Country Bank Continues to Support Baystate Mary Lane Hospital

WARE — The mission of Baystate Mary Lane Hospital is to improve the health of people in the community with quality and compassion. Thanks in part to the continued dedication from Country Bank, the hospital can more effectively deliver on that mission.

Country Bank was recently honored at Mary Lane for its $35,000 donation to the hospital Technology Fund, which supports the hospital’s efforts to further upgrade technology used in the treatment and diagnosis of patients.

“Country Bank has a long history of supporting the hospital’s fundraising activities, and has made a difference over the years in helping us to better provide for all our patients,” said Christine F. Shirtcliff, hospital president. “Their continued interest and support of our local hospital is always greatly appreciated and affords us the ability to continue to keep both our equipment and facility up to the standard we have all come to expect from Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.”

This year, Country Bank’s donation allowed the hospital to upgrade diagnostic equipment used in the Laboratory Department, Shirtcliff explained.

On a recent trip to Mary Lane, Country Bank President Paul Scully got a first-hand look at a new piece of equipment in the hospital’s Laboratory Department, the Elecsys 2010. This state-of-the-art piece of testing equipment assists in identifying diseases through analysis of bodily fluids. The Elecsys 2010 offers rapid and reliable turnaround time, an on-board capacity to perform 15 tests, and the ability to perform 85 tests per hour.

“For example, the Elecsys 2010 helps the medical staff here at the hospital rule out heart failure in patients, indicate the severity of the disease, and allow for an accurate assessment of prognosis,” said Glenn Surprenant, manager of Laboratory Services. “The Elecsys 2010 System offers simplicity, flexibility, and STAT capabilities; plus, it can be adapted to the changing needs of our laboratory testing environment.”

“It is important for us here at Baystate Mary Lane to provide the latest technology to better serve our patients locally,” Shirtcliff said.

In recent years, donations made by Country Bank to Baystate Mary Lane Hospital have aided the hospital in purchasing modern equipment in mammography and X-ray, a fetal monitoring system in the Women and Infant’s Unit, the latest technology in the treatment of heartburn in the hospital’s Surgical Services Department, and even assisted the hospital in the total renovation and upgrade of the Surgical Services department.

“Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, year after year, benefits from the outpouring of support made by local businesses, such as Country Bank,” Shirtcliff said. “With the support of local businesses and the community in general, the hospital can continue to provide the best in care and best in technology for all our patients.”

Scully said the bank is proud to support a number of groups and organizations in its own backyard, so to speak.

“Baystate Mary Lane Hospital is a special place for us here at the bank and for the community as a whole, because of the exceptional care they provide, and their continuous efforts to provide high technology for their patients,” he said. “They are an essential provider for health care in the community where our employees work and live, and they are committed to the health care needs of the patients they serve. We are just delighted to play a part in helping them deliver high-quality care.