Four members of the Springfield City Council recently took time out of their schedules to tour several care areas of Mercy Medical Center. Councilors Kateri Walsh, Brian Santaniello, Tim Allen, and Victor Davila were able to get a firsthand look at some of the programs and services offered at the hospital. The tour was requested by the Springfield City Council’s Health and Human Services subcommittee.
Hosted by Robert Roose, M.D., M.P. H., President of Mercy Medical Center and Johnson Memorial Hospital, and Dan Keenan, JD, Regional Vice President Advocacy and Government Relations, Trinity Health Of New England, the tour began with a stop in the Chapel before moving to the Emergency Department’s Behavioral Health Unit, where Edna Rodríguez, LP-PsyD, Director of Behavioral Health, outlined the benefits of this clinical setting. According to Rodríguez, the Emergency Department’s activity level and noise can be overwhelming for behavioral health patients, and patients in this area typically find the separate, quiet space more calming and conducive for care. Rodríguez also explained that all members of the unit’s clinical team and support staff have been specially trained to deal with this vulnerable patient population.
The group then moved on to the Sister Caritas Cancer Center where they toured the infusion suite and met with Philip Glynn, M.D., Director of Medical Oncology, and members of the cancer center’s nursing team. The tour wrapped up with a visit to the Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit which is currently under construction on the fifth floor of Mercy Medical Center.
“The tour was a very positive experience that not only provided an opportunity to highlight several of our services, but also our commitment to meeting our patients where they are on their healthcare journey,” said Dr. Roose. “Councilors Walsh, Santaniello, Allen, and Davila are all tremendous advocates for the city of Springfield, and it was a pleasure to give them a close look at the good work we do at Mercy Medical Center.”
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