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Jones Memorial Hospital / About Us / CEO Letter

A Message from the CEO

JamesHelmsCEO

From the Desk of James H. Helms

CEO of Jones Memorial Hospital

Welcome to Jones Memorial Hospital!

As a small, rural hospital in Upstate New York, we have experienced tremendous changes in the delivery of healthcare services in recent years and change will be constant as we move forward.  Our highest priority is keeping up with these changes and assuring that our hospital is positioned for success for many years to come.

In the decades since Jones Memorial was founded in 1921, the direction of healthcare has shifted and partnerships have become increasingly important to healthcare delivery. Improving access to the services our community needs is a priority and a benefit of our partnerships.

  • In 2016, when Jones Memorial became an affiliate of UR Medicine in Rochester, one of the goals of both organizations was to continue to work together to identify the medical specialties most needed in our community and the most efficient and effective method of providing those services locally. We currently have several clinics staffed by UR Medicine providers bringing oncology, cardiac care, neurology, otolaryngology (ENT), and pain management to Wellsville on a regular basis.
  • Jones Memorial joined Noyes Health in Dansville, and Wilmot Cancer Institute in Rochester to expand access to Medical Oncology and Infusion in the Southern Tier. The first step was building the Ann and Carl Myers Cancer Center in Dansville to provide infusion therapy and radiation treatments in Dansville, saving patients needing these services a drive to Rochester. In addition, UR Medicine Oncologists consult and treat patients at a medical oncology clinic here at Jones. Cancer services were further expanded when Jones partnered with the Wilmot Cancer Institute to open an Infusion Center in Wellsville and a Medical Oncology and Infusion Center in nearby Olean.

Today, many of our activities focus on keeping our community well. The Hospital was recognized in 2020 as the winner of the HANYS New York State Community Health Award for our promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Through the Community Wellness Committee, the hospital regularly participates in health fairs and screenings as well as providing recommended preventative testing and education on healthy life choices. The funds for these initiatives are provided by two JMH community wellness events: the GLOW 5K Run & Walk and the RidgeWalk & Run. Both of these events encourage people to get outside with friends and family and enjoy all the beauty our area has to offer.

  • The GLOW 5K is a night time trail-run that has grown beyond all expectations. A springtime wellness event that started in 2013 at Island Park, the GLOW is now held at each spring at the Wellsville Municipal Airport and continues to attract over 500 participants each year.
  • The RidgeWalk & Run, the premier outdoor fall fitness event in the region which attracts almost 1,000 walkers and runners to the hills of Allegany County during peak leaf season.

Using the proceeds from these two events, we are able to provide projects that promote community health and wellness. In 2015, for example, the Wellness Committee donated $10,000 in lumber to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to re-deck two bridges along the WAG Trail, a multi-use public recreation trail that extends to the Pennsylvania border. The Committee has also provided blood pressure machines for patients’ home use; sponsored the pediatrician-led Books are Fun promotion to encourage early reading; led a project to extend the Riverwalk sidewalk; supported the local waterfront revitalization grant application; partnered with the Allegany County Health Department to provide COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics at Jones Memorial; sponsored the Remote Area Medical Clinic (RAM) to bring health services to underserved communities; established two Walking in Wellsville kiosks with measured walking routes in Wellsville; and supplied blood pressure machines at Jones and the Wellsville YMCA. Efforts that target the health of young people, the Wellness Committee helped establish Girls on the Run locally and provided information about the dangers of vaping to schools.

Since 1921, Jones Memorial Hospital has been caring for our family, friends, and neighbors. With your support, we will continue that tradition for generations to come.