Lemuel Shattuck Hospital

The scholars had the incredible opportunity to speak with a group of interprofessional providers and tour the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, a public health hospital operated by the State of Massachusetts. This 255-bed facility provides acute and ambulatory care to patients referred by public agencies as well as private sector providers, enabling economically and socially disadvantaged patients to receive top notch care. When we arrived at Shattuck we were greeted by Dr. Daniella Floru who gave us a description of the diversity of challenges and illness that patients at Shattuck face as well as insight in to her experience working with a patients who have high rates of mental and addictive illness. Dr. Robert McMakin, a clinical psychologist provided us with further insight by explaining that mental illness is not often what lands an individual in the hospital, but is nevertheless addressed and treated as equally important to providing quality care to their patients. Dr. McMakin's role is complimented by the Addiction Services Supervisor, Jennifer Malizia, who further elaborated on the challenges patients with addiction face. Ginger Bailey, a licensed social worker who coordinates the discharge plans for  patients, demonstrated  the hospital's commitment to making sure patients have access to resources that will allow them to stay healthier and hopefully out of the hospital long term. The team at Shattuck highlighted the stigma patients with addiction face each day, and emphasized the importance of treating addition as we would any other chronic condition.

Our visit ended with a tour of The Shattuck Hospital Correctional Unit, which serves as the primary acute medical care facility for the state prison system and provides medical services to all Department of Corrections inmates. In addition to speaking with the medical team we got the opportunity to speak with the officers on the lock down ward about the challenges they face working with inmates each day, a truly eye opening conversation about the heavy toll these demanding jobs take on the lives of correction officers.

We left Shattuck thoroughly impressed with the commitment of its interdisciplinary teams to providing quality care to patients who often have co-morbidities and psychosocial issues that are challenging for other providers.  Their compassion and understanding towards their patients was a prospective we are excited to take back to Hanover with us.