Yes!  Northwestern Urgent Care and all of the other services in Cobblestone Health Commons, as well as those in the Doctors Office Commons, remain open and accessible during the construction on NMC’s campus.  During this phase of construction, there is a slight detour in place at the back of the hospital campus to route traffic safely and easily from Fairfield Street to Cobblestone Health Commons.  Typically, this detour is not delaying vehicle traffic. 

This continued convenient access is important, as Northwestern Urgent Care has been so well received by our patients as it has filled a niche in the local medical resources.  Our community is so fortunate to have access to Primary Care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to care for our ongoing health and wellbeing.  Having an active relationship with a Primary Care provider is one of the most important things you can do for your own health.  If you need assistance finding a Primary Care provider, you can call NMC’s Community Relations Office at (802) 524-1280 and Janet will help connect you with one of the providers in our community.  We are also fortunate to have the dedicated team in the NMC Emergency Department standing by to care for us in the event of a serious injury or illness or a life-threatening condition.  Northwestern Urgent Care’s services help a niche between the two, providing timely care for pressing medical concerns when Primary Care is not available and when the medical need is not emergent.  Northwestern Urgent Care’s medical team comprised of physicians and advanced practice providers who provide care for pressing but non-emergent medical needs, such as: fevers; sprains, strains, and possible fractures; minor lacerations; ear, eye, and urinary tract infections; and more.  As you would expect, we will take all patients regardless of insurance coverage.  Plus, there is communication between Northwestern Urgent Care and your personal Primary Care provider to help with continuity of care.  The St. Albans office of Northwestern Urgent Care is located in Cobblestone Health Commons on the NMC campus and is open 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday; 9am to 5pm on Saturday; and 9am to 3pm on Sunday.  Their Georgia office is located on Route 7, just south of the I-89 ramp at Exit 18, and is open 8am to 7pm on Monday through Friday and 8am to 5pm on Saturday.  For added convenience, you can check anticipated wait times at each location (typically very low) and even reserve a place in line from your home or your mobile device through our website: https://www.northwesternmedicalcenter.org/

I am pleased to share more good news regarding access on the NMC campus during construction.  An additional parking lot for employees will be opening on June 15.  Located just to the south of the Northwestern Counseling and Support Services building, this new employee parking lot will accommodate 56 cars, creating more parking options closer to the hospital building and Cobblestone for patients and visitors.  We appreciate your patience with tighter parking in these recent weeks as the new lot was under construction.  You will notice that this construction means that entry to the hospital campus is now exclusively from Fairfield Street.  While NMC employee parking can still be accessed from the NCSS entrance on Fisher Pond Road, there is no longer through traffic to the other buildings on the NMC campus. All access to NMC, Cobblestone Health Commons, and Doctors Office Commons is now from Fairfield Street.

We sincerely appreciate your patience with the construction necessary to enhance our healing environment.  It represents a wonderful advance in medical care for our community and brings much needed flexibility and efficiency.  For updates on our progress, please watch the local media, our social media presence, and visit our website.  Thank you for your ongoing support of local healthcare and thank you, again, for your patience during construction! 

— Jill Berry Bowen, NMC’s Chief Executive Officer