Athol and Heywood Hospitals Receive Grants to Support Initiatives

GARDNER, Mass. - June 30, 2014 - PRLog -- Athol and Heywood Hospital have just been awarded grants from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and Massachusetts Department of Public Health to support initiatives at both hospitals.

“The money awarded to both hospitals is the catalyst we need to move forward with projects that will bring more comprehensive care to our region,” stated Heywood Healthcare President & CEO, Win Brown. “Dawn Casavant, our Vice President for External Affairs, has led the charge on securing grant funding, and using these funds, we can continue working to close the gap between technology and personalized healthcare.”

Totaling $847,000, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services grants will fund four projects. At Athol Hospital, monies will be used to purchase wireless infrastructure for the campus to adequately meet the mobility needs of clinicians and provide wireless access to patients and visitors.  Additionally, funding will support the implementation of a home-based pharmaceutical reconciliation program, to improve care transitions for high risk patients.

At Heywood Hospital, funds will assist the Heywood Medical Group in planning efforts to achieve National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Primary Care Medical Home certification, as well as fund the development of an electronic chronic disease registry for patients diagnosed with diabetes, heart failure, and pneumonia.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has also awarded Heywood Hospital with a grant of $35,000 to support suicide prevention initiatives, such as expanding support groups and collaborating with local school districts to provide parent and community training.

The Greater Gardner and North Quabbin regions see an extremely high instance of suicide, especially in adolescents and men aged 18 – 50,” stated Casavant. “Implementing training for our schools, parents and community members will provide educational opportunities that will assist in breaking the stigma surrounding suicide and opening dialogue around this critical issue.”

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About Heywood Healthcare
Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system located in the North Central region of Massachusetts. It is comprised of Heywood Hospital, a non-profit, 134-bed acute-care hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25 bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; Heywood Medical Group with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region; and four satellite facilities -Winchendon Health Center and Murdock School-based Health Center in Winchendon, West River Health Center in Orange and Heywood Rehabilitation Center in Gardner.

About Athol Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Athol Hospital is a 25-bed non-profit, acute care and outpatient facility serving the communities of the North Quabbin region of Massachusetts. It is designated as a Critical Access Hospital and Primary Stroke Center, licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and accredited by the Joint Commission.

About Heywood Hospital
Part of the Heywood Healthcare system, Heywood Hospital is a 134-bed acute care hospital in Gardner, MA, which provides a broad range of high quality medical, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric and behavioral health services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital’s Centers of Excellence include the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care; the Center for Behavioral Health; the LaChance Maternity Center; the Diabetes Center; and the Heywood Heart Center, an affiliate of the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial Health Care.