Baystate Health Announces New Convenient Care Facility in Ware, Expanding Access to Care

WARE, Mass. — Baystate Health is pleased to announce the location of a new convenient care facility in Ware, expanding access to high-quality, accessible care for residents across the region.

Baystate Mary Lane Convenient Care - Ware will be located at 144 West Street, in the former Smithland Pet and Garden Center. Conveniently situated near other local amenities and accessible by public transportation, the site is designed to meet patients where they are, making it easier to get the care they need, when they need it.

Expected to open within the next 9 to 12 months, the facility will feature 4 exam rooms, on-site imaging, and a laboratory. Patients can choose between scheduled appointments and walk-in visits, with evening and weekend hours available. The on-site lab will serve convenient care patients as well as other community members with lab orders.

Convenient care provides treatment for a wide range of non-life-threatening conditions, offering timely, efficient care close to home. In addition to being urgent care, our convenient cares offer more to the community serving as a bridge to primary care, supporting patients in managing new or ongoing conditions, connecting those without a primary care provider to ongoing care, and helping guide individuals toward better long-term health.

In the future, the site could expand to add primary care services, hosting a new family medicine residency program, with an anticipated launch in 2028 or 2029, while the organization looks for a potential larger site for the future growth of that program. This program will follow the successful approach used at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, training new family doctors to provide innovative, community-focused, and evidence-based care, with a focus on wellness and prevention. The potential expansion to primary care and the launch of a family medicine residency program is dependent on securing support from the Rural Transformation Health Fund. If awarded, the program could begin as early as 2028-2029 and would grow over time, helping to strengthen the local primary care workforce and expand access for the community.

Expanding access to care in communities like Ware is central to our mission,” said Dr. Seth Gemme, Chair of Emergency Medicine and Interim Advisor to the Chief Physician Executive, Baystate Health. “This new convenient care location is about meeting people where they are, especially when unexpected health needs arise, and ensuring they receive timely care close to home. By strengthening access points across the region, we help patients stay connected to care, improve continuity, and support the overall health and well-being of the communities we serve.”

This expansion reflects Baystate Health’s mission to deliver compassionate, quality, and accessible care while advancing the health of all communities it serves. Rooted in Western Massachusetts for more than 140 years, Baystate Health continues to be a pillar of the community, serving today’s residents and helping future generations thrive.