Construction is underway on a facility, to bring most of the services available at Saint Vincent Hospital closer to the people of Eastern Erie County.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today for the Health and Wellness Pavilion East Side.  Residents will no longer have to drive to Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, to get primary and specialty health services. The services are being brought to them.

"They'll be primary care physicians, sports medicine physicians, physical therapy, occupational therapy.  We'll have a walk-in Urgi Care, and then an onsite lab, as well as many other radiology services," said Christopher Serafini, D.O.
  

The idea is already working in Western Erie County.  The Health and Wellness Pavilion, in Millcreek, has seen thousands of patients since it opened in 2016.

"I checked before we came because I wanted to know how many patients we've seen at the West Side pavilion since it opened in May of 2016. We've actually seen close to 80,000 patients so far.  Actually the volume seems to increase every single month," said Cynthia Hundorfean, President & CEO, Allegheny Health Network:

The Health and Wellness Pavilion East is expected to open in early 2019.