“Time Out” is a term we use in the Operating Room, and one that I speak to frequently. In hospital parlance a “time out” is a deliberate pause to resolve questions for concise communication and direction among the medical staff. And so it is with building a new hospital. It takes time to identify needs, discern issues, and develop a thoughtful plan that will properly serve Nantucketers now and in the future.

At Nantucket Cottage Hospital, we have thoroughly engaged in this effort. From the start of a vigorous planning process to design and build a new hospital, I have pledged to keep you informed.

First, I want to express my sincere thanks for the overwhelming support of Town Meeting voters in approving zoning and real estate articles that have provided the necessary flexibility to use our existing site for this important project. We are now in the process of working closely with a professional team of engineering, site plan, and architectural experts to design a health care campus that meets the needs of Nantucketers, for the next generations.

Our hope is to have preliminary design plans completed by the fall and submitted by early next year for a series of comprehensive Planning Board, Historic District Commission (HDC) and other public hearings, as well as the state permitting process. To date, we have received encouraging support for our capital campaign, and have commitments of more than $58 million.

We promised early on that we would listen carefully to the community. Proposals to build a new hospital at Wyer’s Valley and to incorporate a portion of Mill Hill Park were met with many questions and concerns. Careful consideration of all options is fundamental to building the best hospital possible.

This process has taken us full circle, but we haven’t come back to the same place or the same plan. Our business has grown, and thus our business model has changed. We are now caring for more Nantucket residents and visitors than ever before. This growth requires an extensive strategic planning process, which is well underway. A new facility needs to reflect this growth in volume, anticipate future needs of the community, and recognize that the delivery of medical care is constantly changing. The hospital is now completing a Community Health Needs Assessment, and has reviewed recent patient usage and trends. Change in the delivery of services is inevitable, but often difficult to predict, so the new hospital will be built for flexibility and with the expectation that state-of-the art technology will play a key role in future healthcare on Nantucket.

With all that said, we are proceeding with guiding principles and assumptions. Our Strategic Planning Committee, composed of hospital leaders and Board of Trustees members, is evaluating five possible options for a new building on the existing site. The committee is assessing those options using 31 distinct criteria on how to design a building that provides the best patient experience, ensures staff efficiency, and is the least disruptive process possible – all with an eye to the most reasonable cost as well. In addition, we are considering relocating certain hospital functions to other appropriate sites, as we have recently done with our physical therapy department.

It’s always important to remember why we have embarked on this challenging project. Simply put, we need a new hospital. The status quo is not an option and you deserve better:

• The hospital building was constructed in 1957 during the Eisenhower Administration with a medical inpatient model no longer in use
• Inefficient infrastructure requires NCH to continually fund expensive repairs and maintenance; this money is far better spent on patient care and services
• NCH has only one operating room, which severely restricts scheduling of routine and emergency surgeries as it must be reserved when women go into labor due to the potential for emergency C-sections
• With one exception, our CT scan room, the size of NCH’s departments and clinical areas do not meet state Department of Public Health standards
• Lack of space impacts patient privacy and restricts specialty care offerings
• Critical services are inefficiently spread out throughout the hospital, a disordered layout that results in the duplication of services and facilities, and challenges efficient staffing

Again, we thank you for your ongoing patience as we work hard to build your hospital for the future. If you have questions or comments, or are interested in contributing to this essential building campaign, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our public information officer Jason Graziadei at: jgraziadei@partners.org or 508-825-8246.

Sincerely,

Margot Hartmann, MD PhD
President/CEO, Nantucket Cottage Hospital