A letter from President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Kelly to the community
Fiscal Year 2023 was an important crossroads of opportunity for Milford Regional. At the same time that we celebrated our extensive legacy by commemorating the 120th anniversary of first opening our doors, strategic decisions were made and important measures were set in motion to pave the path for our promising future.
This year was pivotal in acting on our strategy to work toward formally affiliating with a partner organization to better chart our continued success. Although we take great pride in our longstanding success as an independent community hospital, the ongoing fiscal and operational challenges over the last several years in the healthcare industry shifted that reality of maintaining our independent status. In September, we signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore the potential corporate affiliation with UMass Memorial Health (UMMH). Then, more recently, we signed a definitive agreement with UMMH that sets the stage to seek regulatory approval for the affiliation.
The UMass Memorial Health corporate affiliation is the latest decision throughout our 12-decade history in which our commitment to our community was the prime consideration. Because of this strategic decision, and others made throughout our history, Milford Regional is poised to better serve and meet the evolving needs of our community.
Over the course of FY23, strides were made in the areas of quality & safety, patient care delivery and in the recruitment of specialty care providers. The portfolio of services available to our local patients, locally, continues to strengthen and diversify. The need for patients to look beyond Milford Regional for their care is rare. Our productive, long-standing clinical relationships with UMass Memorial Health, Massachusetts General Brigham, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital allow for streamlined coordination to benefit Milford-area patients. Milford Regional is often the point of care for these collaborative services; but even when that is not possible, solid relationships with these institutions make care received in Worcester or Boston highly coordinated with Milford Regional physicians, specialists and care management teams.
Continued accolades from well-respected health care organizations underscore Milford Regional’s commitment to safe and high-quality setting and service. Likewise, providers and administrators collaborate to bring best-in-class procedures, equipment to our patients, and the medical center and Milford Regional Physician Group continue to expand services in our service area. Last spring we held a groundbreaking for our newest satellite facility—Milford Regional in Medway—that we anticipate opening this spring to better serve our patients in Medway and neighboring towns.
As we continue our work to serve patients in the greater Milford area, the course of FY23 laid important groundwork for even more success for the Milford Regional system and the patients we have the honor to care for. We appreciate the support of our community and we are grateful to our Milford Regional team that provide and support high-quality, compassionate care every day to every patient.
Edward J. Kelly
President and Chief Executive Officer
Milford Regional Medical Center & Healthcare System
Introduction
Milford Regional Celebrates 120 Years of Providing Exceptional Healthcare
In September, Milford Regional proudly marked the 120th anniversary of caring for the community. On September 1, 1903, Milford Hospital opened its doors thanks to the generosity of Ben S. Draper, who presented the property, building and furnishings located at the corner of Main and Prospect Streets to the Milford Hospital Corporation.
A multitude of adaptations, modifications and advancements over 12 decades have positioned Milford Regional to meet the ever-evolving needs of its service region. In so many ways, the hospital has changed significantly, growing into the current Milford Regional Medical Center and Healthcare System; yet our noble mission of providing exceptional healthcare services to our community keeps us firmly anchored to our founding spirit.
Milford Regional and UMass Memorial Health Reach Affiliation Agreement
In January 2024, Milford Regional Medical Center and Milford Regional Physician Group signed a definitive agreement with UMass Memorial Health for a corporate affiliation. The organizations will now seek regulatory approval. The definitive agreement follows a period of due diligence that began with the September 2023 signing of a non-binding letter of intent that made it possible to explore the potential corporate affiliation.
“Agreeing upon the key terms of our corporate affiliation moves us closer to the growth and expansion necessary for Milford Regional to advance its community-focused mission,” said Milford Regional Medical Center President and CEO Edward J. Kelly. “This is the right time, UMass Memorial Health is the right partner, and we have the right deal to pave the path for our promising future,” added Kelly.
UMass Memorial Health and Milford Regional have long enjoyed a strong collaboration since 1991 when Milford Regional Medical Center became the first hospital to clinically affiliate with UMass Memorial Medical Center. Since then, many additional clinical and educational programs have been created with UMass Memorial Health to bolster the level of care offered to the greater Milford community.
Key tenets of the newly approved definitive affiliation agreement include:
- Preserving Milford Regional Medical Center as an acute care hospital offering inpatient and outpatient services, ensuring access to high quality, local care for the Milford community;
- Supporting strategic capital investment in facilities, equipment and other infrastructure to support clinical care and the local community;
- Integrating Milford Regional into the Epic electronic medical record system;
- Maintaining Milford Regional’s role as an employer of choice in the local/regional market, and enhancing Milford’s ability to address ongoing workforce challenges; and
Retaining a local community board of trustees, with Milford Regional having representation on the UMass Memorial parent board.
To learn more about the affiliation, click here.
Milford Regional’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Although there has been work on the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in recent years, Milford Regional took a more formalized and strategic approach to these important issues throughout 2023. Such efforts point the organization on a course to achieve The Joint Commission Health Equity Advanced Certification and to meet the requirements of MassHealth Health Equity incentive. Milford Regional’s recent strategy better positions DEI considerations in the provision of healthcare services and the organization’s work to support the appreciation of diverse cultures in our workforce.
Two new committees spearhead Milford Regional’s strategic approach: the Healthcare Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and the Workforce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, led by President/Chief Quality Officer Bert Thurlo-Walsh, MM, RN, CPHQ, and Vice President of Human Resources Alice Hall.
Through the dual efforts of the committees, a four-year strategic plan for health equity now exists and aims to achieve:
1. Understanding of health equity and inequity, and how implicit bias plays a role in defining MRMC, its leadership and the care provided to the community;
2. Effectively assessing individuals for disabilities, health-related social needs and implementing in-hospital and outpatient strategies to improve the health and well-being of the individual;
3. Strengthening the relationship between the hospital and community organizations to ensure available resources reach those individuals with the greatest need; and
4. Collecting data to inform policy enhancement, program development, and targeted performance improvement to minimize or eliminate health disparities.
Community Benefits Work Focused on Prioritized Needs
Throughout Fiscal Year 2023, Milford Regional’s Community Benefits Leadership Team and Advisory Committee actively focused on its four priorities of mental health, homelessness and food insecurity, access to services and better health outcomes in Worcester County.
Accordingly, the Committee sponsored or partnered with other organizations to develop impactful initiatives focused on those four priorities.
Mental Health
To raise awareness for the need of more youth mental health services, the Committee sponsored two free mental health discussions The first occurred in October 2022 and was geared toward mental health professionals and offered a strategy session, encouraging the knowledge and resources sharing of resources. The second was offered in April 2023 and focused on the need for more homebased health Services. The expert slate of professional panelists included Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Brooke Doyle; Vice President of Service Integration at Riverside Community Care Manny Oppong; Medway Police Officer and LGBTQ Liaison Meghan Casey; and Milford Regional and Blackstone Valley Tech School Based Health Center Nurse Practitioner Jenna Callahan.
Homelessness and Food Insecurity
Through a collaboration with Community Health Network Area (CHNA) 6 and Franklin Health Department, “Hope for the Homeless in Our Community” business cards were developed that included a QR code and website directing users to multiple social services, food insecurity and behavioral health resources within the Franklin, Milford and other Blackstone Valley communities. The cards were given to public safety officials, members of the Franklin Health Department and the National Guard, who continue to assist with the migrant population.
Access to Services
The Committee’s priority on access focused on providing free childbirth education and newborn care classes to pregnant teens attending Milford High School.
Better Health Outcomes
The Committee identified heart failure as a pressing health need and planning is underway to offer educational pieces translated into Portuguese, Spanish, and Arabic at the hospital’s Heart Failure Clinic.
At the October Annual Meeting of the Milford Regional’s Community Benefits Leadership Team and Advisory Committee, the Committee also approved a modernized mission statement that is more reflective of its current charge and overall goals. The new mission statement is as follows:
Milford Regional Medical Center is dedicated to the improvement of community health through its leadership and effective partnerships. In conjunction with Milford Regional’s goal of promoting wellness and eliminating health disparities throughout its service area, the Community Benefits Committee’s foremost priorities focus on improving health outcomes, access, mental health and food and housing security across the lifespan of those in our community.
Mélange 2023 Gala and Live Auction Raises Record-Breaking $1.2 Million
Milford Regional Medical Center’s Mélange 2023 Gala and Live Auction—“Scaling New Heights”—raised a record-breaking $1.2 million. The November 11 fundraiser was held at The Park Sports Center in Milford and attended by approximately 400 Milford area business and community leaders, sponsors, friends and supporters of the hospital. The “Fund-a-Need” portion of the event specifically raised funds for state-of-the-art visualization technology used during surgery.
The Mélange Gala is the signature fundraiser for Milford Regional and has been providing crucial funds needed to support the most immediate needs of the hospital since 2005.
Year at a Glance
At a time when the healthcare industry as a whole is met with ongoing operational and financial challenges, Milford Regional remains committed to our mission of providing exceptional healthcare services to our community with dignity, compassion and respect. Through our excellence and advancement in patient care delivery, leading performance in quality and patient safety, and our growing team of providers in high-demand specialties, Fiscal Year 2023 bridged a remarkable legacy with an even brighter future.
Quality
Funding Fuels Milford Regional’s Stroke Educational Campaign
As part of a community outreach and education project, Milford Regional’s multidisciplinary Stroke Committee created a three-part “Spot a Stroke” education video series and complementary posters funded by a $10,000 grant. The series, in collaboration with Community Emergency Medical Services and the Milford Fire Department, provided educational tools on how to recognize a stroke, the treatment involved, and the follow-up care.
The videos featured Neurologist Eliezer Sternberg, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician Karen DeFazio, MD, FACEP, and introduced vascular neurologist Adalia Jun-O’Connell, MD, MRMC’s new stroke director. The grant funding allowed MRMC to create these videos, as well as produce Spanish and Portuguese subtitled versions. Videos are posted on Milford Regional’s website at milfordregional.org/spotastroke.
Honor Underscores High-Quality Stroke Care
Milford Regional Medical Center’s multidisciplinary Stroke Committee continued to make strides in performance with a tenth consecutive “Get With The Guidelines-Stroke” Gold Plus Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
The “Get With The Guidelines-Stroke” Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, based on 2022 data, was awarded in Summer 2023 after the Stroke Committee—co-led at the time by Neurologist Eliezer Sternberg, MD, and Emergency Medicine Physician Karen DeFazio, MD, FACEP—implemented several new strategies to improve stroke care at MRMC; such as launching the Code Stroke paging protocol in 2021. The new protocol expedites stroke care upon patients’ arrival to the Emergency Department and upon recognition of acute stroke symptoms with inpatients.
Milford Regional Earns Recognition as Top Teaching Hospital
Milford Regional was recognized as a 2023 top teaching hospital in the nation by the Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization focused on healthcare safety and quality. Recognition from the nonprofit organization is one of the most prestigious honors hospitals across the country can earn.
Our hospital was one of only two hospitals in Massachusetts, five in New England and 74 across the country, to receive the coveted top teaching hospital honor from Leapfrog.
Milford Regional serves as a teaching hospital for the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester. To qualify for a top distinction from Leapfrog, hospitals must rank highest among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses the quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance including infection rates, practices for safe surgery, maternity care and preventing medication errors.
Milford Regional Earns Another Grade “A” for Patient Safety
For the eleventh consecutive time, Milford Regional received an “A” for Patient Safety from the Leapfrog Group, a distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from accidents, injuries, errors and infections.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and other supplemental data sources. Together, those performance measures produce a single letter grade representing a hospital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.
CMS Bestows Top Ranking to Milford Regional
Milford Regional received a 5-star ranking from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This ranking is the highest given by CMS and is awarded to only 16 percent of the 3,076 qualifying hospitals. The five-star ranking signifies Milford Regional performed exceptionally well when assessed in the areas of safety of care, timely and effective care, mortality, patient experience and readmission.
Community Votes Milford Regional Top Pick in “Quest for the Best”
As part of 101.3 WMRC-FM “MyFM’s” 2023 “Quest for the Best” contest, Milford Regional won gold for best hospital and best surgery center. Additionally, Milford Regional Physician Group won gold for best medical practice. Thousands of listeners, followers and other area community members cast votes for their favorite local businesses among 11 different categories, including medical.
Milford Regional Named Among Becker’s “Great Community Hospitals”
For the first time, Milford Regional was included among only 153 other hospitals nationally on Becker’s Hospital Review 2023 “Great Community Hospitals” list. As part of its determination of what hospitals to include on its annual list, Becker’s editorial team evaluates performance from outside rankings and ratings organizations. Milford Regional’s strong and consistent consumer/patient-focused rankings from Leapfrog and Healthgrades were among the publication’s rationale for Milford Regional’s inclusion on this distinguished list.
Milford Regional Physician Group Earns Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Accolade
For the twelfth year in a row, MRPG has been named to the Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare Physician Group Honor Roll. The selection is based on clinical performance measured against national quality benchmarks in three domains of clinical care: acute, chronic, and preventive care. Honor Roll practices were named based on performance of 15 measures, such as: appropriate treatment for children with upper respiratory infection, comprehensive diabetes care, and breast cancer screenings. This achievement directly reflects our commitment to providing high-quality care and healthier outcomes for our patients.
Milford Regional Receives Top Grade on Lown Index
Milford Regional received an “A” grade for outstanding social responsibility on the 2023/24 Lown Institute Hospitals Index. Out of more than 3,600 hospitals nationwide, Milford Regional achieved the honor through its strong performance across the metrics of health equity, patient outcomes and value of care. Milford Regional ranked 16 out of 65 hospitals in the state and 407 out of 3,637 hospitals nationally on the social responsibility metric, resulting in its top grade.
The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to include metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes. In the fourth annual and largest set of rankings to date, the 2023-24 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on more than 50 measures, including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity and avoidance of low-value care.
Patient Care
Heart Failure Clinic Opens in Hill Health Center
The Milford Regional Heart Failure Clinic opened on the 4th floor of the Hill Health Center to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients, educate patients about their condition and empower patients with an individualized treatment plan to reduce their readmission risk.
Led by Christina McCarthy, PA-C, the heart failure clinic provides patients a multidisciplinary approach to managing their condition. The team at the clinic works closely with primary care physicians, cardiologists and other specialist to monitor patients for 30 days after hospitalization. Patients are seen in the clinic or via telehealth within one week of discharge from the hospital. Visits are initially scheduled weekly to provide patient education, manage medication and monitor bloodwork, providing patients with rapid access to treatment should symptoms worsen, and avoid a return to the hospital.
Groundbreaking Event Held for Milford Regional in Medway
Construction on Milford Regional’s newest community based-satellite location—Milford Regional in Medway—continues to progress with an expected opening spring 2024.
In June 2023, representatives from Milford Regional Physician Group, Milford Regional Medical Center and Lobisser & Ferreira Construction Corporation, as well as state legislators and Medway town officials, were present for a groundbreaking ceremony at the facility’s location.
The new 22,000 square foot facility is located at 68A Main St. and will include adult and pediatric care; obstetrics and gynecology; urgent care and laboratory and radiology services. The facility aims to provide expanded healthcare services to Medway and neighboring communities.
Best-in-Class Monitors Improve Continuity of Care
Milford Regional began implementing Nihon Kohden monitor technology throughout the year to help standardize patient profiles throughout a patient’s stay.
The Nihon Kohden technology allows staff to send patients to any part of the hospital and retain the same patient profile from start to finish of that patient’s stay. This is achieved by linking telemetry boxes throughout the units.
“We’ve gone from only certain units being able to take cardiac patients to all units being able to take cardiac patients,” said Director of Emergency Services Jessica Kon, MSN, RN, CEN.
The implementation was in a staggered phase launch. The ED and ICU were the first to get the upgrade in May 2023, while other units were scheduled to receive their updates through January 2024. The overall goal is to outfit all units with telemetry capability.
Navigation Technology Guides Treatment
Milford Regional Physician Group’s Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery office became the first location in Massachusetts to adopt the latest in sinus surgery navigation technology over the summer with the Johnson and Johnson TruDi© Navigation System. It’s an upgrade in technology that allows our physicians to operate with increased precision and decreased risk.
Sinusitis, which impacts approximately 30 million adults in the United States annually, is an inflammation of the sinuses, either bacterial or viral, which can result in facial pressure, congestion and thick drainage. Sinusitis navigation technology, which has existed for decades, takes a CT scan of a person’s head and superimposes the image onto the patient during an operation.
“We think this is going to be really beneficial to the community because of how widespread sinusitis occurs in the general population,” said YuShan Lisa Wilson, MD, who uses this new technology to treat sinusitis.
Urogynecologist Recognized for Work with Surgically-implanted Device
Within our Urogynecology department, Diego Illanes, MD, was awarded the InterStim™ Circle of Excellence (COE) Award, which is given only to the country’s top, most experienced implanting physicians.
Illanes offers the sacral neuromodulator implant as a more advanced form of therapy for incontinence, the involuntary loss of bladder and bowel control. It’s a condition that affects millions of people every day and can be disruptive to one’s quality of life if it goes untreated.
The surgically implanted device delivers mild electrical pulses through small wires to the sacral nerves, sending signals to the brain that tell the muscles when to contract, helping to control incontinence. “Medications and other therapies target muscles that control your bladder or bowels, the sacral neuromodulator offers relief by controlling nerve signals that may restore normal bladder and bowel function,” said Illanes.
Milford Regional Now Offers Travel Medicine Services
Milford Regional opened its new Travel Medicine Service, where patients can now prepare themselves for the rigors of their upcoming trip.
Based in the Infectious Diseases department on the third floor at MRMC, the Travel Medicine Service provides counseling, medication, and vaccinations to adults planning foreign travel for school, business, or pleasure. Consultations are by appointment only, four weeks prior to travel.
Immunizations offered include Hepatitis A/B, Measles-Mumps-Rubella, Typhoid, Meningitis, and more. Consultative services offered include country-specific travel advice, education on travel illness and injury prevention, and malaria prevention strategies.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, contact the Travel Medicine Service at 508.902.9751.
New Faces
Two new leadership roles were announced among the medical team at Milford Regional. Chief of Gastroenterology Albert A. Crimaldi, MD, PhD was named President of the Medical Staff, and Chief of Neurology Eliezer Sternberg, MD, was named Chair of the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Crimaldi joined Milford Regional in 1987. He served as chairman of the Department of Medicine, site coordinator for the University of Massachusetts Internal Medicine Residency program, and twice has been voted Teacher of the Year by the UMass Internal Medicine residents at Milford Regional.
Dr. Sternberg joined Milford Regional as a neurologist in 2020 and was named chief of the division the following year. He holds other leadership positions within Milford Regional, including co-chair of the Stroke Committee and director of the neurodiagnostic laboratory.
Hospital and Foundation Board Additions
The 2023 Milford Regional Medical Center and Milford Regional Physician Group Board of Trustees slate of officers was announced at the Milford Regional Medical Center’s Annual Meeting of the Corporation in January.
Anthony M. Consigli was named chair. Consigli is the chief executive officer of Consigli Construction, one of the largest general contractors in the northeast and headquartered in Milford. He has served on the Milford Regional Medical Center and Milford Regional Physician Group Board of Trustees since 2019 and on the Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation Board of Trustees from 2004 through 2016.
“I’m very proud to be serving as Board chair,” Consigli said. “Milford Regional is fortunate to have so many valued community members who have supported the hospital since its founding 120 years ago.”
The other Board officers include Vice Chair Brian J. Earley (NPP Development/Kraft Group); Clerk Denise Brookhouse (Koopman Lumber Company); and Treasurer Gordon A. Lewis III (Altman and Company).
Also appointed to the Board of Trustees at the January 2023 meeting were Sandra Clark and Jeffrey Nutting. In addition, Dr. Brooke Littleton-Fitzgerald was appointed to the Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation Board of Trustees.
Milford Regional Welcomes New Physicians
Financial Statement
Leadership
Leadership
Milford Regional Medical Center is a not-for-profit healthcare organization that is governed by a dedicated Board of Trustees which includes representatives of the communities we serve. The Board, which holds a fiduciary responsibility for the integrity, financial health and quality of care at Milford Regional, works closely with Milford Regional’s senior leadership team and Medical Staff to develop the Medical Center’s overall strategic direction to ensure its fiscal stability and to monitor the quality of care and services provided throughout the system. The trustees volunteer their time and expertise, and support the Medical Center’s mission of providing exceptional healthcare services to our community with dignity, compassion and respect.
Milford Regional Medical Center and Milford Regional Physician Group
2023 Board of Trustees
OFFICERS
Anthony M. Consigli – Chair
Brian J. Earley – Vice Chair
Denise H. Brookhouse – Clerk
Gordon A. Lewis – Treasurer
TRUSTEES
Diana Caragacianu, MD; Sandra Clark; Richard J. Daly, MD; Shefali Desai; Jamie E. Doucette; John V. Fernandes, Esq.; Christopher D. Foley; Linda M. Mancini, Esq.; William G. Muller, MD; Mary J. O’Neill, MD; Jeffrey D. Nutting; Beverly A. Swymer
TRUSTEES EMERITUS
John J. Burns; William G. Burrill and The Honorable Francis J. Larkin
2023 Medical Staff Leadership
The elected President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and Immediate Past President of the
Medical Staff shall serve as the liaison officers to the Board of Trustees.
Albert A. Crimaldi, MD, PhD – President
Jeanne McCoy, MD – Immediate Past President
Theresa Arpin, MD – Vice-President/MEC Chair
Matthew McCauley, DO – Secretary/Treasurer
Staff Leadership
Milford Regional Medical Center’s senior leadership team in collaboration with the Medical
Staff and working with staff throughout the organization ensures the successful implementation
of Milford Regional Medical Center’s strategic plan and provides oversight for the day-to-day
operations at the Medical Center.
Edward J. Kelly – President & Chief Executive Officer, Milford Regional Medical Center
Patrick R. McSweeney, MD – President, Milford Regional Physician Group
Peter B. Smulowitz, MD, MPH – Chief Medical Officer
Nicole A. Thyne – Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Beth Cadle – Vice President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer
Judy M. Kelly, MHA, BSN, RN – Vice President of Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer
Bert A. Thurlo-Walsh – Chief Quality Officer & Vice President
Alice D. Hall – Vice President of Human Resources
Emily J. Quinn – Vice President of Philanthropy & Executive Director
Tricia M. Oliver – Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation
2023 Board of Trustees
The Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation manages the fundraising and event that in addition
to generating income, creates a philanthropic culture in support of Milford Regional and the 20-
plus towns it services. The Foundation strives to make a difference in the health of our
community.
OFFICERS
Shefali Desai – Chair
Julie A. Burgey Kehoe – Vice Chair
Bill Fredericks – Clerk
TRUSTEES
Mark A. Abate; Christina W. Brabazon; Vanessa E. Burrill; Alberto A. Correia; Robert P. DeVita; Thomas J. Evans, MD; Matthew R. Fisher; Christopher D. Foley; Tony Khoury; Scott Lerner; Brooke H. Littleton-Fitzgerald; Kevin W. Lobisser; William G. Muller, MD; Jeffrey D. Nutting; John Peters III; Lynn Tokarczyk
This annual report is a publication of the Milford Regional Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Department.