Page 10 - HealthcareNews Jan_Feb 2021

Changing of the Guard
MHealth Partners New England Acquires Providence Hospital
ercy Medical Center recently an- the Holyoke-based hospital announced nounced it has sold Providence it would end inpatient psychiatric ser- Behavioral Health Hospital to Health vices for children, adults, and geriatric
Partners New England (HPNE), which will operate patients. “While licensed for 74 inpatient
the facility under the name MiraVista Behavioral Health and resume operations of the Acute Treatment Service (detoxification), Clinical Stabilization Service (post-detoxification), and outpatient services, includ- ing the Intensive Outpatient Program, court-ordered services, and the Opioid Treatment Program without interruption of service.
Additionally, HPNE plans to establish inpatient
“Mercy Medical Center will assist colleagues who are affected by the sale, where possible.”
psychiatric services at the facility, and is currently working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to acquire licensure to provide up to 84 inpatient beds. The timeline for the opening of these inpatient beds is still being determined.
That would be a turnaround from last spring, when
Impact
Continued from page 9
it’s just 10 minutes, although 30 minutes would be better — to “relax and rejuvenate.”
“That means, allow yourself to take that step back from everything that’s going on — all the fears, the worries, and the anxieties — and do something that makes you feel really good about yourself. Maybe it’s a hobby or activity, or doing a teleconference with
a family member or a loved one or somebody who is really going to make you feel good about yourself. That way, you can focus on the good feelings that some people are losing in the midst of the isolation and all the things in our lives that we can’t control.”
Wilburn promotes mindfulness, meditation, healthy eating, and a host of other ways in which people have the power to change their health and mindset — and, again, she’s a believer in the two be- ing intertwined holistically. At a time when the world presents so many reasons to be anxious — and, if you read the news these days, it’s not just COVID-19 — she wants to teach people self-care.
“We don’t know about that as Americans,” Nasci- mento added. “Or we think it’s selfish. ‘Push harder, push harder, don’t take vacations.’ We’re teaching people you can work hard, but your play should be
psychiatry beds,” the organization noted at the time, “Providence Hospital has regularly operated at less than 60 beds over the past two years due to persis- tent provider shortages that have now become critical.”
Mercy Medical Center will now assist colleagues who are affected by the sale, where possible, with Trinity transfers, statutory benefits for employment loss, referrals for alternative employment, and further educational opportunities, and through cooperation with MiraVista for those seeking employment with the new owner.
Brightside for Families and Children
will continue to provide services to the
Western Mass. community under the
umbrella of Mercy Medical Center/Trin-
ity Health Of New England. Offices will
remain in the former Providence Behavioral Health Hospital building under a lease agreement with HPNE.
This marks a return to the facility and these services for HPNE, which provided certain management services at Providence Behavioral Health Hospital for
self-care — taking a long walk, getting body work done, taking five minutes to meditate.”
It’s important, Wilburn noted, because, even in better times, Americans too often live in fight-or- flight mode.
a three-year period beginning in 2011. In assum-
ing ownership of behavioral-health services at this campus, HPNE brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in behavioral-health service delivery, as well as a record of accomplishment in managing hospital inpatient and outpatient behavioral-health units, programs, and services.. v
everyone needs permission.”
Don’t Ignore the Signs
While mental-health concerns have certainly been at the forefront lately, Kenton said it’s also important not to neglect physical health, especially when symp-
“Our nervous systems think we’re running away from a tiger,
which means
we’re not
“
underlying nature. Now everyone has lost that element.”
properly digest- ing our food, our heart rate doesn’t come down, and we’re not sleeping as well, because if you’re running away from
a tiger, why would you be sleeping?”
She and Nascimento say people need to be edu- cated on why it’s important to step back and take time for their own needs — but they also often need permission, especially men, who are quicker than women to dismiss the need for self-care. They’ll find that encouragement at Be Vital Wellness.
“They think, ‘I’m tough; I just need to tough this out,’” Wilburn said. “Women are better at it, but
DR. MARK KENTON
Our lives have been completely turned upside-down. We’re supposed to
be social beings; that’s part of our
toms of serious problems arise.
“Looking back to March and April, we shut
everything down and told patients that, unless they absolutely need to be in the Emergency Depart- ment, do not come,” he explained, noting that many patients use the ER as primary care because they lack a primary-care provider or health insurance. “We
Please see Impact, page 38
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