking strategic and deliberate steps to grow services and improve access—and this means connecting people with the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” said Staci Thompson, MHA, FACMPE, president and chief executive officer of Bassett Healthcare Network. “Walk‑in convenient care serves a specific purpose, and Cooperstown has felt this gap for some time.”

Local Practice Manager Lauren Marsden, who is in charge of the clinic, said its early momentum reflects both community need and seasonal demand.

“Bassett’s new Convenient Care clinic near Cooperstown reflects our commitment to meeting our community’s needs as well as the needs of our tourists,” Marsden said.

“We’re proud to have expanded access in the Cooperstown area and have seen more than 1,200 patients since we opened on June 1, covering issues from tick bites to viral symptoms and hit‑by‑pitch baseball injuries. We hope to continue to grow and be the go‑to clinic for non‑emergent care in the area,” she said.

The new clinic features six exam rooms, a renovated reception and waiting area, an X‑ray room, and a nurses’ station. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Deanna Charles, MHA, senior vice president and chief ambulatory officer for Bassett Healthcare Network, said the clinic’s early success reflects more than a year of planning and collaboration across the organization’s eight‑county service area.

“We are grateful for the contributions of everyone who had a hand in bringing this project to this point,” Charles said. “And we’re thankful for the caregivers who are now on the frontlines at this location, delivering seamless access to necessary care to our neighbors and those visiting our area this summer and each summer in the future.”

Before the clinic opened, Cooperstown area residents and visitors often had to travel 30 minutes or more to reach a Convenient Care location in Oneonta or Herkimer, or seek treatment at Bassett Medical Center’s Emergency Department—where wait times could be longer due to more critical cases.

“A Convenient Care location central to our region has been a long‑term need,” said Matthew Kleinmaier, MD, Bassett’s chief of emergency and trauma services. “Patients who need and want immediate care will now enjoy improved access for acute illnesses that don’t quite require an emergency visit.”

The project was supported by $7.6 million in funding awarded through New York State’s Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV, which will also help fund renovations to Bassett Medical Center’s Emergency Department and Inpatient Psychiatric Unit. Philanthropic contributions through Friends of Bassett Healthcare Network added another $140,000.00 to the effort.

With summer in full swing and tournament traffic at its peak, Bassett leaders say the clinic’s early patient volume confirms what many in the region have long known—that accessible, walk‑in care near the Village of Cooperstown is not just convenient, but essential.