Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is looking to expand its primary care footprint on the Island after purchasing a retiring doctor’s West Tisbury medical office last month. 

The hospital on Oct. 31 bought Dr. Edward Caldwell’s building at 20 Indian Hill Road for $1.8 million. The hospital is planning some light renovations to the property to comply with state health requirements, and will then use the location for primary and some specialty care.

“MVH plans to continue all of the services that are currently there, although some might move to the hospital campus to optimize care delivery and to best use the limited amount of clinical space that we have available,” Michael Cosgrave, the hospital’s chief administrative officer, said in a statement. 

Dr. Caldwell had been running his ear, nose and throat practice out of the building across from the West Tisbury public safety building for several years. Dr. Terry Kriedman, a retired gynecologist, and Vineyard Audiology also practiced there. 

Hospital plans to use it for primary care and some speciality care.

Ray Ewing

Hospital plans to use it for primary care and some speciality care.

Ray Ewing

In an interview Friday, Dr. Caldwell said he had worked to secure a medical provider for the property, given the constraints on health care throughout the Island. He had previously talked to the late Dr. Michael Jacobs about the building before the Vineyard Medical Services founder’s death, and the hospital’s parent company Mass General Brigham later showed interest. 

“When the hospital, Mass General Brigham, came and looked at it, they were quick to move forward with settling it,” Dr. Caldwell said. 

The sale came on Dr. Caldwell’s last day of practice, and he has since moved to Connecticut to be closer to family. He said he still has many Island connections though, and plans to continue to contribute to the Island’s medical community. 

Despite the challenges of health care on the Vineyard, Dr. Caldwell hoped that a new strong core of primary care physicians could help give Islanders the services they need. 

“I’m hopeful that it is now sort of settling down,” he said. “I’m hopeful that [ongoing] changes are going to be durable moving forward.”