Fitchburg, MA – At the Annual Meeting of the HealthAlliance Hospital Guild, a check for $25,000 was presented to Chief Operating Officer, Paul MacKinnon by HealthAlliance Hospital Guild President, Leslie Storrs. “It is an honor to serve as Guild President, and I am so proud of all of our members and their participation in our activities and fundraisers.  Without all of their efforts and hard work, we would not have been able to donate $25,000 to the hospital this year!  In 2015 our membership is growing and we are incorporating business members as well as, enhancing our networking and community involvement,” stated Leslie Storrs.

The annual meeting brought together 50 Guild members at the Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg. HealthAlliance Hospital Guild members are community ambassadors on behalf of the hospital who contribute gifts of time, talent and treasure at a variety of levels. Members of the HealthAlliance Hospital Guild volunteer their time to manage fundraisers such as the Annual Guild Basket Raffle, work in the hospital gift shop, and attend or support Guild social events each year. “The activities of the HealthAlliance Hospital Guild speak to the core of our values and commitment to excellence in patient care. Their advocacy and gifts have truly impacted the health and spiritual wellness of our community,” said HealthAlliance Hospital Chief Operating Officer, Paul MacKinnon.

Deborah LaPointe, Director of Development and External Affairs at HealthAlliance Hospital, and previous Guild President, announced at the meeting that the Guild has also met their five-year pledge to the hospital and has donated $125,000 to the Simonds-Sinon Regional Cancer Center.

Pictured in the photo: Left to right – Paul MacKinnon, HealthAlliance Hospital Chief Operating Officer and Leslie Storrs, HealthAlliance Hospital Guild President 

For more information on joining the HealthAlliance Hospital Guild, contact the HealthAlliance Hospital Development Office at 978-466-2258.

Growing New England urgent care chain and region’s largest healthcare system align to increase efficiency and lower costs for patients

QUINCY, Mass., June 04, 2015 – CareWell Urgent Care and UMass Memorial Health Care today announced a new affiliation that improves access to coordinated healthcare for patients in Central Massachusetts.

CareWell centers treat patients for non-life-threatening—but still urgent—illnesses or injuries, including colds, infections, fractures, cuts, rashes, allergic reactions and the flu. Centers offer select preventative care services, including flu shots, vaccinations and sports physical exams, and have on-site X-ray and lab capabilities. With the new affiliation, effective June 1, CareWell patients will have easy access to UMass Memorial Health Care specialists and hospitals when necessary. UMass Memorial patients will have access to convenient, high quality urgent care services, reducing wait times and costs for non-urgent patients.

The first two UMass Memorial-affiliated CareWell Urgent Care centers, located at 500 Lincoln Street and 348 Greenwood Street in Worcester, will open on July 15. A third site, planned for Northborough, is slated to open in October. Additional affiliated sites throughout central Massachusetts will open over the next 12-18 months.

Urgent care centers are rapidly gaining popularity across the United States as an alternative to emergency room care. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, there are approximately 9,000 urgent care centers in the United States, with 40 percent expecting to expand their existing site or add another site. CareWell, the largest single provider of urgent care services in New England, anticipates opening more new clinics in 2015.

“We are very excited to launch this new alliance with UMass Memorial Health Care,” said CEO Shaun Ginter. “Patients can often be treated with the same quality of care, and much more quickly, at an urgent care center than in emergency rooms. This affiliation means our patients will get the care they need in the most efficient way possible.”

“As the largest health care provider in the region, UMass Memorial Health Care understands the importance of urgent care in the spectrum of health care services today’s consumers expect,” said Eric Dickson, MD, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care.” This affiliation will help integrate care by establishing relationships between UMass Memorial emergency departments; primary care physicians and medical specialists, and CareWell Urgent Care providers.”

All CareWell locations are open 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. Additional information can be found at carewellurgentcare.com/.

About CareWell Urgent Care

Established in 2012, CareWell Urgent Care (care provided by Carewell Urgent Care Centers of Massachusetts, PC) is a leading provider of accessible, efficient neighborhood healthcare. CareWell is committed to changing the delivery of healthcare in America by providing on-demand, high quality, affordable care. Our approach is patient-centered, with Board-certified physicians on-site at all times and an emphasis on full collaboration with the patient’s regular healthcare team. CareWell Urgent Care has centers in Billerica, Cambridge, Framingham, Lexington, Needham, Norwell, Peabody, South Dennis and Tewksbury, Mass, as well as Warwick, R.I., with additional centers slated to open throughout New England in 2015.

About UMass Memorial Health Care 

UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,900 employees and 1,670 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care. 

Call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for all your health care needs. Visit umassmemorialhealthcare.org

# # #

For more information:

Greenough Communications on behalf of CareWell Urgent Care

Karen Laverty

617-275-6516

klaverty@greenough.biz

Sheila Daly, RN, MS, CPHQ, president and CEO of Clinton Hospital, and Atty. William McGrail, chairman of Clinton Hospital’s Board of Trustees, recently announced the appointment of three new members to Clinton Hospital’s Board of Trustees. These appointments come as board members Jennie Gray, Steve Mendoza and Paulette Seymour-Route, stepped down from the board after fulfilling their terms. Board Member David Fairchild, MD, resigned from the board after accepting new position outside of UMass Memorial Health Care this past winter.

“I am very thankful to Jennie, Steve, Paulette and David for their service to Clinton Hospital. Each of them has been such an asset to our Board of Trustees and we are sincerely grateful for their commitment,” said Ms. Daly. “We are thrilled with the new mix of folks joining our board. Our new members come from diverse backgrounds and bring such a wide scope of relevant and valuable experiences. I’m excited to welcome them to Clinton Hospital and put their vast knowledge to work for us.”

Luis J. Maseda is the president of NP Medical, a Nypro/Jabil company, which is dedicated to making quality patient care possible in IV therapy. Mr. Maseda has 20 years of experience in the medical device and biotechnology sector, holding a variety of roles ranging from manufacturing operations to executive leadership. He has a passion for bringing together talented teams, architecting great organizations, and improving health outcomes through personal accountability for care and holistic caregiver engagement, and he is an active supporter of many local and regional not-for-profit organizations serving the food safety, early education, job retraining and cultural enrichment needs of the community. Mr. Maseda holds an undergraduate BS in Biomedical Engineering from University of Florida School of Engineering, and a masters of science degree in Systems Engineering from the MIT School of Engineering and Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Christopher Philbin is the vice president of Government Relations at UMass Memorial Health Care. A native of Lancaster, Massachusetts, Mr. Philbin began his career as director of Community and Economic Development for the Town of Clinton, and he also previously served on the Clinton Hospital Board of Trustees when Clinton Hospital joined UMass Health Care (now UMass Memorial Health Care) in 1996. Formerly chief of staff to US Representative James P. McGovern, Mr. Philbin was instrumental in developing solutions to health care issues and navigating the increasing roles of federal and state government in health care. Mr. Philbin has extensive experience in various legislative roles, and he holds an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and a law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston.

Catherine M. Rossi is the vice president of Managed Care Contracting for UMass Memorial Health Care. Ms. Rossi is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she earned her BA in Economics. Prior to joining UMass Memorial, Ms. Rossi managed integrated delivery system and ancillary provider contracts for Tufts Health Plan. Her prior health care experience also includes business development, referral and admission management for rehabilitation and extended care facilities, and paralegal work for a Boston-based personal injury law practice. Ms. Rossi currently serves on Fallon Health’s Community Benefits Committee and the Massachusetts Hospital Association Managed Care Workgroup, and has served on the YMCA of Central Massachusetts Committee of Members.

Leominster, MA – For the fourth year in a row, cancer patients at the Simonds-Sinon Regional Cancer Center of UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital in Fitchburg will receive free therapeutic services thanks to a grant from Angie’s Spa, a charitable, all-volunteer organization.  Since 2012, the funding has enabled the hospital’s Simonds-Hurd Complementary Care Center to provide free therapeutic yoga, hand, foot and chair massage and acupuncture services to patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. This year’s grant increase will allow for the addition of a certified music practitioner. 

Angie’s Spa is funded entirely through private donations, 100% of which go directly toward similar hospital programs.  UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital is one of only six hospitals in the country to benefit from the organization’s generosity and mission.  Founded in 2008, Angie’s Spa is named in memory of Angie Levy, a breast cancer survivor of nine years, before succumbing to the disease at the young age of 36 in 2007.  It was Angie’s upbeat attitude and love for life’s small indulgences that inspired the idea of Angie’s Spa. These services are designed to alleviate painful side effects and to provide relaxation to enhance traditional treatments.

“When we first started, it was something nice to do for patients, and now it’s great to see doctors recognizing the medical benefits,” said Nancy Berry, Executive Director of Angie’s Spa.

Since 2010, the Simonds-Hurd Complementary Care Center has provided a variety of therapeutic services and classes to members of the surrounding communities.  However, its mission also includes the integration of these healing and supportive therapies with traditional medical care throughout the cancer center and hospital.  “While the diagnosis and treatment of cancer can leave one feeling powerless, opting to participate in healing therapies to relieve anxiety, stress, and reduce treatment-related side effects is empowering and returns control to the patient.  This is evident by the fact that many of our patients actually schedule their chemotherapy days around the Angie’s Spa therapy schedule,” said Lynn Gerrits, Manager of the Simonds-Hurd Complementary Care Center.

For more information about Angie’s Spa, visit their website www.angiesspa.org and Facebook page.

For more information about the Simonds-Hurd Complementary Care Center, visit their website at www.simondshurd.com and Facebook page.

To make a donation in support of the Simonds-Hurd Complementary Care Center, visit www.healthalliancefoundation.org or contact the UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital Development Office at 978-466-2258.

Neurological assessments completed for 100 percent of stroke patients.

UMass Memorial – Clinton Hospital received the Coverdell NIH Stroke Scale Rate of 100 Percent Award from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The Paul Coverdell  National Acute Stroke Program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded quality improvement collaborative administered by the DPH, that supports Primary Stroke Service hospitals. This award recognizes the hospitals that performed NIH Stroke Scale assessments on 100 percent of stroke patients from January 2014-December 2014.

The NIHSS is an evidence-based tool that is used to provide a quantitative measure of stroke-related neurologic deficit.    

“At Clinton Hospital, we strive to provide exceptional care to all of our patients. We are proud that our commitment to providing quality stroke care was recognized by this prestigious award from the DPH’s Coverdell Stroke program,” said Sheila Daly, president and CEO, Clinton Hospital.

Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the Commonwealth, and a leading cause of adult disability. Immediate assessment and treatment is critical to help improve outcomes.

Knowing the key signs and symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately can save a life. The F.A.S.T. acronym is an easy way to remember: 

• Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask the person to smile
• Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms
• Speech: Does the speech sound strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase
• Time: If you observe these symptoms, call 9-1-1

For more information about the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry, or about FAST and the DPH stroke awareness campaign, please visit: www.mass.gov/dph/heartstroke.

Caption: Cynthia Rost, RN, BSN, pictured center, Quality manager and Stroke Program coordinator, Clinton Hospital, accepts Clinton Hospital’s Coverdell NIH Stroke Scale Rate of 100 Percent Award from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).

Growing New England urgent care chain and top Worcester, MA health system create an integrated community healthcare solution

QUINCY, Mass.–Two UMass Memorial-affiliated CareWell Urgent Care centers, located at 500 Lincoln Street and 348 Greenwood Street in Worcester, will open on July 15. This affiliation is unique to the Worcester area and will provide residents an integrated healthcare solution with both organizations serving patients based on their individual needs.

“CareWell is thrilled to launch this new affiliation with UMass Memorial Health Care,” said CEO Shaun Ginter. “More importantly, we are excited for what this means for the community. By working together, CareWell Urgent Care and UMass Memorial Health Care have created an integrated healthcare solution that will ensure that residents receive the highest quality healthcare affordably, conveniently and efficiently.”

CareWell Urgent Care offers medical care from Board-certified doctors, no referral or appointment necessary. Patients can visit CareWell centers for all non-life-threatening, but still urgent, illness or injury, including colds, flu, infections, fractures, cuts, rashes and allergic reactions. Centers also offer preventative care such as flu shots, vaccinations and routine physical exams, and have on-site x-ray and lab capabilities.

“July 15, the opening day for our first two affiliated centers, will be an important day in the evolution of our health care system as we continue our commitment to respond to the paradigm-shift along the continuum of care by serving our patients in their communities,” said Eric Dickson, MD, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care. “Our affiliation with CareWell, a recognized leader in the delivery of urgent care services, will benefit our patients greatly by providing them access to quality urgent care services.”

CareWell clinics will be able to refer patients to UMass Memorial Health Care specialists and primary care physicians when necessary. UMass Memorial Health Care can now refer appropriate patients to nearby CareWell centers, reducing wait times and costs for non-urgent illnesses and injuries. CareWell clinics are located within a mile of UMass Memorial Health Care hospitals, ensuring these referrals can be made quickly and conveniently, even in an emergency.

All CareWell locations are open from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. Additional information can be found at www.carewellurgentcare.com.

About CareWell Urgent Care

Established in 2012, CareWell Urgent Care (care provided by Carewell Urgent Care Centers of Massachusetts, PC) is a leading provider of accessible, efficient neighborhood healthcare. CareWell is committed to changing the delivery of healthcare in America by providing on-demand, high quality, and affordable care. Our approach is patient-centered, with Board-certified physicians on-site at all times and an emphasis on full collaboration with the patient’s regular healthcare team. CareWell Urgent Care has centers in Billerica, Cambridge, Framingham, Lexington, Needham, Norwell, Peabody, South Dennis, Tewksbury and Worcester, Mass, as well as Warwick, R.I., with additional centers slated to open throughout New England in 2015.

About UMass Memorial Health Care

UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,900 employees and 1,670 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

Call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for all your health care needs. Visit umassmemorialhealthcare.org

UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital continues to pro-actively transform how we meet the needs and expectations of our patients and their families and our community depends on us for providing the best, local, high quality care and an exceptional patient experience to the people we serve every day.

For more information on UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital, please visit www.healthalliance.com .

September 11, 2015

MARLBOROUGH, MA – UMass Memorial-Marlborough Hospital will be presenting three educational lectures during the month of October. All programs are free and open to the public to help educate our local community about cancer recovery and behavioral health issues. The programs include:

“Your Breast Cancer Treatment is Over…Now What? - What you need to know to move forward”
Event Date: October 6, 2015
Presenter: Ellen L. Sharenow, Ph.D.
Health psychologist, assistant professor and Breast Clinic Team Member at The Cancer Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial

“When the Blues Moves Through - Seniors and Depression”
Event Date: October 21, 2015
Presenters: Kimberly Hueras, LCSW and Diego Martinucci, MD
Behavioral Health Unit, Marlborough Hospital

“Person-in-Progress: Adolescents and Mental Health”
Event Date: October 27, 2015
Presenters: Kimberly Hueras, LCSW and Julie Marhefka, APRN
Behavioral Health Unit, Marlborough Hospital

All programs will be held from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Leahy Conference Room at Marlborough Hospital at 157 Union Street in Marlborough, MA. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP for these educational lectures by calling 508-486-5849 or emailing rsvp@umassmemorial.org.

For more information about Community Benefits, please contact Mary Ann Stein, director of Volunteer Services at Marlborough Hospital at 508-486-5866.

#   #   #

Contact: Debora Spano 
UMass Memorial Health Care 
O: 508-793-4252 
C: 401-258-3081 
debora.spano@umassmemorial.org
Twitter: @umassmemorial

WORCESTER, MA – UMass Memorial Medical Center has been nationally recognized as a National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) Center. UMass Memorial Medical Center is the only hospital in Central Massachusetts to receive this prestigious designation. NPF Centers are awarded after a rigorous audit review to determine that an institutions focus is on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatitis, treating the “whole patient” with a focus on the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life.

“We are honored that UMass Memorial Medical Center has been designated as NPF Center for treatment of pancreatitis,” says Patrick Muldoon, president, UMass Memorial Medical Center. “Having the NPF Center designation will help distinguish UMass Memorial Medical Center as an institution whose focus is on providing the best and most innovative care possible.”

“The NPF Center designation will help us to better serve this important patient population,” says Matthew Alsante, executive director of the National Pancreas Foundation. “Once an institution receives this designation, we can recommend with confidence that patients will receive quality care at these designated Centers.”

An approved NPF Center has to meet the criteria that were developed by a task force made up of invited subject matter experts and patient advocates. The criteria includes having the required expert physician specialties such as gastroenterologists, pancreas surgeons, and interventional radiologists, along with more patient focused programs such as a pain management service, psychosocial support and more.

I am very proud of this achievement,” says Dominic Nompleggi, MD, PhD, chief of Gastroenterology at UMass Memorial Medical Center. “Obtaining the designation and establishing the clinical program are the work of Wahid Wassef, MD, MPH, Director of Endoscopy and the Pancreas Clinic..This award is certainly validation of Dr. Wassef’s effort and his entire team’s delivery of excellent patient care.”

About UMass Memorial Health Care

UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,900 employees and 1,670 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

Call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for all your health care needs. Visit umassmemorialhealthcare.org

About The National Pancreas Foundation

Founded in 1997, the National Pancreas Foundation provides hope for those suffering from pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer through funding cutting-edge research, advocating for new and better therapies and providing support and education for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. The NPF is the only foundation dedicated to patients suffering from all forms of pancreas disease. For more information visit: www.pancreasfoundation.org

Contact:
Matthew Alsante
Executive Director, National Pancreas Foundation
866-726-2737
malsante@pancreasfoundation.org

Contact:
Debora Spano 
UMass Memorial Health Care 
O: 508-793-4252 
C: 401-258-3081 
debora.spano@umassmemorial.org
Twitter: @umassmemorial

Matthew Alsante
Executive Director, National Pancreas Foundation
866-726-2737
ll malsante@pancreasfoundation.org

WORCESTER, MA – UMass Memorial Medical Center has been nationally recognized as a National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) Center. UMass Memorial Medical Center is the only hospital in Central Massachusetts to receive this prestigious designation. NPF Centers are awarded after a rigorous audit review to determine that an institutions focus is on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatitis, treating the “whole patient” with a focus on the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life.

“We are honored that UMass Memorial Medical Center has been designated as NPF Center for treatment of pancreatitis,” says Patrick Muldoon, president, UMass Memorial Medical Center. “Having the NPF Center designation will help distinguish UMass Memorial Medical Center as an institution whose focus is on providing the best and most innovative care possible.”

“The NPF Center designation will help us to better serve this important patient population,” says Matthew Alsante, executive director of the National Pancreas Foundation. “Once an institution receives this designation, we can recommend with confidence that patients will receive quality care at these designated Centers.”

An approved NPF Center has to meet the criteria that were developed by a task force made up of invited subject matter experts and patient advocates. The criteria includes having the required expert physician specialties such as gastroenterologists, pancreas surgeons, and interventional radiologists, along with more patient focused programs such as a pain management service, psychosocial support and more.

I am very proud of this achievement,” says Dominic Nompleggi, MD, PhD, chief of Gastroenterology at UMass Memorial Medical Center. “Obtaining the designation and establishing the clinical program are the work of Wahid Wassef, MD, MPH, Director of Endoscopy and the Pancreas Clinic..This award is certainly validation of Dr. Wassef’s effort and his entire team’s delivery of excellent patient care.”

About UMass Memorial Health Care

UMass Memorial Health Care is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Central Massachusetts with more than 12,900 employees and 1,670 physicians, many of whom are members of UMass Memorial Medical Group. Our member hospitals and entities include Clinton Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Community Healthlink, our behavioral health agency. With our teaching and research partner, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, our extensive primary care network and our cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular, and musculoskeletal programs, UMass Memorial delivers safe, high-quality and compassionate care.

Call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for all your health care needs. Visit umassmemorialhealthcare.org

About The National Pancreas Foundation

Founded in 1997, the National Pancreas Foundation provides hope for those suffering from pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer through funding cutting-edge research, advocating for new and better therapies and providing support and education for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. The NPF is the only foundation dedicated to patients suffering from all forms of pancreas disease. For more information visit: www.pancreasfoundation.org

Marlborough, MA (September 11, 2015) – UMass Memorial-Marlborough Hospital will be presenting three educational lectures during the month of October. All programs are free and open to the public to help educate our local community about cancer recovery and behavioral health issues. The programs include:

“Your Breast Cancer Treatment is Over…Now What? - What you need to know to move forward”
Event Date: October 6, 2015
Presenter: Ellen L. Sharenow, Ph.D.
Health psychologist, assistant professor and Breast Clinic Team Member at The Cancer Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial

“When the Blues Moves Through - Seniors and Depression”
Event Date: October 21, 2015
Presenters: Kimberly Hueras, LCSW and Diego Martinucci, MD
Behavioral Health Unit, Marlborough Hospital

“Person-in-Progress: Adolescents and Mental Health”
Event Date: October 27, 2015
Presenters: Kimberly Hueras, LCSW and Julie Marhefka, APRN
Behavioral Health Unit, Marlborough Hospital

All programs will be held from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Leahy Conference Room at Marlborough Hospital at 157 Union Street in Marlborough, MA. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP for these educational lectures by calling 508-486-5849 or emailing rsvp@umassmemorial.org.

For more information about Community Benefits, please contact Mary Ann Stein, director of Volunteer Services at Marlborough Hospital at 508-486-5866.

#   #   #

Marlborough, MA—On September 25, 2015, UMass Memorial-Marlborough Hospital announced that the hospital and employees who are members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) agreed to a new three year contract.  The contract was brought before members of the union on September 21, 2015 and was ratified.  

"It has been a collaborative effort for both parties involved and I want to thank members of both the MNA and administration for their hard work in the contract renewal process, said Steve Roach, president and CEO.  Our patients remain the central focus of our hospital and all of our caregivers. This contract allows us to maintain that focus with a renewed emphasis on enhancing our patients' experience."

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