Dermatology, ophthalmology to relocate to Tilley Drive

The University of Vermont Medical Center is relocating and consolidating its existing outpatient dermatology and ophthalmology practices at its Tilley Drive campus in South Burlington.

The project, estimated to cost $35 million, will allow the medical center to address longstanding access challenges to these services, based on historical demand and highlighted by a 2021 state assessment.

The Green Mountain Care Board issued a certificate of need in February.

“This facility will allow us to make progress on keeping pace with current patient demand, meet the growing need due to our region’s aging population, and free up space on our hospital’s main campus for other vital needs,” Dr. Stephen Leffler, president and CEO of the medical center, said.

The plan brings together four existing dermatology and ophthalmology sites, two of the busiest specialty practices on the hospital’s main campus, which currently have limited physical space and cannot expand to meet demand. The new facility will make more efficient use of space and resources and offer patients a location easily reached by car or public transportation, including the free shuttle, which brings patients from the downtown Burlington transportation hub to all the clinical sites at Tilley Drive.

In the new facility, dermatology will add 14 additional clinical spaces, including exam rooms, spaces for Mohs procedures, phototherapy, laser treatment and suture removal. Ophthalmology will add five additional spaces, including exam and testing rooms. The UVM Medical Center’s ophthalmology department will retain the use of two exam rooms and one procedure room on the main campus in Burlington for use in treating hospital inpatients, emergency cases.

All dermatology and ophthalmology providers and support staff will transition to the new facility. The plan includes recruiting additional staff, including new providers.

The hospital is not increasing rates to fund the project.

“We are reviewing every project based on financial feasibility and patient need. While we will see financial losses early on with this facility, we are taking it on because we know how vital it is to improve access for our patients now and into the future,” Leffler said.