Hospital leaders expect bright future

Forging a future advantageous to both patients and medical personnel was the calling card presented Jan. 29 by New Milford Hospital leaders presented at their annual meeting.

Hospital board chairman James Preston and Richard Henley, the interim president and chief executive officer, said the hospital is proceeding into affiliation talks with Danbury Hospital.

It was reported in the Jan. 29 Spectrum the local hospital will be left intact and will continue to offer its present services. Both men said the affiliation is meant to better cement New Milford's position as an acute, in-patient/outpatient care facility, with Danbury Hospital targeted for more specialized care.

Last year, New Milford Hospital suffered a $5.5 million loss, $4 million more than anticipated, and in the current fiscal year is trying to break even. In the first three months of the fiscal year, the hospital is exceeding its financial projections, officials said.

Doctors will have practicing privileges at both hospitals, Mr. Henley said, and a goal is to have smoother transitions for patients who need to be transferred from New Milford to Danbury Hospital.

Hospital Foundation official Holly Flor said, despite the economic downturn the hospital received some $2.1 million in charitable revenue last year, and more than $3 million was identified in charitable reserves and new gifts for capital projects in 2009 and 2010.

New Milford Visiting Nurse Association executive director Andrea Wilson announced her agency -- with 75 full-time and part-time staff -- just received a $50,000 grant from Medicare for providing exemplary care.

Despite the setbacks and challenges, Mr. Henley said New Milford Hospital has much to brag about related to its strong, committed medical staff, who provide effective patient care.

Infection control within the hospital is exemplary, and the hospital won distinction for its care of stroke patients and accolades for its top-quality oncology care at the Regional Cancer Center, Mr. Henley noted.

The hospitalist program, of doctors who specialize in in-patient hospital care, is proving to be an asset for patients and primary care doctors, and patient satisfaction rates remain high, Mr. Henley said.