In July 2022, Eliza Miller took to Instagram with a post that brought huge relief to family and friends. After four terrifying days, her four-year-old daughter, Emme, was home from Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

Eliza wrote: “Emme was having a hard time breathing suddenly. She had gone limp in Pat’s arms. We rushed her to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital ER and they immediately took action to get her oxygen, tests galore, hydration, and so much more. The excellent team at the hospital tried to Med Flight her via helicopter to Boston Children’s but with bad weather on the horizon, they told us it just wasn’t possible. They even attempted to send a Coast Guard plane and even that wasn’t possible. The downside to this beautiful island.

Over the course of three days, Emme improved, thanks to the team of amazing doctors, nurses, aids and more at the @ackhospital. I’ve never been so impressed.

They were on top of my little Emme, and we were able to stay together as a family during such a scary time. We feel so lucky for everyone on-island who helped us get through those four days.”

In a follow up email, Eliza continued to praise the NCH staff: “Our nurse for the first day, Jamie, I still remember was SO positive. She was a mom too and I could tell that she understood what I was going through, she did everything in her power to not only keep Emme comfortable and explain things that could be tough for a four-year-old to understand. She also kept me comfortable by explaining what she was doing the entire time. When we found out it was impossible for Emme to be transported off the island, the entire staff assured us they could keep her stable so that she would be OK until the weather passed. Ultimately, from the care she received at NCH, Emme was discharged and was able to finish her summer on Nantucket. It was a lot of emotion and stress, but the hospital staff was SO kind, so patient, so reassuring. Nantucket Cottage Hospital really saved Emme’s life with compassion and love and kindness. I will forever hold NCH in my heart. Emme’s too!”

“Please support the critical work of Nantucket Cottage Hospital with a donation to The NCH Fund.”
– Eliza and Pat Miller

(November 8, 2022) Capping off its 93rd year in business, the Hospital Thrift Shop set a new record by making its largest ever annual gift to NCH after the close of the 2022 season. The Shop presented a check totaling $600,000 to NCH, which is earmarked to fund the purchase of a new MRI machine.

“Our new MRI will enhance patient care at NCH by providing shorter scan times, a bigger entry to help with claustrophobia, and a much more quiet, relaxed scan experience. New procedures will also be added, including MRI breast imaging to aid in the early detection of breast cancer,” said Dr. C. Rumph, the Director of Imaging at NCH.

The Thrift Shop has now donated over $6.9 million to Nantucket Cottage Hospital since 1929. Thank you to everyone involved in the Thrift Shop’s success this season!

The Hospital Thrift Shop sells merchandise donated by island residents and visitors – anything from used books to furniture to artwork and everything in between – from mid-May through mid-October and operates as a separate non-profit organization. Thanks to a small staff, a dedicated team of volunteers and its Board of Directors, The Thrift Shop remains a favorite for island residents and visitors both in terms of donations toward a worthy cause and as a shopping destination.

(October 25, 2022) The open enrollment period for the Massachusetts Health Connector, the state-based health insurance marketplace, begins November 1, 2022 and runs through January 23, 2023. During this time, individuals and families can change their current plan to best meet their needs, and those who are uninsured can shop for and enroll in one of the plans offered through the Health Connector. NCH is available for assistance with open enrollment. Please call 508-825-8196 to schedule an appointment, or call the Health Connector directly at 877-623-6765.

You may also visit the Health Connector website, MAhealthconnector.org to learn more.

(October 17, 2022) NCH is offering phone consultations for Open Enrollment Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) assistance. Please call 508-825-8196 to schedule an appointment between October 17th and December 7th.

Additional assistance is available from the SHINE Program, a State Health Insurance Program that provides free, one-on-one health insurance information, counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries of all ages. Both in-person and phone appointments are available through SHINE by calling 508-375-6762. You can also email SHINE@barnstablecounty.org.

The SHINE Program can assist with questions about any of the following:

• Medicare
• Medicare Advantage Plans (Medicare HMOs, PPOs)
• Insurance Claim Forms
• Medicare Supplements (“Medigap”)
• Medicaid/MassHealth
• Prescription Advantage
• Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
• One Care Plans
• Health Insurance Options
• Prescription Drug Options
• Long-Term Care Insurance

Some of the services that SHINE counselors provide include:

• Reviewing your current coverage
• Reviewing your eligibility for financial assistance
• Providing health insurance plan comparisons
• Helping prepare health benefit claim forms and applications

Patients can consult with a SHINE counselor by phone or request that they visit you at home. Counselors are volunteers trained through the SHINE Program.

September 28, 2022
Email Communication to NCH Staff

Dear Colleagues,

More than two years ago, Mass General Brigham introduced its new brand identity to better represent our common purpose – to build an integrated healthcare system with patients at its center. This means that every patient receives a high quality and safe patient experience at an appropriate cost; has access to world-renowned specialists when needed; enjoys an experience that is seamless across the system; and benefits from world leading research and development that is focused on continually advancing healthcare and science.

I am pleased to share with you that Nantucket Cottage Hospital, along with Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, is entering to the next phase of the Mass General Brigham brand rollout and at NCH we are launching our new logo today:

With the brand rollout at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, we can enhance our deep connection and relationships to this world class system, resources and capabilities and help our patients better understand how we help to improve their lives. This systemwide collaboration will soon become more visible across our organization, in many ways, though most of the historic NCH exterior signage will remain as is. The entire brand rollout process will take time as we take steps to minimize the cost associated with implementation as we use, the current branded supplies and signage and equipment.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital is a special and unique Nantucket community resource, staffed with resolute, talented healthcare professionals and volunteers committed to improving the lives of patients, families, and this community. The challenges of delivering world-class healthcare thirty miles at sea are very real and remain more challenging than ever. These last few years have been particularly difficult; however, we have learned repeatedly that we can do remarkable things when we work together as a system, supported by our Mass General Brigham colleagues to provide life-changing care and community service on this island. This collaboration and teamwork to deliver with highest quality patient experience closer to home is symbolic of everything Mass General Brigham is striving to achieve through its strategy.

The MGB system strategy is to be recognized as the world leading, integrated healthcare system provider in its served market. With the full range of capabilities, world-class clinicians and staff at our academic medical centers, specialty hospitals, and community hospitals, we will increasingly work as the premier healthcare system that delivers safe, high quality patient care, an unrivaled experience and access to world-renowned experts across the full spectrum of healthcare needs. Continually strengthened by our research, innovation and modern technologies, we will have an even greater impact on our patients, their families and the communities we so proudly serve locally, nationally and globally.

We hope you take pride in being part of Nantucket Cottage Hospital and all that our new Mass General Brigham brand stands for. It is rooted in you and your commitment to our patients, their family and our island community that we so proudly serve.

Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, DNP
Interim President, Nantucket Cottage Hospital