Hartford Hospital is the first in the region to offer patients who may not be healthy enough for open heart surgery an alternative with the transfemoral delivery of the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter aortic heart valve (TAVR). The device was FDA approved in November, 2011, becoming the first FDA-approved transcatheter device enabling aortic valve replacement without the need for open-heart surgery, offering new hope to patients diagnosed with senile aortic valve stenosis. Read the rest of this entry »
Hartford Hospital First in Region to offer TAVR, a New FDA-Approved Alternative to Open Heart Surgery
February 9th, 2012Joshua Center Shoreline Celebrates One Year Anniversary
February 8th, 2012
January 2012 - With the start of the new year comes the first anniversary of the opening of Joshua Center Shoreline, the newest addition to Natchaug Hospital’s Network of Care.
Joshua Center Shoreline, which opened in January of 2011 in Old Saybrook, Conn., operates one of Natchaug’s six outpatient programs for children and adolescents as well as a clinical day treatment school.
The Joshua Program offers partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment for children and adolescents from ages 10 to 18 who struggle with social and emotional difficulties including mental illness, substance abuse and emotional trauma. The program operates a group therapy model with additional oversight from a program psychiatrist and family therapy.
The Joshua Clinical Day Treatment (CDT) school is a state-approved special education program operated with support from the home schools of the students. The school, which is one of seven CDT programs run by Natchaug, currently serves adolescents in grades 7 through 12.
Natchaug Hospital decided to open the Shoreline location after an AT&T Planning Grant identified a need for child and adolescent mental health services in the region.
“It’s exciting because we’ve added a new level of care to an area that didn’t have local partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), or clinical day schools” said Program Director Corey Gartner. “It feels great to meet the needs of a community that had sometimes been overlooked in the past.”
Since opening its doors, Joshua Center Shoreline has served almost 80 children and families from 18 towns in the greater Essex/Old Saybrook region.
“We’re still in the process of educating the community about what we do and what we have to offer, but there’s definitely a lot of talk and chatter about the quality of treatment that children receive while they’re with us,” Gartner said.
Although the year-old program is still small, expansion is already in the works.
“The demand for our clinical day school was so high in the area that we recently added a second classroom to meet these needs,” said CDT Special Education Program Principal Lori Secchiaroli. “I’m thrilled to see the progress our students are making, and I’m looking forward to giving even more students the opportunity to achieve success in this unique special education program.”
Gartner is looking forward to similar growth with the Joshua Program.
“We’re exploring the possibility of expanding our physical building, as well as expanding our catchment area and maybe adding another therapy group,” Gartner said. “This program is growing for sure and growing faster than anyone expected.”
Natchaug Hospital Awarded Accreditation from Joint Commission
February 8th, 2012
January 2012. - After undergoing a rigorous on-site survey, Natchaug Hospital has received accreditation from The Joint Commission for meeting national standards in health care quality and safety. Accreditation was awarded in both the areas of Behavior Health Care and Hospitals.
A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors visited Natchaug Hospital from July 12-15, 2011 and evaluated it for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of individuals served and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management.
Natchaug Hospital voluntarily participated in the assessment and earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™, which is valid for up to three years.
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, providers, measurement experts, individuals served and their families. The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
“With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down and bottom up?,” said Dr. Stephen Larcen, President and CEO of Natchaug. “Achieving Joint Commission accreditation is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”
New Treatment Program, to serve young adults.
February 8th, 2012January, 2012 – To better serve the behavioral health needs of 18- to 25-year-olds, Natchaug Hospital is adding an Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization treatment program for young adults. Program Director Jonathan Watts and Therapist Jim Murray offer the program at the Mansfield campus weekday afternoons.
Natchaug Names Sugerman Associate Medical Director
February 8th, 2012
December 2011 – Peter Sugerman, MD, has been named associate medical director of Inpatient Services at Natchaug Hospital. He has been an attending psychiatrist on Natchaug Hospital’s Inpatient Adult Unit and has served as an attending psychiatrist at the RiverEast IOP in Vernon. Sugerman is also president of Natchaug’s Medical Staff.
New Associate Director Named At Natchaug
February 8th, 2012
December 2011 – Bertrand Duval-Arnould, MD, has been named associate medical director for Natchaug’s Southeast Ambulatory Programs. His primary role will be chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, a department managed by Natchaug. Duval-Arnould has most recently been medical director, Intensive Outpatient Program, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, and interim chair, Department of Psychiatry.
Natchaug’s Quinebaug Program Moves to Dayville
February 8th, 2012
Clients enjoy the reception area at Quinebaug Day Treatment's new Dayville facility
November 2011 – Natchaug Hospital’s Quinebaug Adult Day Treatment Program moved from Putnam to a larger, handicap accessible facility in Dayville. The Quinebaug Program, one of four adult day treatment programs, provides mental health and addiction treatment for 350-400 adults each year. Staff and clients enjoy the benefits of a comfortable waiting area, three large program rooms, HIPPA-compliant receptionist area, private clinical offices, and loads of parking. Located at 11 Dog Lane, The Quinebaug Program is within walking distance of Natchaug’s Joshua Center Northeast, which offers special education for grades 7-12, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for children and adolescents.
Williams Appoints Larcen to Legislature’s Medical Efficiency Advisory Committee
February 8th, 2012September 2011 – Senator Donald Williams recently appointed Stephen W. Larcen, PhD, interim Chief Executive Officer of Windham Hospital, President and Chief Executive Officer of Natchaug Hospital, and Vice President of Behavioral Health for Hartford HealthCare (HHC), as a member and co-chair of the Legislature’s Medical Efficiency Advisory Committee.
Hartford Hospital Marks Surgery Milestone: 5000th Robotic Surgery
February 3rd, 2012Pioneer robotic surgeon Dr. Joseph “Peppie” Wagner performed Hartford Hospital’s 5000th robotic surgery February 2nd at 8:30 am. The patient, Litchfield native Daniel Clock is recovering well. In 2003, Dr. Wagner brought robotic surgery to Hartford Hospital, which became the first hospital in Connecticut to bring the da Vinci Surgical System into the operating room. Read the rest of this entry »
Backus and Hartford HealthCare to explore affiliation
February 3rd, 2012Backus Corporation and Hartford HealthCare Corporation have jointly announced that they are exploring a formal affiliation of the two healthcare systems.
The two organizations entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent, beginning a process that is expected to take several months. If successful, Backus would become a member of the Hartford HealthCare network, which includes Hartford Hospital, the Hospital of Central Connecticut, MidState Medical Center, Natchaug Hospital, Windham Hospital and a wide spectrum of additional pre- and post-acute health services. Read the rest of this entry »