We opened Nantucket’s new hospital just over three months ago, and after all the years of planning, fundraising and construction, it has been so gratifying to see our staff provide quality, safe, and compassionate care to patients in a new building that meets their needs and is worthy of our team’s clinical skills and professionalism.  

Once again, we thank the island community for coming together to make this a reality and creating a legacy for future generations of Nantucketers.

Over these past 90 days, we have just begun to fulfill the promise of our new hospital, even as we recognize some of the challenges that come with such a dramatic change of moving out of a 1957 building and into a modern, technologically-advanced facility.

We have been working out the kinks associated with breaking-in a new hospital, whether they be with the new equipment or new workflows or otherwise. All of us – patients, doctors, and staff included – are adjusting to a new model for the physician offices that features a group practice model with our primary care clinicians and specialty physicians co-located. We believe this model will provide patients with better access to care and increase collaboration among the medical staff, as well as the continuity of care between primary and specialty physicians. We recognize that communication has been a challenge as we all become more familiar with the new group practice. We are committed to improving in this area for our patients, and changes are already in progress to do so.

As you have probably seen, the demolition of the old hospital is now underway. This is a bittersweet moment as we all have many memories of this building that has been part of our lives through joy and heartbreak, and yet it is also exciting because it means we are in the final phase of the new hospital project and will soon be able to open the main entrance.

For your safety, we have limited the access to the new hospital to only one entrance, which is located at the new emergency department off Prospect Street, while the demolition and final site work is conducted. The hospital has also arranged for a free valet parking service, seven days per week, at this entrance to provide ease of access, and we encourage all patients to take advantage of this option. We have already taken care of the gratuity, so there is no need to tip the valet parking attendants.

On behalf of everyone at NCH, thank you for your patience and understanding as we complete this final phase of the new hospital project, as well as for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Margot Hartmann, MD, PhD

President & CEO, Nantucket Cottage Hospital