About Atkinson Family Practice
Our Mission Is To…
Promote the health of our patients by providing innovative, highest-quality, comprehensive, personalized health-care.
Serve as a ‘medical home’ for patients by coordinating, managing and integrating the various aspects of their health to ensure comprehensive, holistic care.
Create a comfortable, compassionate atmosphere where the relationship between the practice and patients is one of partnership and open dialogue.
Encourage patient education, life style modification, and prevention as critical aspects to optimal long-term health.
Provide our patients with education and resources to enable them to make informed lifestyle and health care decisions and partner with patients to minimize their risks of developing disease.
TO ROLLIN M. JOHNSON, M.D.
My practice is dedicated to the memory of my father, Rollin M. Johnson M.D., who first encouraged me to go to medical school, saying “If you love your job, you never work a day in your life.” He was right.
Despite the stress of medical school while having babies, it was still an exciting experience. My father, as an orthopedic surgeon, did not initially understand my choice of family practice when I began residency, but he watched my excitement as I delivered babies and then cared for those babies and their families over the ensuing years. I have never regretted becoming a family physician, as it is one of the most rewarding careers one could ever ask for. It is such a privilege to be admitted into the lives of families and to help them make meaningful changes in their lives.
My father was also the one who encouraged me to go into private practice and, ultimately, to do it again as a solo medical practice. He would have enjoyed the hard woods used in this new office and the farm theme in the pediatric room. And, as he did at my old office, he would have come to bring us all lunch and meet my patients.
Why the Dragonfly?
My father died unexpectedly on October 16th, 2004 while riding his bike in town. At his wake, a patient we had both cared for shared a children’s book with me called “Water Bugs and Dragonflies”.
The book recounts an emergent dragonfly’s experience of moving on to a new form and a new world. Although he is blissful in his new existence, he cannot go back and see his water bug friends — they would not recognize him. Nor can he cross back into the water to show them what he has become. That visual image has helped me to reconcile the untimely death of my father as I picture him watching us from his new vantage point. This is the reason I have chosen the dragonfly to represent my new medical practice.
My father was an amazing surgeon, but an even more amazing human being. He loved hearing the stories people had to tell of their lives and he continued to care for his patients even after his retirement. Rollin Johnson was a man of deep faith, a committed grandfather and member of his community. It is with great emotion that I dedicate my new practice to his memory and his contributions to the world.
Katherine J. Atkinson, M.D.
June 10, 2005
The Atkinson Building
The Atkinson Building is a state-of-the-art 13,500 ft2 sustainable building designed by architect Ann Marshall of Kuhn Riddle, with construction completed in December 2013 by Wright Builders, Inc.
Dr. Atkinson envisioned an office that would be comfortable and not sterile, safe and accessible, with spaces designed to encourage collaboration between medical personnel, while ensuring privacy in exam rooms.
The Design and Engineering team was faced with the challenge of an efficient, welcoming medical office building utilizing environmentally sound construction within a limited budget. They succeeded beyond expectations!
WALL INSULATION
11”
RECYCLED NEWSPAPER
EXTERIOR TRIM
70%
RECYCLED FLY ASH
SOLAR POWER
40%
BUILDING ENERGY
SOLAR PANELS
36000
WATTS
-
The walls are double stud filled with 12” of cellulose insulation for an R-40. (Recycled newspaper).
The slabs are insulated to R-22.
The roof and ceiling insulation is R-60 for the assembly.
Triple-glazed argon filled windows reduce heat loss yielding an R-5 window unit. There are many large windows allowing for natural illumination and views where appropriate.
South side roof is covered with 36,000-watt solar panels, generating electricity to provide 40% of the energy needs for the building.
The building has a state-of-the-art energy recovery ventilation system ensuring high air quality and energy efficiency.
Fiber cement exterior siding has recycled cellulose content.
Boral exterior trim is 70% recycled fly ash, 30% acrylic.
State of the art Mitsubishi City System heat pumps, SEER approximately 27.
Recycled (rubber), rapidly renewable (cork), and regional materials were used where possible.
High efficiency appliances, heating/cooling and lighting systems.
All materials used were low VOC, all interior finishes and paint VOC and formaldehyde free.
Water saving devices include low volume metered faucets and high efficiency toilets.
Whenever possible, the vendors, craftspeople and materials were obtained locally.
Water filtration and water bottle-filling station.
The waiting room has Ultraviolet/UVC air purifiers.
Rain water collection, Composting and Single Stream Recycling.
The site has no environmentally sensitive areas, and drought resistant, native landscaping materials were designed and specified by New England Environmental.
Occupancy sensors turn off lights in unoccupied areas. Outdoor lighting has timers and no off property light pollution, called “Dark Skies” compliant.
The location is on two bus routes and walking distance from several Amherst neighborhoods
Atkinson Family Practice provides exercise equipment and showers for the employees, as well as financial incentives for carpooling and public transportation, and walking and/or biking to work.
The Building Team
John Kuhn, AIA – Principal
Ann Marshall, AIA – Architect
Site Plan Architect:
Doucet & Assoc, Inc.
Thomas Hogan
Photovoltaic: PV2
Jon Child – Principal
Adam Thurell
Landscape Architect: New England Environmental
Subcontractors:
General Cleaning – D&D Cleaning
Site Work – Karl’s
Landscaping – Amherst Landscaping
Fencing – Hastie Fencing
Concrete – Valley Concrete & Construction
Steel – Accufab Ironworks
Trusses & Materials – rkMiles
Framing, Carpentry – Gorobinsky Carpenters
Siding, Carpentry – Specialized Construction
Finish, Carpentry – Guild Woodworking
Interior Millwork – Madison Builders
Basement Waterproofing – Pro-Tech
Jonathan Wright – President
Mark Ledwell – Vice President
Tom Lucia – Project Manager
Chet Mitchell – Foreman
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineering:
Lindgren & Sharples, P.C.
Dino D’Angelo, Principal
MJ Moran, Inc.
Jim Moran, Principal & Bian Struck
Insulation – Superior Insulation
Roofing – Florence Roofing
Electrical – Crocker Communication
Plumbing & HVAC – M.J. Moran
Elevator – Baystate Elevator
Signs – Seigal Signs
Painting – Brad Willard Painting
Acoustical Ceiling – Rocky Acoustical
Flooring – Merceir Carpet
Drywall – Dependable Drywall
Windows – Pella
Exterior Doors & Specialty Glass – Greenfield Glass
Interior Doors – Building Specialties
Gutters – Hang-Rite
Special Thanks To:
Dennis Schilling and Delcie Bean, Paragus Strategic IT
Tom Lesser and Sharon Andres from Lesser, Newman and Nasser
Margaret Priessler
Lori Friedman
Ron Christiansen, Livingston and Haynes
Kelly Tiedemann, Bookkeeping
Mark Grumoli from Greenfield Savings Bank Robert Godfrey from Godfrey Siegel Signs
Renee Niedziela from Stolar Insurance Sean Cleary, Copycat Print Shop
Robert Godfrey from Godfrey Siegel Signs Mary Mansfield from BayColony Development Co.
DJ O’Connor, Mass Surgical supply Stephanie Oates, Stunning Images
Danielle Intile, Winsome Smiles Mark Silverman, Varitronics
FlyByNight Furniture Broadway Interior Office Design
HarborNetworks Gary Conte, Conte Office Interiors
Roxann Link, Cadwell Upholstery Co Debra Schecterle, Inside Designs