In the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Margot Hartmann, president and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and Jason Graziadei, public information officer, write about the unique challenges of keeping the hospital’s 24/7 emergency department open and fully staffed through the island’s seasonal population swings and in its remote geographic location. Read the full article by clicking here. 

Small community hospitals throughout the United States are facing threats including low volume, declining reimbursements, and staffing challenges. Nantucket Cottage Hospital, a 19-bed facility and one of the smallest hospitals in Massachusetts, must also navigate the complexity of operating on an island 30 miles offshore, where the year-round population of 15,000 swells to more than 60,000 during the summer months. There is no off-the-shelf staffing model that works in the clinical environment of our emergency department (ED). The ED provides care to more than 10,000 patients every year, but the majority of them present between Memorial Day and Columbus Day.

27 de Marzo de 2020Primero queremos expresar nuestra gratitud a la comunidad de Nantucket por los innumerables actos de generosidad, buena voluntad y apoyo para nuestro hospital que hemos presenciado durante la semana pasada. Agradecemos a todos los que donaron suministros médicos o se tomaron el tiempo para fabricar máscaras caseras, sin mencionar las muchas otras ofertas de alimentos, vivienda y financiación. Ver a nuestra comunidad reunirse alrededor de su hospital mientras respondemos a la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) ha sido inspirador para todos en NCH.

A medida que nuestro hospital se preparó para esta situación sin precedentes y cambió la forma en que laboramos, nos dimos cuenta de que las medidas que se han implementado para proteger a los pacientes y a nuestro personal pueden haber creado la percepción de que NCH está esencialmente cerrado para todos, excepto para aquellos que padecen (COVID. 19) Eso está lejos de la verdad, y queremos que la comunidad sepa que estamos abiertos y aquí para cuidarlo. Si bien hemos re-programado cosas como visitas de bienestar y cancelamos los procedimientos electivos  para reducir la cantidad de personas que ingresan a nuestras instalaciones, seguimos atendiendo a  pacientes en NCH con necesidades de atención médica urgentes, que no son COVID-19. Estamos tomando todas las medidas de control de infecciones para proteger a los pacientes y al personal, y estamos evaluando posibles casos de coronavirus fuera del hospital en nuestro sitio de evaluación de acceso directo en la entrada principal. Si tiene una necesidad médica, llámenos y haremos todo lo posible para servirle a usted y a su familia. Nuestros médicos también pueden programar visitas con sus pacientes por teléfono, y estamos trabajando para implementar visitas por video.

As published in the March 2nd edition of The Inquirer and Mirror:

To the editor: I recently had surgery at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. I’d like to thank Dr. Monto and his entire staff (Jen, Meg, Tara and Keri) for easing my fear and pain and making me look on the brighter side of things. A truly awesome staff. I can’t speak highly enough of them. (more…)

Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Stop & Shop have entered into a temporary license agreement, allowing the hospital to use Stop & Shop’s land near its mid-island store for a staging area for construction of the new hospital at 57 Prospect Street. Stop & Shop has waived all fees in connection with the agreement, a benefit to the hospital valued at $1.2 million.

The parcel, known as the Craig Property, adjacent to the Boys & Girls Club and fronting on Sparks Avenue and Pleasant Street, will be used for staging for the hospital’s construction activities.  Stop & Shop previously used the Craig Property as a staging area for construction of its new mid-island store. (more…)

A building permit has been issued by the Town of Nantucket for the construction of the island’s new hospital – a major milestone for this historic initiative. This permit is the result of an extensive review process and collaboration with the town’s Building Department, so we want to thank the staff of Planning & Land Use Services for its assistance.