UCHealth launches primary-care expansion in region

FORT COLLINS — Citing increased patient demand, UCHealth is expanding primary-care services in Northern Colorado with the addition of 32 providers and four new primary-care clinic locations.

In announcing the actions on Thursday, Kevin Unger, CEO of UCHealth’s Northern Colorado Region, said many of the new providers have been caring for patients in the area for several years. “They are committed to improving patients’ lives,” Unger said in a prepared statement, “and we are thrilled they are choosing to stay in Northern Colorado to continue serving patients as part of UCHealth.”

Primary-care providers assist patients with comprehensive health care needs, including regular, preventive care and as a first point of contact for any medical problem or mental-health concern that may arise.

“Primary care is a vital aspect of living a healthy life,” Donna Lankford, UCHealth Medical Group’s regional vice president for operations, said in a news release. “These are greatly valued, long-term relationships that lead to better health outcomes.”

As part of the expansion, UCHealth is adding four new clinics and expanding two existing clinics. Most of the new providers will be caring for patients at the new and expanded clinics.

One of the new clinics, at 2695 Rocky Mountain Ave., Suite 200, in Loveland, is open now.

Other new clinics include locations at 151 W. Lake St., Suite 1500, in Fort Collins, opening in late April inside Colorado State University’s health and medical center; 2021 Battlecreek Drive, Suite B1 in Fort Collins, opening in May; and 2001 S. Shields St., Building E, Suite 101 in Fort Collins, opening later this year.

UCHealth also is expanding two existing locations, with the clinic at 4601 S. Mason St. in Fort Collins opening its new space late this month and the expanded clinic at 1106 E. Prospect Road in Fort Collins planned to open in May.

At the new Rangeview location on Rocky Mountain Avenue in Loveland, Dr. Deric McIntosh began seeing patients in March, and physician assistant Carmen Pinter will begin seeing patients April 28.

At the new clinic inside the CSU Health and Medical Center, nurse practitioner Jay Deanda will begin seeing patients June 2, nurse practitioner Mallory Arthun will begin work June 23, and Dr. David Schmidt will begin his practice July 7. Drs. Sandra Henderson and Erin Shrunk will begin seeing patients there July 14, Dr. Victoria McCarthy will start on Aug. 4 and physician assistant Lindsey Leibig will start seeing patients on Aug. 25.

At the new Battlecreek Drive clinic, Dr. Tim Podhajsky and nurse practitioner Lindsey Moyer will start seeing patients on May 27 and June 2, respectively.

At the expanded Mason Street clinic, nurse practitioner Lauren Skinner will begin work next Wednesday, while Drs. Stace Fritzler, Monica Serrano-Toy and Ross Sheline will begin seeing patients July 14.

At the expanded clinic on East Prospect Road, nurse practitioner Hannah Romano began seeing patients last Monday, and physician assistant Carrie Reynolds will begin Monday. Other starting dates there include: physician assistant Lara Antonelli April 21; nurse practitioner Olivia Braucht and physician assistant Amanda Benedict May 27; Dr. Anna Bagby June 2; Dr. David Jung June 9; Dr. Fiona Wilson June 30; Dr. Urte Zableckas July 7; and Dr. Bryan Reider July 14.

Other new providers have or will soon start seeing patients at existing UCHealth clinic locations. Dr. Emily Garban joined the faculty team at UCHealth’s Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program earlier this year and is seeing patients at the UCHealth Family Medicine Center, 1025 Pennock Place in Fort Collins.

At UCHealth’s Primary Care clinic, part of Medical Center of the Rockies at 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland, Dr. Elizabeth Maes will start seeing patients May 19. Dr. Jamie Holland started seeing patients there in March, but will transfer this summer to UCHealth Family Medicine at 1455 Main St., Suite 100, in Windsor. Also making the move to Windsor will be physician assistant Lizzy Coffman, who will start seeing patients at MCR on June 2.

Dr. Kierann Toth will begin seeing patients Friday at UCHealth Family Medicine’s Orchards clinic, 221 E. 29th St., Suite 202, in Loveland, and Dr. Margaret Lesage will begin taking appointments April 21 at UCHealth Family Medicine’s Longmont Clinic, 1925 Mountain View Ave. in Longmont. Finally, Dr. James Kesler will start seeing patients June 2 at UCHealth Primary Care’s Elk Lakes clinic, 2819 35th Ave. in Greeley.

Patients wishing to set up an appointment or seeking more information about these new primary-care providers and clinics can call 970-495-7410. Those who have health care needs before their provider’s start date can call that number as well to speak with nurse navigators who can provide options in the interim.

UCHealth includes 35,000 employees, 14 acute-care hospitals, more than 200 clinic locations and hundreds of physicians across Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska, with the University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora as its academic anchor and the only adult academic medical center in the region.

on Facebook on LinkedIn