Heart center plans coming together

The Western New York Healthcare System has a location -- the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus -- and a price -- $115 million -- and is now putting together the cash to build a regional cardiac and vascular center.

Health system leaders said Wednesday that they have been given assurances from the state and philanthropic sources for funding to support what is being called a "global institute" that will combine the clinical, academic and research programs under one roof.

Robert Gioia, healthcare system board chair, said an application for $20 million in Department of Health funding is being submitted this week, about half of what the organization hopes to eventually receive from the state for the center. The healthcare system expected to receive another $40 million through philanthropy. Money from local hospital operations will complete the package.

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Plans are to build a six-story facility on the corner of Ellicott and Goodrich streets as an addition to Buffalo General Hospital that will house an emergency room, operating rooms and services associated with heart and circulation care. The location will close Goodrich to through traffic and create a new main entrance to Buffalo General.

The facility was mandated by law last year through the work of the Commission of Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, or Berger Commission, as part of a statewide plan to eliminate duplication and reduce health-care costs. It will combine services currently being offered by Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center, which have been ordered by the commission to consolidate services. ECMC officials, however, have objected to the process and stopped participating in health system board meetings.

The project, however, has the support of a physician leadership, an element that was evident during the press event to announce the developments. Present were about a dozen heads of heart and vascular care at the University at Buffalo medical school, Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center. Among them was Dr. Michael Cain, medical school dean and a cardiologist, said the project will attract and retain doctors, fill current gaps in care and "create something must stronger than an individual facility can produce."