NORWALK – Jeff Flaks is so impressed with the signs Gov. Ned Lamont had installed on state border highways proclaiming Connecticut the “Pizza and Basketball capitals of the world” that he is suggesting one more.
Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare (HHC) made his pitch to the governor in person Nov. 7 at the grand opening of HHC’s new Norwalk HealthCenter in the former Lillian August furniture showroom at 32 Knight St. He held up a blue sign emblazoned with the words, “Welcome to CONNECTICUT. Home of the Health Care Capital of the U.S.”
“When the governor went out to change the signs celebrating our pizza, celebrating our basketball, and manufacturing, I said I want to come into the state and see the sign” that honors the state’s high quality healthcare system, Flaks said.
The $50 million health center includes 47,000 square feet of advanced care space – including Connecticut’s first urgent cardiac care evaluation center outside of an emergency room. There will be nine primary care physicians and 20+ cardiologists working at the center, Flaks said.
“We are blessed with worldclass healthcare; we truly are,” Flaks added. “And a center like this, this type of investment, we continue to see across the state from all the health centers tremendous focus on quality and safety, access and affordability.”
The governor surely acted like he was all in for installing that healthcare quality-related sign as he sang the praises of HHC’s new Norwalk facility.
“Man, if you’re chest hurts and you want to go the emergency room, you want to come here,” Lamont boasted. “This place is amazing. You guys got the Leapfrog award – the best of the best.”
Bart Mroz of Norwalk is one person who can attest to the level of care at the new health center. In August he came in for a regular checkup and wound up going home in the same day with four new stents. He wound up being the Norwalk center’s third-ever patient.
“I went into One Medical in Westport for just a checkup,” Mroz said. “I had an appointment with Dr. (Robert) Wilson (One Medical Primary Care physician). I told him my heart was bugging me and giving me some issues. And that there was tightness for a few months. He emailed Dr. (David) Lorenz (a cardiologist) here. And they sent me here and they said, ‘Yup, you’re going straight to St. Vincent’s (Hospital).
“When I did the stress test, I couldn’t get it to go fast enough and I wasn’t feeling great. They said let’s go in and see what’s in there. They put me on the table for about two hours. They go through the arteries and put in a dye to see where the blockages were. I had four stents put in.”
The Norwalk HealthCenter is a cooperative effort of HHC, Soundview Medical Associates and Cardiology Associates of Fairfield County where patients have access to local experts in primary care, physical and occupational rehabilitation, nephrology and endocrinology as well as cardiac care.
Prior to being home to Lillian August, 32 Knight St. was the headquarters of C.R. Gibson printing company headquarters in 1940. The recent redevelopment was led by Seligson Properties and HHC, who renovated a portion of the original structure while preserving and relocating the historic facade to a new garden terrace.
See highlights of Gov. Ned Lamont Q&A
Fireside chat
In a different twist on a grand opening ceremony, Flaks held a “fireside chat” with the governor at the Norwalk facility. In a standing-room-only event, Flaks and Lamont talked about everything from the healthcare system and Covid to federal SNAP benefits, ICE and affordable housing.
“Remember early on, there was a tense relationship between the state and the hospitals,” Lamont said. “Covid brought us together. It came up through Kennedy Airport International, New York, then Yonkers, then lower Fairfield County. Hartford HealthCare brought in the troops to help out down in the southern part of the state.”
He spoke about how his administration with the help of the hospitals in the state helped residents get through that pandemic.
“I had to make sure you were tested, you were tested, you were vaccinated, no questions asked,” the governor said.” If you were not safe, it wasn’t safe for the whole community.”
The theme of safety was overarching as Flaks asked Lamont about how the state is addressing the issues regarding ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
“ICE NY is a lot tougher than ICE in the northern part of New England,” Lamont said. “So, they’re really coming after us in the southern part of the state, less so elsewhere. You probably heard about Stamford, New Haven.
“I want our courts to make sure they (immigrants) can go there safely. If they are witness to a crime, I don’t want them scared away. Schools. I want to make sure our kids feel safe going there. Now, if ICE knocks on the door, which they haven’t really done yet, they are greeted by someone who says we don’t ask for people’s documentation status.”
