Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Sponsors Training For Local EMS Providers
New Protocols Give First Responders Lifesaving Option

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital (CHH) and local emergency responders are taking new strides in the fight against cardiac disease. The Hospital has recently sponsored a series of trainings for area Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers to introduce and help implement a new emergency protocol that permits emergency responders to administer aspirin when treating the victim of heart attack.

The American Heart Association recommends giving aspirin to a patient who is experiencing chest pain or pressure and other heart attack symptoms such as shoulder, neck or jaw pain, difficulty breathing, brief loss of consciousness and heart palpitations. This recommendation is based on sound evidence from clinical trials showing that aspirin helps prevent the recurrence of such events as heart attack, angina and strokes. Since other medical ailments may cause similar symptoms, EMS providers are trained to obtain a thorough medical history on all patients prior to making the decision to administer aspirin. Giving a patient aspirin immediately during an emergency response call may drastically help EMS providers stabilize a situation as they transport patients to CHH.

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is the local sponsor hospital and provides medical oversight for the area EMS training. Paul Rabeuf, EMS Coordinator at CHH remarks, “Charlotte Hungerford is pleased to support this initiative and is actively training various EMS providers in the Northwest region. This protocol allows EMS responders to provide a simple and effective treatment that is proven to improve the chance of surviving a heart attack”. Rabeuf said more than 30 members of Litchfield Volunteer Ambulance Service, and Goshen Ambulance have recently completed the training and other towns throughout Northwest Connecticut are scheduled to complete the course by the spring.

Emergency responders caution that aspirin alone will not treat a heart attack. Fred Rosa, Director of Operations at Campion Ambulance Service asserts, “The most important thing to do if any heart attack warning signs occur is to call 9-1-1 immediately”. Campion Ambulance has provided the City of Torrington, and surrounding communities Advanced Life Support since the inception of the Paramedic program in 1985. The City of Torrington has recently been designated a “Heart Safe” community by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and is committed to promoting good heart health among city residents.

Studies also indicate that when taken regularly, aspirin helps prevent heart attack, angina and stroke episodes from occurring in people at high risk. The American Heart Association reminds the public that is important to discuss medical decisions such as this with a physician, since there are certain precautions to consider.

For more information about the EMS training, call (860) 496-6656.

Tree of Life Dedicated at The Center for Cancer Care

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care dedicated its new “Tree of Life” memorial at a reception held on January 24, 2008 at the Center’s Kennedy Drive location. Supporters, guests, staff and cancer survivors were on hand for the debut of the new cast bronze, three dimensional tree and leaves located on the wall just inside in front entrance.

The Tree of Life is a gift from the Grazia Family and friends to honor Eugene and Grace Grazia in recognition of the care that Dr. Eugene Grazia received at The Center for Cancer Care. The Grazia family agreed that the Tree of Life would be a wonderful memorial to Grace and Gene, an avid gardener. The event and tree is also supported by Northwest Community Bank and Litchfield Bancorp.

The Tree contains 279 brass leaves that may be inscribed with a name in honor or memory of a family member, friend or colleague. The leaves may be purchased to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or significant date. All funds raised through the sale of leaves will be used to assist and support cancer patients residing or receiving care in northwest CT.

To date, 18 leaves have been purchased. Ellen Ebbs, Executive Director of the Center For Cancer Care Fund, Inc., is encouraged by the community interest in this project. “We are moved by the generous donations provided by the Grazia Family and friends and the individuals that have shown their support by purchasing leaves for the tree. This is an excellent way to commemorate a special person or event and serves as a source of inspiration for the patients and families receiving treatment at The Center for Cancer Care”.

For more information on The Center for Cancer Care Fund and Tree of Life program including the purchase of a leaf, please call Ellen Ebbs at (860) 567-0160 or send an email to ellenwilmot@aol.com.

The Center for Cancer Care is an affiliation of The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and Connecticut Oncology and Hematology Associates. The Center offers comprehensive cancer care services including radiation therapy, medical oncology, chemotherapy and other complimentary therapies. The Fund supports cancer patients with care, treatment, education and prevention programs and awards financial assistance to patients for emergencies such as food, rent, transportation, utilities, medication or other emergent needs as determined by clinicians and case managers.

CHH Receives 3-Year Accreditation from National Joint Commission on Hospitals

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital has recently earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ and three-year accreditation by demonstrating compliance with the Commission's national standards for healthcare quality and safety. A team of nurse and physician surveyors visited CHH for a comprehensive, three-day unannounced visit this past September that measured over 250 individual standards of care. 

“This accreditation confirms our commitment to the importance we place on both our patient’s safety and our quality improvement efforts, which we believe are vital to ensuring each patient’s health and well-being.  Our community and patrons should be proud of the staff and physicians at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital as we continuously strive for perfection." said Daniel J. McIntyre, President and Executive Director.

The Commission’s survey utilizes an entirely new approach to evaluating quality and safety because it is truly an audit of the actual delivery of critical services and not a review of policies. The survey focuses on continuous improvements and is seen as less of a snapshot and more like a feature-length film, providing insight into daily operations and systems. This makes the process a true validation of the organization's continuous improvement efforts, rather than a brief look resulting in scores.

“The Joint Commission’s national standards and safety goals are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in a hospital’s performance and outcomes of care. CHH staff and physicians constantly work to ensure these standards are incorporated into their daily tasks and we congratulate them on their achievement.” said Tim LeBouthillier, Hospital Spokesman.

Hospital patient safety and quality is evaluated by The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that is the standard- setting and accrediting body for more that 15,000 healthcare organizations. Its comprehensive accreditation process evaluates an organization’s compliance with these standards and other accreditation requirements. Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. Staff involvement is vital to the on-site survey because of the focus on patient care through the tracer methodology and observation of care.

The Commission publishes a quarterly Quality Report that provides data on individual hospital’s accreditation status and compliance with its National Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Goals. For more information, visit www.qualitycheck.org. 

Earlier this year, CHH was recognized as a top-ranked Community Value Provider by Cleverley & Associates of Columbus, Ohio, a leading healthcare financial consulting firm specializing in operational benchmarking and performance enhancement strategies.  Charlotte was given a FIVE star rating after receiving better- than-average results in its Community Value Index survey which is composed of nine core measures that assess a hospital’s performance in the areas of financial viability, plant reinvestment, cost and charge structures.

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is a 109 bed, general acute care nonprofit organization located in Torrington, CT, serving thirteen towns and 10,000 persons in Northwest Connecticut.

CHH Honors Nurse Of The Year During Appreciation Week

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital (CHH) is participating in National Nurses’ Week May 6 through 12 with a series of activities and celebrations to honor and show appreciation of its clinical nursing staff. Events being held during the week include an ice cream social, a showcase of Surgical Services area, and the distribution of special gifts, sponsored in part by Torrington’s new Panera Bread Company.

Brenda Sherman, RN, LCSW, LADC, was chosen as the hospital’s Nurse of the Year for 2008, an annual tradition during Nurses’ week. Brenda has been with CHH for over 30 years and is highly respected among physicians and nursing peers. She currently works in the Behavioral Health Department with patients dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. Brenda was selected from over 25 other nominees by a committee of her peers and was honored at an awards breakfast held on May 7th at the hospital.

Colleagues and physicians who nominated Brenda commented that she works with a challenging population, but she is able to perform her “magic” with a compassionate, non-judgmental attitude and a wonderful sense of humor.

The American Nurses Association holds the week annually beginning May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This year’s theme of “Making a Difference Everyday” highlights the work of America's 2.7 million registered nurses to save lives and to maintain the health of millions of individuals.

The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is a 109 bed, general acute care hospital located in Torrington, Connecticut, that serves as a regional health care resource for 100,000 residents of Litchfield County and Northwest Connecticut.

CHH Maternity & Pediatrics Services Receive Donations

CHH recently received donations to enhance patient stays in the Maternity and Pediatric areas. Mr. Douglas Gooey-Guy, a local Litchfield resident, generously donated seven flat screen TV’s for the birthing suites. The new mounted TV’s allowed for the removal of the large armoires, which were donated to the Susan B. Anthony Project. Additionally, Goey-Guy donated computers, an Xbox console, and craft items for the Pediatric Care Unit. The gifts are in appreciation for the care the Goey-Guy’s received while patients in the Maternity & Pediatric areas. The CHH community is thankful and touched by this caring support.

New CHH Simulation Learning Center Uses High Tech Mannequins For Training