CALCUTTA — The Calcutta Medical Arts Center, 48500 Bell School Road, East Liverpool, will transition to a service of Salem Regional Medical Center (SRMC) effective April 13.

As of March 10, all the arrangements have not yet been finalized according to Debbi Pietrzak, vice-president of marketing and public relations for SRMC.

The Calcutta Medical Arts Center houses the Heritage Valley Medical Facility which made the decision to close prior to the announcement regarding the transition. They will be closing on March 20.

Pietrzak noted that the closing is not as a result of the transition.

“I can understand that patients are upset. They are thinking that we are coming in and closing the practice, but that is not the case,” Pietrzak said.

Pietrzak also said the reason behind the transition is to make sure residents in that area have continued medical care.

The two primary care family medicine physicians that will be staffing The Calcutta Medical Arts Center, which will be renamed SRMC Primary Care-Calcutta, are Dr. Marcela Purtell, who is currently at the location, and Dr. Katarina Barlow, who is new to the practice. Kelly Fischer will be at the location as a nurse practitioner.

Patients who have questions can call 330-556-6666 and leave a message, and someone will call them back based on what their question is.

Updated information will be provided on patient scheduling as soon as it’s available.

“Our transition plan is underway because we want to address the community’s need for services,” Pietrzak said.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com