Women’s Health, now open at Cayuga Park, aims to offer seamless care

Cayuga Park, a new medical facility located off of North Meadow Street in Ithaca, recently celebrated its opening with an open house, where Lori Bell, Director of Breast Health Integration at Cayuga Health Services and Women’s Health practice manager, gave a tour of her department.

The layout of the building is designed specifically to accommodate patients and help them feel comfortable during their appointments. The fifth floor Cayuga Women’s Health specializes in gynecological care and breast health, as well as primary care.

Bell said it has been nice to be moved into the build ahead of many of the other departments. The building was designed by HOLT Architects and features soft lighting and calming colors throughout.

“It’s helpful, living in that space beforehand and getting the flow of the new space,” said Bell. “And it’s a gorgeous space. It’s beautiful.”

Cayuga Park was designed with same-day care and seamless transitions between departments in mind. If a lump is discovered during an exam, for instance, patients will be able to have a same-day appointment with radiology. There is a staircase, light filled yet private, where patients can walk down to a lower department for continued care.

“You can get in a nice comfy robe, walk down the back stairwell, which is phenomenally gorgeous, enter the waiting room, and my staff would have booked them the appointment with the floor below,” Bell said.

Cayuga Radiology will offer mammography, ultrasounds and other services. Labs will be done on the first floor.

One main feature of the Cayuga Park women’s services department is the ability to have a same-day mammogram and follow-up ultrasound if warranted.

“Sometimes it’s confusing, trying to travel all over the area to radiology and different labs,” Bell said.

“What we want to make sure patients are aware of is that in all Cayuga Health imaging, you’re going to get a radiologist to read the results the same day,” said Bell, “which does not happen at all medical care facilities in our area.  

Bell shared a personal experience wherein she had a mammogram at a different care provider and had to wait two weeks for the results. “That’s what sets our programs apart, that time waiting,” Bell said.

Breast cancer does not differentiate between men and women, Bell said, and there is primary care for both men and women on the fifth floor.

There are several units that have yet to move into the new building, but currently there is Cayuga Primary Care Family Medicine, which started seeing patients on the second floor in late October, Cayuga Immediate Care, which opened Oct. 19 on the first floor, and a second gynecological practice that recently opened on the fourth floor.

The location, close to downtown and on the Ithaca side of the lake, is beneficial to many patients as well, she added.

Another feature that Cayuga Women’s Health Primary Care will offer in the months to come is integrated behavioral health. On the fifth floor, there is a room dedicated to facilitating care for patients who may benefit from a visit with an on-staff mental health professional.

“If a patient comes in with severe depression or anxiety, or they are struggling with ADHD or a chronic disease like type 1 diabetes, this allows us to give a warm handoff of that patient to a psychologist and counselors to try to help that patient,” Bell said.

There are currently nine providers practicing on the fifth floor of Cayuga Park. Bell said that so far, her staff, who moved from the Cayuga Medical Associates Women’s Health on Craft Road, have been enjoying the experience of working in the new building.

“We were bursting at the seams at our old office,” Bell said, “so getting to see our staff being able to experience this new modern space, that’s an extra benefit of the job, to be able to do it in such a gorgeous location.”