Corrected and updated Dec. 15, 2017
With roots in Harvard that go back more than 50 years, Atrius Health’s Harvard Vanguard office is moving to Concord. The facility, located on Lancaster County Road, will close January 1, 2018, but pediatrician Julie Jankelson and the current medical staff will continue to serve patients at Atrius Health’s offices in Concord. Pediatrician Jessica Rubinstein is moving to Tufts Health Plans of Watertown.
Marci Sindell, chief strategy officer and senior vice president of external affairs at Atrius Health, explained by email that the closing was done to provide more coordinated care services and to relocate pediatric patients to Atrius Health’s Concord offices at 330 Baker Avenue, which were renovated and expanded in 2013. “We will now be able to offer patients better access to over a dozen specialties, an on-site pharmacy, imaging and laboratory services in our state-of-the-art Concord location,” she wrote.
While Jankelson will continue to practice pediatric medicine at the Concord facility, Rubinstein will become medical director for pediatrics at Tufts Health Plans, which has partnered with Atrius Health as one of 17 Massachusetts accountable care organizations that have agreed to participate in a major restructuring of the state’s MassHealth (Medicaid) program. Current patients can choose to either continue with Dr. Jankelson, or choose from among 12 other pediatricians at the Concord facility.
Atrius Health’s pediatric practice in Harvard –formerly known as Concord Hillside and later known as Harvard Vanguard–has a long history. It can be said to have begun a half century ago, in 1965, when Harvard’s first pediatrician, Dr. Alexandra “Zandi” Pittelli, opened her practice on Elm Street. Some years later, when Pittelli moved to Maine, Dr. Peter Murphy took over the practice, by then known as Harvard Pediatrics, and moved it to Ayer Road. Concord Hillside bought the practice in 1994 and built the 4,500-square-foot facility located at 16 Lancaster County Road to house it. Concord Hillside joined Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in 2010. Harvard Vanguard was already allied with five other regional practices who, in 2006, changed the name of their collaborative to Atrius Health. The name Harvard Vanguard, however, remains on the sign at the soon-to-close Lancaster Road facility.
Harvard’s medical mile
The stretch of Ayer Road north of Route 2 known as Harvard’s “medical mile” is populated by a number of healthcare offices. Acton Medical Associates and UMass Memorial Health Care, for example, both have satellite offices in Harvard, and are investing in their Harvard practices, according to spokespersons interviewed for this story.
Acton Medical Associates is an independent physician group that began in 1955. Currently it has 25 physicians and eight nurse practitioners, with plans for hiring additional pediatricians and internists by the end of next year. Many of the doctors rotate through the Harvard offices at 231 Ayer Road. “We are very committed to remaining in Harvard,” Acton Medical Chief Operating Officer Joe Berman wrote by email, “[W]e expanded our clinical suite about four years ago to increase our capacity, and again last year to bring additional support services onsite.” Berman added that the Harvard practice welcomes new pediatric patients, as well as adult patients. He wrote that he looks forward to serving the people of Harvard for “years and years to come.”
The UMass Memorial Health Care office was opened in fall 2010 at 198 Ayer Road and includes the practices of Drs. Tom Scornavacca, Bency Louidor-Paulynice, and Maria Del Carmen Al-Homsi. Spokesperson Tony Berry, director of media and public relations for the UMass office, said in a phone interview that updates to UMass’ information technology systems are currently underway at all facilities, including Harvard. “There is no announcement of closing,” said Berry.
Other health care-related offices on Harvard’s medical mile include Right at Home, an in-home care service for seniors and others, 6 Lancaster County Road; Connections Physical Therapy, formerly Wellesley Therapeutic Services, 325 Ayer Road; Quest Diagnostics at 198 Ayer Road; and at 233 Ayer Road the offices of Harvard Family Medicine with Dr. Craig Gustafson; family physician Dr. Carol Savage; podiatrist Dr. Jeffrey Resnick; clinical nurse specialist Suzanne Lucas; and psychotherapist Lorrie Bollinger.
Located at 200 Ayer Road are the offices of Care Smile Dental with Dr. Jason Chen and Nizhoni Health, a nursing agency. Further along at 257 Ayer Road are the offices of Harvard Chiropractic with Terry Anelons, and Reddy Family Dental with Drs. Geeta Puthalpet and Rachel Lukas and their dental team. At the back of the building is the newly relocated branch of the Advocates Community Counseling. They offer counseling options, addiction recovery groups, and crisis support.
Editor’s note: This story was updated and revised Dec. 15, 2017.
