FY 2019 was a year when our focus on physician and service growth at Milford Regional Medical Center was matched by a strategic plan to dramatically enhance and support our Quality Department — the true underpinning of our healthcare system. With the backing and approval of Milford Regional’s Board of Trustees, we made a significant investment in our goal to achieve and maintain the very highest standards of quality throughout the Medical Center. We knew that the development of a powerful quality program depended upon building a high impact quality team. Through patience, deliberation and what seemed, at times, like a daunting task, our vision began to take shape when quality-veteran  Bert Thurlo-Walsh, MM, RN, CPHQ, accepted the position as Vice President of Clinical Transformation & Medical Staff Services/Chief Quality Officer. Since then, he has built a high caliber team that has hit the ground running. From initiatives like the daily Huddle where the safety status of the Medical Center is briefly updated by representatives from all departments, to the continuous evaluation of quality measures and their corresponding action plans, to our recently completed system-wide Press Ganey Culture of Safety survey, the impact of our new Quality team has proven to be nothing short of transformational. It is through a “willing and ready” cooperative spirit between the Quality Department and Medical Center staff that Milford Regional was awarded an “A” Health Safety Grade for the third consecutive time by the Leapfrog Group, a national distinction that recognizes the Medical Center’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

Complementing a strengthened quality foundation, the empowerment of our medical staff and a powerful system’s approach to healthcare have served to enhance our recruitment efforts with highly regarded physicians who demand the very best in staffing, operations, technology and quality. Our Chief Medical Officer Les Selbovitz, MD, has effectively led the charge in elevating our medical staff to new heights through organizational restructuring, continuing education with the re-emergence of Grand Rounds and the development of peer review committees. Milford Regional Physician Group’s new President Patrick McSweeney, MD, has already made a significant impact in areas of greatest need with his progressive approach to such nationwide issues as primary care. His close collaboration with the Medical Center has created a synergy that addresses challenges through a system’s framework, which ultimately leads to improved operations on both sides. Thus, it has been through the combined efforts of Milford Regional Physician Group and the Medical Center that we brought on exceptional physicians in FY 2019 who are real game changers in their fields of expertise. From primary care to breast surgery, otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), obstetrics & gynecology, infectious disease and more, patients are benefiting from increased access to healthcare services that are in high demand.

Along with the bolstering of physician recruitment, an effective healthcare system is ultimately one with a balanced approach that some may define as “high tech, high touch.” At Milford Regional, I am proud to say that we have worked hard to complement our burgeoning medical staff with facilities and new technologies that support the array of medical skills and trainings they have brought to our healthcare system. From the renovation of our fourth floor and the completion of a new medical office building in Franklin, to the introduction of several leading-edge technologies in surgery, as well as the development of a new, state-of-the-art electronic medical records, we at Milford Regional have concentrated our efforts on all fronts to deliver the very best healthcare to our patients. The success in not only building, but achieving a balanced approach to healthcare in any given year is not easy. It took the input of our Board, physicians, administration and staff at all levels to work cooperatively towards the singular goal of providing patients with the most effective, functional and efficient healthcare possible.

As I consider all that took place at Milford Regional in FY 2019, it is with humble appreciation that I commend all of those who encompass our healthcare system. The one constant at Milford Regional since day one has been the inclusion and recognition of the importance of team; it has gotten us to where we are today. From our volunteers and Board members to medical staff and hospital personnel, the convergence of community and healthcare has fostered an environment that fulfills our mission to provide “exceptional healthcare services with dignity, compassion and respect.” It is with a ‘big thank you’ to our incredible community in FY 2019 for their stewardship that largely funded our fourth floor renovations with donations totaling close to $6 million!  Hand in hand, our success at Milford Regional has, and will always be, the strong partnership we have developed with the communities we serve.

As FY 2020 unfolds, I look forward to another productive year where teamwork will champion our ongoing commitment to “STRIVE” towards excellence. With all that we have going for us, there is no doubt in my mind that the future holds limitless possibilities for Milford Regional.

Edward J. Kelly
President & CEO
Milford Regional Medical Center

In FY 2019, Milford Regional re-committed to ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe care for every patient through an investment in the Quality Department that raised the bar on not only reaching, but exceeding benchmarks in quality measures. Key individuals with recognized expertise and achievements in quality joined the Milford Regional team to advance the hospital’s quality initiatives. New positions were instituted including Vice President for Clinical Transformation and Medical Staff Services/Chief Quality Officer, Manager of Accreditation, Nursing Director of Quality and a Healthcare Data Analytics Manager. The department’s current positions were redesigned and two new roles were created: Clinical Risk Manager and Research Coordinator.

As Milford Regional’s new Vice President for Clinical Transformation and Medical Staff Services/Chief Quality Officer Bert Thurlo-Walsh, MM, RN, CPHQ, stepped into his role, he involved every member of the Medical Center in charting the quality course. He asked every employee to consider the importance of quality in the role they play in Milford Regional’s mission and asked for input on how to communicate this vision both inside the Medical Center and to the community we serve. The word that gained support throughout the organization was STRIVE. This word reflects the serious individual effort and collaborative energy that every member of the team is devoting to an intense, goal-driven focus on quality.

The Quality Team is building its foundation on four key tenets: Leadership Engagement, Safety Culture, Robust Process Improvement and an Exceptional Experience. This transformation has been about far more than titles and words; this transformation has identified quality as the underpinning of everything Milford Regional does in healthcare. Quality is our foundation.

PHOTO ABOVE: The Milford Regional quality team (left to right): Cathy O’Connell, Director of Risk Management; Kim Knox, Infection Prevention and Control Manager; Pam Vaccari, Quality and Safety Specialist; Michelle Barry, Patient Liaison; Beth Plausse, Project Manager/Risk Management; Bert Thurlo-Walsh, VP, Clinical Transformation and Medical Staff Services/Chief Quality Officer; Kara Tuohey, System Design and Process Improvement Program Manager; Bonnie Burke, Infection Preventionist/Quality and Safety Specialist; Jane Centauro, Quality and Safety Specialist; Courtney Canto, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance and Kristen Posterro, Quality and Safety Specialist.

Leadership Engagement

Leadership starts at the top of the organization. This initiative began with the Milford Regional Board of Trustees, senior management and each person at the director level throughout the organization uniting under a common vision of where Milford Regional was and where we wanted to take our healthcare system. Engagement and communication were the first step in the transformation. The STRIVE quality initiatives would require measurement to ensure continual improvement. Leadership at every level agreed upon performance improvement metrics. For non-clinical members of the Board of Trustees, an immersion day program is being developed, which allows these individuals to spend a day in the Medical Center to witness the day-to-day operations and their challenges. This will help the board more completely understand the impact of their strategic decision-making on the operations and personnel. In FY 2019, through the efforts put forth by the Quality Department, senior managers have already developed a clearer understanding of the significance their roles play in supporting a quality environment.

In a similar regard, physician leadership roles were enhanced under the leadership of Chief Medical Officer Leslie G. Selbovitz, MD, to strengthen their engagement in bolstering department level quality. A key part of this endeavor in FY 2019 was the successful development of peer review committees that strategically focused on ensuring high quality, safe care.

Culture of Safety

A significant “culture of safety” initiative that was introduced in FY 2019 was a daily meeting known as “The Huddle.” At this 365-days-a-year, mandatory, organization-wide gathering, front-line staff, Milford Regional providers and administration take no more than 15 minutes every morning to report on the current status of hospital operations and patient care. The four main goals of The Huddle are to eliminate silos, increase situational awareness, improve communication across teams and enhance the safety culture. It provides the unique opportunity for departments and providers to update and discuss issues on the spot daily. A weekly update is then emailed to all Milford Regional providers and Medical Center employees.

Robust Process Improvement

In order to effectively implement process improvement, the first step is to assess where the healthcare system stands in the areas of engagement, safety and resiliency. Milford Regional conducted a Culture of Safety survey with Press Ganey in FY 2019 to assess these measurements. Engagement questions determined how staff felt about the organization and their role within it; safety questions assessed staff’s view of how their individual departments function and how effectively they collaborate with other departments; and resiliency questions assessed staff’s perception of their work/life balance.

In FY 2020, managers will be given training and the tools needed to effectively take the survey results and develop projects with front-line staff to address areas of concern and strengthen their department’s culture of safety.

Exceptional Experience

After capturing data from the Culture of Safety survey, the next step for Milford Regional’s Quality Department will be to compare those findings with results from our patient satisfaction survey. This will present a broader picture of the staff, provider and patient experience. Analytics will allow Milford Regional to focus on creating an environment that takes into account everyone’s experience both on the giving and receiving end, recognizing that the sum of the whole leads to a healthier, happier and more satisfying experience all the way around.

In addition, the Quality Department is reaching beyond the hospital’s walls to extend our continuum of care with outside healthcare organizations through semi-annual meetings to create broader awareness and greater collaboration. Throughout all of these efforts, Milford Regional is striving to create an exceptional experience that spans the entire continuum of care during a patient’s illness.

Recognition for Quality-Driven Care

Much has been accomplished in the first year of this quality transformation, and validation came in various ways as the year came to a close.

National Health Safety “A” Grade – Three Times in a Row

Milford Regional was awarded an ‘A’ in The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Awards three times in a row: fall 2018, spring 2019 and again in fall 2019. This national distinction recognizes the Medical Center’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. It is considered the gold standard in patient safety.

Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Once again, Milford Regional received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. Milford Regional earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. The Medical Center has also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

Regional Favorite Gold Award

There are many awards earned each year that are based on healthcare data and statistics, however; the Reader’s Choice Awards announced by Gatehouse Media reflect the views and perceptions of individuals based upon their own personal experiences. It is for this reason that Milford Regional’s entire team is honored to be selected, once again, in 2019 as the #1 hospital in the region with the Regional Favorite Gold Award.

International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant Care Award

Milford Regional was awarded global recognition for our commitment to providing professional lactation support as an integral part of our maternal-child services. The award recognizes our lactation consultants’ dedication to promote, protect and support breastfeeding with new moms.

In FY 2019, Milford Regional continued its ongoing commitment to provide better access to healthcare services and the very latest in superior technologies. Knowing access is central to delivering our high quality services to patients, Milford Regional expanded its reach by opening the new Milford Regional in Franklin facility and completed renovations of the Medical Center’s fourth floor. In addition, several new technological advancements expanded access to early diagnosis and treatment for a variety of illnesses. Each of these initiatives has focused on offering greater access to leading edge healthcare throughout the 23 towns that Milford Regional serves.

Fourth Floor Reimagined for Cancer and Palliative Care

Milford Regional’s fourth floor originally opened in 1964 to provide rooms for medical/surgical patients. After serving patients for more than a half-century, it was time for a major renovation. In FY 2019, a dramatic transformation reconfigured the 44-bed space into 15 spacious, private rooms designed specifically with the care and treatment of cancer and palliative care patients in mind. Through the collaboration with Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center at Milford Regional, leaders inside the hospital felt it was of paramount importance to design the renovated floor to address the unique treatment, needs and concerns of these patients. The result is a soothing atmosphere to support not only the physical, but social and emotional needs of our patients. From murals that emanate the beauty of nature to comfortable sofa chairs that accommodate family and friends, each room has its own unique feeling of calm and serenity. The ribbon was cut on April 2 and welcomed its first patients later that month.

PHOTO LEFT: The official Milford Regional ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of the fourth floor renovation: (Pictured left to right) Karen Kmetz, Director, Inpatient Services; Steve Ellis, Chair, Commitment Campaign; Judy Kelly, VP, Patient Care Services and CNO; Elizabeth Fleming, Annual Giving Officer; Nicole Heim, Exec. VP & COO; Janna Rice, Asst. Nurse Manager, Consigli; Vascen Bogigian, Board Trustee, Chair, Building Committee; Stewart Washer, Nurse Manager, Fourth and Fifth Floor; Ed Kelly, President and CEO; Joe Boczanowski, Director, Facilities; Kim Molloy, Project Coordinator/Safety Officer; Laura Mann, Board Trustee, Steering Committee Member, Commitment Campaign; Emily Quinn, VP, Philanthropy, Exec. Director, Foundation.

Milford Regional in Franklin

In FY 2019, Milford Regional made a powerful statement cementing our commitment to the health and wellbeing of the residents of Franklin and the surrounding towns. A new attractive, three-story building located at 1280 West Central Street in Franklin opened to consolidate four of Milford Regional Physician Group’s (MRPG) Franklin medical practices: Franklin Family Practice, Franklin Primary Care, Franklin Pediatric & Adolescent Care and Franklin Rheumatology. It also added Urgent Care and expanded the Medical Center’s diagnostic imaging services to include x-ray, ultrasound, 3D mammography and lab collection, all under one roof. In FY 2020, there are plans to add an obstetrician/gynecologist practice and consider other specialties.

Spin Thoracic Navigation System™ Provides Best in Class Cancer Detection

In the past, diagnosing and staging lung cancer typically involved multiple diagnostic procedures by multiple specialists. Today, with Veran’s SPiN Thoracic Navigation System™, this revolutionary technology allows our thoracic surgeons to accurately navigate to lung nodules, and then biopsy those nodules regardless of size or location. This state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Navigation (EMN) system is similar to the GPS in your car. The technology uses the natural airways of the lungs as roadways. Using the data from the chest CT scans, the computer builds a 3D map. A physician then uses special instruments with tiny sensors in the tips in order to track their location while navigating to a lung nodule. The special instruments are then used to take biopsies. The SPiN Thoracic Navigation System™ helps physicians detect and diagnose the smallest suspicious nodules earlier to guide rapid cancer treatment.

The purchase of this leading edge technology sets the stage for the expansion of our lung cancer screening program in FY 2020, which includes additional staffing, enhanced computer technology and the introduction of Milford Regional’s Pulmonary Nodule Review Board.

Stryker’s SPY Portable Handheld Imager (SPY-PHI)

As of FY 2019, patients requiring plastic, reconstructive, colorectal and other surgeries may now benefit from an innovative imaging technology called SPY-PHI which help surgeons to make decisions during open surgery based on the quality of blood flow in vessels and micro vessels that provide oxygen to organs. Traditionally, surgeons relied solely on their clinical judgment to determine whether or not tissue was receiving adequate blood flow, known as perfusion, to remain viable or healthy. The ability to visualize perfusion intraoperatively may assist surgeons in many clinical decisions including whether to go direct-to-implant or how much tissue to remove during an operation.

Today at Milford Regional, surgeons can use SPY-PHI to see beyond what the human eye can see, which has the potential to achieving lower rates of postoperative complications and help improve patient outcomes.

Advanced Technology for Detecting Bladder Cancer

Blue light cystoscopy is a groundbreaking technology that significantly increases the detection of bladder cancer. Milford Regional is one of the first hospitals in the region to have this advanced technology. Bladder cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 81,190 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year and up to 50% of patients will have their bladder cancer recur – that’s the highest recurrence rate of any form of cancer.

Previously, a cystoscopy using just a white light only showed what was obviously visible to the naked eye, potentially leaving some other areas of cancerous tissue undetected. Using the blue light, a urologist is able to see that there may be other spots that could be cancerous and remove them. The blue light helps the urologist do a more complete job of detecting and removing superficial bladder tumors that may be invisible. By being able to detect bladder cancer early, it prevents it from rapidly recurring and saves the patient from making more frequent trips to the doctor and to the operating room.

Technology that Better Connects Your Health

In addition to investing in technology that enhances diagnostics and treatment, Milford Regional continues to upgrade its electronic medical record (EMR) technology to provide a more complete patient history and enable it to be shared with collaborating providers and institutions. In FY 2019, Milford Regional’s Board of Trustees approved an upgrade of the Medical Center’s electronic medical record (EMR) to Meditech Expanse. Expanse is a fully integrated EMR solution that will replace our multiple disparate information systems at Milford Regional. It will allow clinicians to see one continuous record for the patient’s entire stay, resulting in improved care coordination. Expanse is a web-based EMR system with clinical applications completely redesigned with input by physicians. It will communicate seamlessly with other health care facilities and systems through a connection to the Common Well Health Alliance, a Health Information Exchange. In addition, the quality of care and safety will be positively impacted through an enhanced patient and provider experience. Internally, patient experience will be better with one record across the inpatient and outpatient setting.  Lastly, Expanse will increase the safety of care delivery through enhanced clinical decision support, increased access to information, improved transitions, improvements in efficiency and elimination of redundancies. The project was kicked off on Monday, January 28, 2019 with a go live date of the new EMR planned for spring of 2020.

Our burgeoning medical staff is advancing the care and treatment of patients throughout our service area. Milford Regional Medical Center and Milford Regional Physician Group (MRPG) strive to address the needs of the healthcare community by continuing to recruit excellent physicians. In FY 2019, a concerted effort to bolster specialty care was successful with the addition of a distinguished group of physicians whose expertise is now conveniently located to benefit the healthcare needs of patients within our service area.

New Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Team

Otolaryngology is the oldest medical specialty in the United States, focusing on the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose and throat. In FY 2019, Milford Regional was pleased to welcome a strong, new ENT team led by Christopher Barañano, MD, FAAP, FACS, at Milford Ear, Nose, Throat Surgery in Milford, MA.

After graduating from Yale, Dr. Barañano received his medical degree from UAB Hospital in Alabama and started his career in Boston at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in 2009. He pursued accredited fellowship training in pediatric otolaryngology and went on to teach the discipline at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he also developed and co-directed the pediatric thyroid tumor board. Dr. Barañano has been recognized by the American Academy of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery with the Foundation Honor Award and the Legislative Advocacy Award for leadership of the surgical sub-specialty at the national level. He is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Barañano specializes in the treatment of children of all ages with any complication or complexity, including newborns. He practices comprehensive ear, nose and throat surgical care for adults as well, and takes particular interest in treating patients with thyroid and parathyroid disease. Dr. Barañano is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery.

Joining Dr. Barañano are Ameer Shah, MD, and Kimberly Russell, MD. Dr. Shah has a distinguished scientific career. He graduated with honors from Tufts University with degrees in Spanish and Biomedical Engineering, then attended Boston University School of Medicine, earning his master’s degree in Medical Science, with a thesis on MRI technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then went on to earn his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine, graduating with Honors. Dr. Shah completed his residency training at Tufts Medical Center in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His medical interests include head and neck cancer, thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and pediatric ENT. Dr. Shah is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery.

Kimberly Russell, MD, received her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, and she completed her residency in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Russell is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery and has a special interest in laryngoscopy, for which she is recognized in several journal articles.

Medical Director of The Breast Center

Patients at Milford Regional have benefited this past year from the outstanding leadership and expertise of Diana Caragacianu, MD, FACS, who assumed the role as the new Medical Director of The Breast Center at Milford Regional in December of 2018. Dr. Caragacianu is not only a respected breast and endocrine surgeon from the prestigious Georgetown University Hospital, where she served as the Site Director of the breast program at MedStar Lafayette Center in Washington, DC, she is also a leader in high-risk screening and genetics. Her advanced training includes fellowships in surgical oncology at the National Cancer Institute and breast surgery at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School. She further enhanced her skills with specialized international training in intraoperative radiation for breast cancer and oncoplastic surgery from which Milford Regional patients have already benefited.

Dr. Caragacianu’s approach to breast health has always been to build relationships with her patients and earn their trust. She is passionate about sharing her expertise and knowledge of breast and endocrine health with patients to help them proactively take part in deciding what is best for them. During FY 2019, Dr. Caragacianu has built a strong breast center team whose roles from nurse practitioner to PA/patient navigator are designed to ensure that every patient receives the individualized care they need.

Milford Regional Infectious Disease Specialist

Milford Regional further enhanced its specialty care with the addition of Infectious Disease Specialist Dost Sarpel, MD. Board certified in Infectious Disease, Dr. Sarpel completed a Viral Hepatology Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, department of liver diseases, in New York under the mentorship of the world-renowned Hepatologist Douglas Dieterich, MD. Dr. Sarpel first became interested in viral hepatitis during his residency and pursued the fellowship with Dr. Dieterich as the advances in hepatitis treatment captured his attention. Dr. Sarpel sees patients for outpatient visits in his hospital-based office and also performs inpatient consultations.

New Milford Regional Medical Center Physicians

Milford Regional Medical Staff Recognitions and Awards

Kate Burke, MD, was the first recipient in 2019 to receive an award created in her name by The Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians (MACEP) Board of Directors. The Kate Burke, MD, Distinguished Councillor Award was created in her honor to be presented to a member of MACEP who has served as a councillor for at least five years and who, in that capacity, has represented the needs of Massachusetts emergency physicians and our patients in resolution development and debate at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Council meeting.

Eric Matthews, DO, received the UMass Internal Medicine—Milford Regional Medical Center Teacher of the Year Award.

Patrick McSweeney, MD, received recognition in Boston Magazine for Top Doctors in Greater Boston 2019.

William Muller, MD, FACP, (retired in 2019 after 40 dedicated years on the medical staff) was honored with the Dr. A. Jane Fitzpatrick Community Service Award for his many years of service— first as a member of the United States Public Health Service; establishing Tri-River Family Health Center; serving in multiple leadership roles from Associate Dean of Medical Education to Vice President of Medical Affairs at Milford Regional and for teaching and mentoring countless new physicians.

Elena Smagina, MD, was recognized as a MATopDocs 2019.

Milford Regional Physician Group

President Selected for Milford Regional Physician Group

Patrick McSweeney, MD, was selected to assume the role as President of Milford Regional Physician Group (MRPG) following the retirement of outgoing president Philip Ciaramicoli in September 2019. Having grown up in Medway, Dr. McSweeney’s ties and commitment to the area have always been strong. He attended Providence College and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, serving as chief resident during his residency at the Brown University Family Medicine program (at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island). He joined Milford Regional Physician Group as a practicing physician in 2000 and has cared for thousands of patients in his Medway practice, Family Medicine Associates. Dr. McSweeny has served in numerous leadership roles for our organization, including as MRPG Medical Director for 12 years and as a member of the Milford Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees for nine years. With his combined leadership and clinical experience, the community can look forward to Dr. McSweeney continuing to develop and improve our system to ensure a positive experience for patients and physicians alike.  

Welcome to Our New Physicians and Advanced Practitioners  

Milford Regional Physician Group has continued to expand access to care throughout our region by recruiting many new providers over the past year.

Primary Care Providers

• A few primary care providers became members of our group this year.  Olga Kuzina, MD, and Jessica Carroll, NP, started together at Franklin Family Practice in January 2019.  In August, Meghan Brigham, NP, joined Blackstone Valley Family Physicians. 

Specialist Providers

• The Breast Center welcomed Diana Caragacianu, MD, as well as Monique Burchard, NP.
• Thanh-Tam Huynh, NP, joined Pediatric Behavioral Health of Milford in December 2018.  
• Our Obstetrics and Gynecology service expanded with the addition of Bailoo Rohatgi, MD, at Blackstone Valley OBGYN as well as Elaine Hulteng, MD, and Mary Kay Myers, MD, at our newest practice Women’s Health of Franklin.  We also welcomed Katie Brown, NP, back to Partners in Women’s Health. 
• Christopher Barañano, MD, joined Milford Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery in July 2019.  We have also contracted with Kimberly Russell. MD, and Ameer Shah, MD, to provide service to patients in this practice.  
• A new practice, Milford Regional Infectious Disease, was formed with the addition of Dost Sarpel, MD.  He sees patients for outpatient visits in his hospital-based office and also performs inpatient consults.  
• Misagh Sadat-Aalaee, MD, and Jennifer Braley, MD, joined the hospitalist program.
• Rebecca Elstad, NP, started on the Palliative Care team. 

Urgent Care

• Milford Regional Urgent Care continues to grow.  A number of providers were added to accommodate existing volume as well as expansion with the new site in Franklin:  Tonya Bowzer, NP; Christine Cimoch, PA; Steven Flood, MD; Lisa Macknair, PA; Nancy Shaffer, NP; and Samuel Snyder, PA. 

Milford Regional Physician Group Honors

Reader’s Choice Awards  Franklin Pediatric & Adolescent Care was awarded Reader’s Choice Regional Gold Award in 2019, the highest honor provided through Wicked Local’s community awards.Community Pediatrics of Medway as well as Patrick McSweeney, MD, earned Reader’s Choice Regional Silver Awards. Thorley Cook, MD, was recognized with a Reader’s Choice Regional Bronze Award. A number of other sites and individual physicians also received recognition.

Patient-Centered Medical Homes  Hopkinton Internal Medicine & Pediatrics earned NCQA recognition as Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) in 2019. As our newest primary care practice, this site was the only one who hadn’t previously applied for this designation. PCMH is the primary care physician’s team caring for patients in a “whole person approach,” proactively managing their care and reminding them about important health screenings. Primary Care offices are evaluated on an extensive set of criteria in order to obtain this certification. 

Best of the Best  Hopkinton Family Practice was recognized as one of MetroWest’s Best Physician Practices.

Success on Quality Measures  Milford Regional Physician Group continues to excel in quality. We regularly monitor our performance on quality measures which were designed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a gauge for clinical performance and rank high against national and local benchmarks. Our physicians and their teams make every effort to ensure that patients get the screening they need and manage their care in a way that achieves positive health outcomes.

Harvard Pilgrim Honor Roll  Milford Regional Physician Group was named to the Harvard Pilgrim Honor Roll. Harvard Pilgrim selects Honor Roll practices based on their points earned on 15 quality measures across three domains of clinical care affecting both adult and pediatric patients: acute, chronic and preventative care.

High Marks on Patient Experience Surveys  Milford Regional Physician Group is also rated highly by patients in the Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) annual patient experience survey. 93% of adult patients and 98% of pediatric patients report that they would be willing to recommend their MRPG physician to family and friends. This measure is a true testament to the positive experiences patients have at our sites. In addition to our consistently high results across the group, in 2019 Community Pediatrics of Milford earned special recognition as an outstanding performer on this survey compared to peers across the state. 

MRPG Technology Advancements

In March 2019, Milford Regional Physician Group transitioned to Epic, a new electronic medical record (EMR) and billing system. This intensive project will allow our physicians to better track patients through their medical history and seamlessly collaborate with other providers to ensure quality health. MRPG recently obtained a Joy of Medicine grant from Partners Healthcare, which will enable us to schedule additional at-the-elbow training and support for our physicians to optimize their use of the system.   

Milford Regional’s Community Benefits program strives to empower residents to maintain their health in the communities where they live, focusing not only on physical health, but their emotional and social well-being. Community Benefits offers education and resources at no cost to residents of all ages, including fitness programs for youth, job training and employment opportunities for young people with intellectual disabilities, chronic disease management, maternal health and educational health programming specifically for senior citizens and many other valuable offerings. In FY 2019, Milford Regional continued to build upon its successfully established programs, including these…

Blood Donor Center

Milford Regional was recognized in 2019 by the American Red Cross for collecting over 1000 units of blood in 2018 at the Blood Donor Center located inside the hospital. In FY 2019, the Blood Donor Center held 46 blood drives and broke the 2018 record collecting 1,085 units of blood. The dedicated donor space at Milford Regional has since enabled the Red Cross to run scheduled blood drives three or four times a month, as well as additional drives when a special need for red cells has occurred on short notice.

PHOTO ABOVE: The American Red Cross (ARC) recognizes Milford Regional for great success in blood donations at our site in 2018. Pictured left to right: American Red Cross representatives Nancy Sullivan, senior account manager; Kaity Lawler, account executive, Ana Parrelli, district manager, donor recruitment and outreach, alongside Milford Regional President & CEO Ed Kelly; Nicole Heim, Executive VP and COO; Camille Williams, blood bank/hematology manager and Judy Barron, administrative laboratory director.

Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is a national transitional program that provides internships and job training opportunities to young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities entering their last year of high school. Program participants work with a teacher and an on-site job coach and rotate through three, 11-week internships in hospital departments, which have included sterile processing, environmental services, stock room, food services, pharmacy and facilities. In the eight years since its implementation, Milford Regional not only continues to sustain the program, but has hired five former Project SEARCH participants. 

PHOTO ABOVE: Milford Regional recognizes Project Search graduates (pictured left to right): Elaine Willey, director of volunteer services; Tyler Campbell, Project SEARCH graduate; Mark Mancuso, Project SEARCH graduate; Claire Pessini, Project SEARCH graduate; Michele Santangelo, Project SEARCH teacher and job coach; Ed Kelly, President and CEO; Joshua Otlin, Principal at Milford High School.

Health Fairs and Community Presentations

The Maternity Department represented the hospital at the annual Milford Disability and Family Fun Fair to provide maternal health education. The maternity nursing staff purchased and donated a car seat for the event. Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine attended various school health fairs and community-based presentations regarding concussion.

Ongoing Community Programs

Youth Fitness The youth fitness program with the Milford Youth Center continued, with more than 100 Milford youth attending hospital-funded fitness programs throughout the school year such as Cardio Dance Jam and Pound! – an aerobic workout designed to bring out your inner rock star!

Healthy Living Luncheons Hospital medical staff, employees and personnel from various departments provided presentations at the Milford Senior Center during FY 2019. Drawing an average crowd of 50 senior citizens from Milford and the immediate surrounding area, the luncheons are held six times a year and feature topics that specifically address the needs of the community’s aging residents – including how to incorporate summer superfoods into your diet, the importance of vaccinations, fall prevention, how swallowing is impacted by age, and emergency preparedness. The program has proven to be an important tool in establishing a personal connection with area residents and recognition of the hospital as a preventative resource in addition to a clinical care and emergency service.

Conversation Ready This panel discussion was hosted by the Patient and Family Advisory Council featuring medical staff, clergy, social workers and a local attorney to discuss how to ensure your wishes for medical care are met and respected in a healthcare crisis. The panel was also videotaped and broadcast on local cable television.

Childbirth Education Milford Regional continues to offer free childbirth education to qualifying patients through Healthy Families of Milford.

Skin Cancer Awareness The annual skin screening took place at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center at Milford Regional. The dermatologists from Kuchnir Dermatology generously donated their time to examine the 47 patients registered for the event.

Diabetes Management Free monthly pre-diabetes classes are held at Milford Regional, as well as twice-monthly classes for newly diagnosed patients. In addition, a panel discussion was held by patient mentors to help diabetes patients.

Community Partners for Health/Community Health Network Area (CHNA 6) Outside of the hospital, Milford Regional continues to maintain a strong relationship with CHNA 6 to address the unmet health needs in our service area, with a particular focus on the uninsured, elders, adolescents and immigrants. A Medical Center representative serves on the Steering Committee, which helps provide programming to its membership. The organization’s guiding document is the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) which is reviewed annually and is the basis for awarding grants targeting goals, objectives and strategies identified in the CHIP.

The Community Benefits Leadership Team and Advisory Committee

FY 2019 was a year that not only saw continued success in existing programs, but also built the foundation for programs to meet the community’s needs in the future. The Community Benefits Leadership Team and Advisory Committee worked to establish partnerships within the community to present programming to address emerging substance use and mental health issues identified in the 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment. The most notable of these topics is the use of e-cigarettes and electronic vaping products which is an epidemic among youth, and increasing awareness of dementia in aging adults. 

Milford Regional looks forward to bringing these programs, as well as others, to the community in the next fiscal year. In addition, Milford Regional will begin the initial phases of the FY 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment to help us gauge the progress we have made and chart our community benefits program for the next several years.

Milford Regional Medical Center, Inc.
2019 Board of Trustees

OFFICERS

Robert L. Kilroy  Chairman
Andrew L.  Salmon  Vice Chairman
Laura A. Mann  Clerk
Gordon A. Lewis  Treasurer
Edward J. Kelly  President and Chief Executive Officer
James N. Papadakos  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

TRUSTEES Barbara A. Auger; Vascen J. Bogigian; John J. Burns; William G. Burrill; Anthony M. Consigli; Richard J. Daly, MD; Paul E. Darcy, MD; Jamie E. Doucette; Jeffrey B. Hopkins, MD; William G. Muller, MD; and Beverly A. Swymer

TRUSTEE EMERITUS The Honorable Francis J. Larkin

Milford Regional Physician Group
2019 Board of Trustees

OFFICERS

Kevin P. Meehan  Chairman
William G. Burrill  Clerk
Edward J. Kelly  President and Chief Executive Officer MRMC
Patrick R. McSweeney, MD  President MRPG

TRUSTEES Jane R. Curl, MD; Jeffrey B. Hopkins, MD; Robert L. Kilroy; Tina M. Robakiewicz, MD, and Monica S. Woodward, MD

Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation
2019 Board of Trustees

OFFICERS

Andrew L. Salmon  Chairman
Edward J. Kelly  President and Chief Executive Officer
James N. Papadakos  Treasurer
Stephanie L. Burns  Clerk
Emily J. Quinn  Executive Director

TRUSTEES Mark A. Abate; Vascen J. Bogigian; Christina W. Brabazon; Vanessa E. Burrill; Michael G. Carroll; Alberto A. Correia; Shefali Desai; Robert P. DeVita; Thomas J. Evans, MD; John R. Ferrari; Christopher D. Foley; Bill Fredericks; Tony Khoury; Robert L. Kilroy; Scott Lerner; William G. Muller, MD; John Peters III; David M. Price; Lynn Tokarczyk and Doreen T. Trottier

This annual report is a publication of the Milford Regional Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Department.

Terri L. McDonald
Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications

Donna M. Boynton
PR/Community Benefits Coordinator

Kathy A. Marceau
Marketing and Website Coordinator

Glenn Perry
Morin’s Studio
Photography

The McCoy Group
Copy and Design