Hospital & Community Spotlight

Recognizing that providing compassionate care is a key hospital goal, Nantucket Cottage Hospital established an  annual prize honoring a staff member for extraordinarily compassionate care.

The Seinfeld/Hartmann Prize for Compassionate Medical Care will pay lasting tribute to a physician, nurse or any other hospital staff member who throughout his or her professional career demonstrates an outstanding level of compassion and care in their role at NCH.

The Seinfeld/Hartmann Prize for Compassionate Medical Care, a cash award, will be given each year at the NCH Annual Meeting in August, and the winner will be announced to the hospital and the island community at-large.

Nominations can be initiated by any patient or staff member who witnessed an act of compassion by an NCH employee. Learn more and nominate a caregiver by clicking here or call 508-825-8250. Nominations are due by July 31, 2020.

Information for Members of Cape Cod & the Island’s Seasonal Community:

• Orientación para la comunidad estacional de Cape Cod y las Islas (Español)
• Orientação para a Comunidade de Veraneio do Cabo & Ilhas (Portuguesa)

Updated as of July 6, 2020 – Effective through the end of Phase 3 of Governor Baker’s Phased Plan to Reopen Massachusetts.

Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands appreciate, welcome, and depend on you, our visitors, seasonal residents, non-resident homeowners, and seasonal workforce. On July 6, 2020, Massachusetts entered the first part of Phase 3 of opening businesses and organizations.
Cape Cod and the Islands are now welcoming visitors with some restrictions:

• Accommodations of all types (including short term rental of homes, condos, and cottages)
• Seated dining and take out
• Retail shops
• Museums
• Outdoor historic and recreational activities

Please check with your host or local business for specific opening dates and available amenities.

We care about your health and ours, thus all enterprises must certify participation in the Commonwealth’s Mandatory Safety Standards. Please be patient and follow health advisories as we all try to adjust to this “new normal”.

We have been successful in limiting the extent of the spread of COVID-19 in our communities by implementing early and vigilant social distancing measures per the guidance of public health officials. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health warns that all of Massachusetts remains vulnerable to new cases due to the highly contagious and insidious nature of this disease.

We all must do our part to remain safe and healthy by following the common sense precautionary measures outlined by public health officials:

• Follow public health guidelines and orders:
  o Wash your hands and clean surfaces frequently
  o Protect yourself and others with a face covering/mask in public places where social distancing is not possible
  o Practice social distancing by remaining 6 feet away from others
  o Stay vigilant for symptoms and stay home if you’re sick
• Please be advised that the Governor of Massachusetts has instructed all travelers arriving to Massachusetts to self-quarantine for 14 days. This does not apply to travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, or New Jersey. Visit this link for further details.
  o Individuals are instructed not to travel if they are displaying symptoms
  o If exhibiting flu like symptoms or experiencing respiratory illness, do not go to work. Contact a local healthcare provider for instructions on accessing care.
  o Check and follow advisories on transportation, especially if you are traveling by ferry or air
• For information regarding Massachusetts COVID-19 response, please visit: Mass.gov/covid19 and Mass.gov/reopening 

We appreciate your support of our local economy.

With your help, and all of us working together, Cape Cod and the Islands will recover from this virus and these challenging economic times. We look forward to welcoming you back. Thank you for supporting this place that we all love by respecting this guidance.

The Town of Nantucket and Nantucket Cottage Hospital are collaborating to expand the island’s COVID-19 testing capacity ahead of the summer season.

This new public-private collaboration between the town, the hospital, and island employers, will enhance Nantucket’s community COVID-19 surveillance testing capability by expanding testing to asymptomatic individuals. The goal is to test those without symptoms, identify and isolate new cases of COVID-19, and then conduct contact tracing. These are the most effective tools currently available to control the spread of the virus in the community, along with everyday preventative actions like physical distancing, wearing face coverings in public when distancing is not possible, hand hygiene, vigilant disinfecting of much-used surfaces and staying home when you feel sick.

Priorities for testing will be set by the Town of Nantucket Health Department, starting with first responders and essential workers in industries with a high volume of personal interactions. Testing will focus on those most at risk for exposure to and transmission of COVID-19 in the island population, with the highest prioritization given to home health aides, grocery and convenience store workers, clergy, and the transportation workforce. Initial testing of high priority individuals will be conducted by invitation from the Health Department. (more…)

This attestation form is applicable to acute care hospitals and must be completed prior to performing Phase 2 services and procedures as defined in Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Reopen Approach for Acute Care Hospitals guidance Phase 2: Cautious Guidance. 

For more information:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Reopening website