Mary Lane Hospital Changes Its Name To Baystate Mary Lane Hospital

WARE – Mary Lane Hospital, a 31-bed community hospital in Ware, and member of Baystate Health, has changed its name to Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.
“The name change further reflects the hospital’s long-standing integration with Baystate Health and, for our patients and the public, more strongly links Baystate Mary Lane Hospital to Baystate Health and its many programs and services not typically offered at a community hospital,” said Christine F. Shirtcliff, president, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital joined Baystate Health in 1991 and since that time has experienced considerable upgrades in facilities and technology, as well as growth of programs, services, and the number of physicians and specialists available to serve the community.

“We want people to associate Baystate’s name with the high quality health care, compassionate service, and integrity that they can expect from us,” said Shirtcliff. “It is part of our commitment as part of the Baystate family to provide the best in care for our patients.”

As a member of Baystate Health, upgrades in facilities have taken place that have allowed the hospital to deliver higher technology in an environment designed to care for the patient with quality and compassion.

“One of our crowning accomplishments as a member of Baystate Health is that along with its other hospitals, we are a national leader in patient safety, with one of the most advanced clinical information systems in the country,” said Shirtcliff. “This clinical information system provides an efficient electronic process for physicians to order medications and tests, view lab results and vital signs, and virtually have much of the patient information they need readily available as they make clinical decisions. As a result, our patients are benefiting from one of the most advanced systems in the country,” said Shirtcliff.

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, in conjunction with Baystate Health, unveiled a newly renovated Women and Infants’ Unit in early 2003, resulting in an innovative birthing center especially designed to meet each family’s individual needs. The unit is bright, airy and cheerful, and features six private post-delivery suites and three private labor and delivery suites. The latest fetal monitoring equipment can be found on the unit, allowing mothers-to-be to be more mobile during labor. All suites feature spacious private bathrooms with showers, new furnishings, sleep chairs for significant others, televisions and VCRs, and room temperature controls.

“Working closely with Baystate Health when designing the unit, our birthing center truly accommodates the needs of area women and their families in a relaxed, quiet setting,” said Shirtcliff.

Patients at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital also benefit each day from a partnership with Baystate Health that resulted in the creation of a Hospitalist Program last year. Hospitalists are physicians who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of seriously ill patients, and because their sole focus is inpatient care, they are able to give patients the time and medical attention they require while they are in the hospital.

“Hospital Medicine grew out of rapid changes in health care, and here at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, we saw this service as a means to improve the quality of care we provide to our patients,” said Shirtcliff. “We have a select group of physicians, who are affiliated with the Hospital Medicine Program at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, who are dedicated to the care of the patients here at Baystate Mary Lane. These highly trained, board certified physicians have been chosen for both their clinical expertise and their interpersonal skills.”

In addition to changes within the hospital, Baystate Health and Baystate Mary Lane Hospital recently expanded outpatient medical services offered at Baystate’s 95 Sargent Street facility, located on Route 9 in Belchertown. Responding to serve the health care needs of the rapidly growing community, Baystate expanded the facility to include walk-in radiology and laboratory centers and a Rapid Care Clinic, as well as increasing the number of physician specialists in ob/gyn, surgery, gastroenterology, and nephrology.

“This has been a particularly exciting time for all of us as we expand our range of health care services for the adults and children in Belchertown,” said Shirtcliff. “As the economic boom in Belchertown continues, and the need for additional health care services grows, all of us here at the hospital take pride in knowing that we are making a difference in improving the health of our communities.”

According to Shirtcliff, as a member of Baystate Health, the Baystate Mary Lane Hospital benefits from the combined advantages of personalized and exceptional care provided at a smaller, community hospital with the efficiencies of access to and integration with a major academic medical center and a spectrum of quality, technology, and integrated health care services.

“We hope the new name makes it easier for consumers and health care providers to associate our hospital with the same quality programs and services expected from Baystate Health,” she said. “We remain committed to improving the health of the people in our communities with quality and compassion.”

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital was founded in 1909 by the Ware Visiting Nurse and Hospital, and was originally located at 96 South Street in Ware. In 1923, a 25-bed hospital opened its doors on the site of the home of Lewis N. Gilbert, a local manufacturer whose generous provisions in his estate made construction of the hospital possible. Since 1923, four wings have been added to the original building, forming the present complex. They expansions included Storrs Wing completed in 1948, Gilbert Wing in 1961, the Davis Wing in 1972 – with a fourth floor added to the Davis Wing in 1987, and the Ambulatory Care Building completed in 1995.

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital offers a wide spectrum of services including women’s health, maternity, and pediatrics, to inpatient and outpatient surgical care, intensive care, 24-hour emergency services and the Baystate Regional Cancer Program. Ancillary services include radiology, cardio-pulmonary, laboratory, and the Baystate Rehabilitation Program. Outpatient services include physician specialty clinics, occupational health, and an adult day health program.