PLANS ARE UNDERWAY
to make it easier to see a
primary care physician in Conneaut. Ashtabula County
Medical Center (ACMC) is constructing a new family
health center in the Conneaut Plaza on Route 20. It will
be completed in early 2014.
The Conneaut Family Health Center will be staffed by
a highly experienced full-time family physician and will
offer a variety of medical services—laboratory, digital
x-ray and digital mammography.
The doctor will see you now
“The Conneaut community already has great physicians,”
said Michael Habowski, president and CEO of ACMC.
“But over the past several years, the community has
lost family physicians due to retirement or relocation.
This has resulted in patients leaving the Conneaut
community to find a physician out of the area. It is
ACMC’s hope that the Conneaut Family Health Center
will enable residents to see a physician and receive
medical services closer to home.”
Anthony Ruffa, DO, a physician with more than
20 years of experience in family medicine, was recruited
to practice at the Conneaut Family Health Center.
Dr. Ruffa earned his medical degree from the Ohio
University College of Medicine and
completed his family medicine
residency at Saint Vincent Health
Center in Erie. He is certified by the
American Board of Family Medicine.
“Dr. Ruffa has a great personality
and rapport with patients,” Habowski
said. “He is excited to begin caring
for members of the Conneaut
community.”
Dr. Ruffa is currently seeing patients in Ashtabula at
The Ashtabula Clinic until the Conneaut Family Health
Center opens next year. Patients
interested in scheduling
an appointment with
Dr. Ruffa may call
440-599-ACMC(2262)
.
Keep it in the
county
Based on state
healthcare data, over
50 percent of Ashtabula
County residents receive
healthcare services outside
of the county—even though
many of these services are available in
Ashtabula County.
“The Conneaut Family Health Center will create
seamless access to a full complement of healthcare
services available at Ashtabula County Medical
Center—allowing patients to receive care closer to
home rather than traveling to Cleveland or Erie,”
Habowski said.
“Every time a patient is transferred out of the county
for care that could—and should—be delivered here,
Ashtabula County suffers. It can be a financial burden
on the family and for businesses. It means more time off
from work to travel back and forth, and the money that
would have been spent here in Ashtabula County at
local stores and restaurants is spent elsewhere.”
ACMC has invested millions of dollars over the past
several years in modern technology and the recruitment
Family physician
Anthony Ruffa, DO
care
in Conneaut
ACMC will open new family health center in early 2014
The new
center promises
seamless access
from primary care
to specialty
services at
ACMC.
—Continued on page 6
Expanding
ACMC Pulse •
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