(May 13, 2023) The Hospital Thrift Shop reopened for its 95th year in business on Monday, May 13, 2024. The line stretched down India Street and wrapped around to Centre Street, with shoppers eager to browse through merchandise donated over the winter by island residents and visitors. Founded in 1929 by a small group of volunteers, the Thrift Shop sells affordable, recycled clothing and household items to benefit Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Since opening almost 100 years ago, the Thrift Shop has donated over $7.5 million to NCH. Visit HospitalThriftShop.org to learn more.

(May 8, 2024) Ellen Hope, LPN, received Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s 2024 DAISY Award.

NCH is proud to join hospitals around the world in recognizing nurses who make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families through the DAISY program. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day.

Nominations can be made by any staff member, patient, or family. Ellen was nominated by four separate individuals. Here are some excerpts from her nominations:

• “Ellen regularly impresses me with her capacity for compassion. She is an inspiration for nursing in primary care.”
• “Ellen is deserving of the DAISY Award not for one act, but for the care she provides every day.”
• “Our NP team in Family Practice rely on her daily and are so grateful for her effort, time and, most importantly, compassionate care.”

(February 1, 2024) – Nantucket Cottage Hospital is delighted to announce that local resident Steven Kohler, MD, joined NCH in January 2024 as Medical Director of Urgent Access. A graduate of Temple Medical School, Dr. Kohler’s background includes a transitional internship and Internal Medicine Residency at Cambridge Hospital, a Harvard Medical School program, as well as an Emergency Medicine Residency at University Hospital, Jacksonville, University of Florida.

Dr. Kohler brings a wealth of experience to his new role having served as an Emergency Medicine Physician at Cape Cod Hospital since 1996. He has lived on Nantucket fulltime since then and has been doing the “reverse commute” to Cape Cod during that time. While at Cape Cod Hospital he has experienced over 125,000 emergency room and urgent care patient encounters.

Dr. Kohler commented, “I am looking forward to expanding urgent access on the island. We hope to include expanding the urgent care to non-appointment-based encounters, as well as simple procedures such as laceration care.”

Amy Lee, President, and COO of NCH, remarked, “We took the feedback regarding Urgent Access from the community very seriously and are investing in the expansion of services. We are excited that Dr. Kohler will provide his expertise to this critical role.”

Urgent Access is for minor injuries or illnesses like tick bites, rashes, sprains, coughs, colds, sore throats, fevers, and eye infections. Urgent Access care is available to everyone – not just existing Nantucket Cottage Hospital patients. However, to be treated at the Urgent Access Clinic, patients will need to be registered with Mass General Brigham. Those who have received care at Nantucket Cottage Hospital in the past are already registered. All others should call 866-211-6588 to register.

Patients may make an Urgent Access appointment by accessing MGB’s online Patient Gateway or by calling 508-825-1000.

January 3, 2024 – Juniel Veras Lochen was the first baby born on Nantucket in 2024, arriving at NCH on January 3. He is the son of proud parents Elise Lochen and Junior Veras, and weighed in at 7 pounds, and measured 20.5 inches. “He is a very active and alert baby,” his parents said. “He loves to talk and video chat with his big sister. We thank God he is a happy and healthy baby boy.”