United Way of North Central Massachusetts grant helps patients at Heywood Hospital
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United Way of North Central Massachusetts representatives, Phil Grzewinski (left), Peter Bovenzi (3rd from right), and Ellie Fox (right) present a check, as part of a $50,000 contribution, to Heywood Hospital’s Dan Moen (2nd from right) and Barbara Nealon to purchase Deaf-Talk machines, which will assist in the translation of eleven languages, and reinstate the patient education program.
| For Immediate Release - Gardner, Massachusetts (January 24, 2006) – Good doctor-patient communication is vital to a positive healthcare experience. And, thanks to a grant from United Way of North Central Massachusetts, differences in language are no longer a barrier for patients at Heywood Hospital.
Officials from the Gardner hospital unveiled two new video interpreter machines that give doctors and patients who speak different languages a way to communicate. Deaf-Talk uses a camera so an interpreter can remotely see the patient signing and the patient can see the interpreter on the screen. The service also provides translation in 10 other languages, considerably improving communication between the doctor and the patient.
“We saw an underserved population that could benefit tremendously from this grant. Not only does it improve the communication for people struggling to understand what is happening to them, it also provides important outreach effort that encourages people to seek preventive care,” noted Peter Bovenzi, board member of United Way of North Central Massachusetts, who also served as last year’s campaign co-chair with his wife, Leslie Bovenzi.
The hospital previously had one Deaf-Talk video machine, which wasn’t portable. As a result of the $50,000 grant from United Way of North Central Massachusetts, two Deaf-Talk video machines are placed on a rolling cart and moved to any room with a high-speed phone line.
According to Barbara Nealon, director of social services, the grant also provided money to install high-speed phone line for each nursing unit and all outpatient departments. “Due to the lack of American Sign Language interpreters, we were not able to meet patient needs. We will no longer have to wait four to twenty-four hours, we can now have an interpreter within five to ten minutes. ”
In addition, part of the grant money will be used to reinstate the Community Health Series, which provides general patient education on a variety of healthcare topics through seminars and outreach efforts. The topics will include healthy hearts, diabetes, women’s health, prostate cancer and cancer.
The United Way of North Central Massachusetts Community Care Fund serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Ayer, Barre, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.
Contact:
Bill White
Planning Concepts, Inc.
(978) 597-1766
Fax (978) 383-5806
wwhite@planningconcepts.com
Leave a lasting legacy, remember the United Way of North Central Massachusetts in your will or estate plan.
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