Nantucket Cottage Hospital is pleased to publish our annual Philanthropy Impact report to highlight our generous community of volunteers and donors.

NCH will open an Urgent Access Clinic on May 23, 2022 in the Anderson Building at 57 Prospect Street to offer easy and convenient medical care for non-life-threatening conditions. 

Beginning May 23, urgent access appointments will be available Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Appointments can be made through Mass General Brigham’s Patient Gateway. Log-in to your Patient Gateway account and look for “Find Urgent Care Center” under the “Find Care” menu option to schedule your appointment.

If you cannot make an appointment online, call 508-825-1000 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Urgent Access appointments are intended for a range of symptoms, including:

• Coughs, colds, or sore throat
• Ear and eye infections
• Fever
• Minor injuries (scrapes, cuts, minor burns, sprains)
• Muscle/back pain
• Rashes
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Tick bites
• Urinary tract infections
• Vaginal infections, such as yeast infections

Read more about Urgent Access at Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

In a manicured garden tucked away off main street, half a dozen volunteers from Palliative & Supportive Care of Nantucket (PASCON) came together to share the colors of spring with those most in need, by preparing bouquets of daffodils for over 40 patients living with serious illnesses throughout Nantucket.

While far from the bedside of patients, the gathering was a moment for these dedicated volunteers to support patients on Nantucket with the level of personal connection and charm that Nantucketers have come to recognize as a key feature of PASCON and the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

“Palliative care is specialized medical care for people impacted by serious illness with the goal of improving quality of life for both the patient and the family,” said Debbie Dolan, Nurse Practitioner and Manager of the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “These volunteers are truly the backbone of the program and are the members providing much of the support to the patients, families caregivers and community, this gesture is just another example of that support.”

The special occasion marked the first time in over two years that the PASCON volunteers had come together, after being limited to video calls and emails since the early days of the pandemic.

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At Nantucket Cottage Hospital, over 100 nurses provide high-quality, compassionate care to keep our island healthy. Their skills and expertise are here for you and your family when you need them.

(February 16, 2022) – Nantucket Cottage Hospital has recently been recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals by the Charis Center for Rural Health.

“This designation is another affirmation that the work our staff is undertaking here at Nantucket Cottage Hospital is paying off and yielding real results for our patients and the entire island community,” said Gary Shaw, President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “Our community can look at this recognition and know that when they step through the doors of NCH, they are receiving the highest quality of care by our team of remarkable clinicians and support staff.”

The recognition marks the first time in NCH’s history it has been recognized as a Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital. The designation is based on eight metrics, ranging from patient outcomes and quality, to cost and financial efficiency.

“Despite unprecedented adversity rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.”

The U.S. Census Bureau notes that about 60 million, or one in five, Americans live in rural settings, and are served by rural hospitals. Since 2010, over 130 of these rural hospitals have closed due to challenges such as low patient volume and financial efficiency, issues that have led other rural hospitals to reduce service and limit patient care.

“It’s been a hard few years for rural hospitals,” said Shaw. “Despite the nationwide trend of rural hospitals limiting services, our staff has been able to increase the number of the life changing services offered, here on island, by leveraging our Mass General Brigham affiliation, and attracting a diverse set of new providers and clinicians to Nantucket.”