Bridgeport Hospital

TO OPERATE AN ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

SCHEDULE OAS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC KEPT PEOPLE UNSURE AND UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE UNKNOWN, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL REMAINED A CONSTANT SOURCE OF WORLD-CLASS CARE, AS WELL AS INFORMATION BASED IN FACT AND SCIENCE, FOR PATIENTS, EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY. PART OF THE CITY'S DIVERSE FABRIC SINCE 1878, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL STRENGTHENED ITS BOND FOR A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO FIND BALANCE IN A NEW NORMAL.CLINICAL EXPERTISEBRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL LAUNCHED A POSTPARTUM CARDIAC RISK REDUCTION CLINIC TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN WOMEN WHO DEVELOPED CERTAIN COMMON PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS. THE CLINIC OFFERS LONG-TERM POSTPARTUM CARE AND RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. RESOURCES INCLUDE LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT, CARE COORDINATION, NUTRITION CONSULTATIONS, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT AND CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIMARY CARE.TO DELIVER LIFESAVING STROKE CARE FASTER, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL INTRODUCED AN EMERGENCY SURGICAL PROCEDURE CALLED THROMBECTOMY FOR PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE, THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF STROKE. ACCESS TO THROMBECTOMY CLOSE TO HOME MEANS AREA STROKE PATIENTS CAN RECEIVE THIS TREATMENT SOONER, IMPROVING THEIR CHANCES OF RECOVERY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.THE HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER COMPLETED ITS 300TH TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT (TAVR) SINCE IT INTRODUCED THE PROCEDURE IN 2016. THE MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE REPLACES DAMAGED AORTIC VALVES WITHOUT THE NEED FOR OPEN-HEART SURGERY.CARDIAC SURGERY WAS ENHANCED WITH THE ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE OF YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER'S CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY TEAM. BY OFFERING A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF HEART AND VASCULAR SURGERY SERVICES, THE BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL TEAM PROVIDES SKILLED ANESTHESIA, PERFUSION SERVICES AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT DISTINGUISH BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL AS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED CARDIAC SERVICE IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY.THE HEALTH SYSTEM'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO REPLACE OVER 1,600 HOSPITAL BEDS, INCLUDING 230 AT BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL, SECURED DIRECT INPUT FROM CARE TEAMS THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS AND ON-SITE DEMONSTRATIONS. THE NEW BEDS, EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN 2022, INCLUDE SAFETY FEATURES SUCH AS FALL ALARMS CONNECTED TO THE CALL SYSTEM AND INTEGRATED SCALES THAT CAN SEND PATIENT WEIGHT INFORMATION TO EPIC, THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD.TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING PARAMEDIC SHORTAGE IN THE CONNECTICUT, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHELTON-BASED ECHO HOSE AMBULANCE AND YALE CENTER OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) STARTED A NEW PARAMEDIC TRAINING PROGRAM. THE 20-MONTH COURSE PROVIDES EDUCATION IN ADVANCED ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, PHARMACOLOGY, CARDIOLOGY AND TRAUMA CARE. THE PROGRAM IS APPROVED BY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND ACCREDITED BY THE COMMISSION IN ACCREDITATION OF ALLIED HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGH THE COMMITTEE ON ACCREDITATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROFESSION.COVID-19 RESPONSEBRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL JOINED STATEWIDE EFFORTS TO BRING THE VACCINE TO THE PUBLIC, FOCUSING ON THE TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES SERVED BY THE HOSPITAL. THE HOSPITAL'S FIRST COVID-19 COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITES OPENED AT PARSONS CENTER IN MILFORD, JAN. 27 AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT'S WHEELER RECREATION CENTER ON FEB. 12. RESPONDING TO PUBLIC DEMAND, THE SITES HAD CAPACITY TO ADMINISTER MORE THAN 1,700 VACCINE DOSES PER WEEK. BY YEAR'S END, THE HOSPITAL HAD ADMINISTERED MORE THAN 10,600 VACCINE DOSES.AS PART OF YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH SYSTEM, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL, REQUIRED ALL MEMBERS OF ITS WORKFORCE (INCLUDING EMPLOYEES, MEDICAL STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, STUDENTS, CONTRACTORS AND TRAVELING STAFF) TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19. THE REQUIREMENT, WHICH TOOK EFFECT JULY 12, ALIGNED WITH THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION'S STATEWIDE POLICY ENDORSING MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION FOR HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM EMPLOYEES AND CLINICAL STAFF.HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP JOINED THE GREATER BRIDGEPORT NAACP IN A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING, "COVID-19 VACCINE FACTS VS. FICTION," TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINE AT THE HEALTH SYSTEM'S POP-UP VACCINATION CLINIC CONDUCTED AT BRIDGEPORT'S CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT WAS THE FIRST OF MANY POP-UP CLINICS IN THE BRIDGEPORT AREA, INCLUDING ONE ON MARCH 30 AT THE BRIDGEPORT ISLAMIC COMMUNITY CENTER TO HELP PROMOTE VACCINE AWARENESS AND SAFETY.CHANGING COVID-19'S COURSE, BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO OFFER LIFESAVING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY FOR PEOPLE AT RISK FOR HOSPITALIZATION. THE ONE-DOSE TREATMENT REDUCED THE NEED FOR INPATIENT CARE AMONG THOSE WITH MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS.BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIESBRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL'S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED WAS ON DISPLAY THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AS AREA FAMILIES WERE INVITED TO THE HOSPITAL'S FOOD DISTRIBUTION EVENT. ATTENDEES RECEIVED ONE BAG OF FOOD CONTAINING MILK, EGGS, FRESH PRODUCE AND BREAD.THE HOSPITAL PARTNERED WITH THE BRIDGEPORT FARMERS MARKET COLLABORATIVE TO HELP MAKE HEALTHY FOOD ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY BY HOSTING A SEASONAL FARM STAND AT ITS BRIDGEPORT AND MILFORD CAMPUSES. FARM STAND CUSTOMERS COULD USE SENIOR/WIC FARMERS MARKET CHECKS, AND IN BRIDGEPORT, DOUBLE THEIR SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) DOLLARS ON THE PURCHASE OF FRESH PRODUCE.BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH EMPLOYEES AND MEDICAL STAFF MEMBERS DONATED 22,550 POUNDS OF FOOD TO HUNGER-RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS DURING THE HEALTH SYSTEM'S FIRST #GIVEHEALTHY VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE. THE DONATED FOOD CONVERTED INTO 18,792 MEALS FOR PEOPLE IN NEED THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT AND IN WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND.THE PRIMARY CARE CENTER'S NEW HEALTH MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTIVE CARE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO LOWER THE BARRIERS OF CARE FOR THE UNDERSERVED, THE PROGRAM CONNECTS PEOPLE TO LOCAL RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE RATE OF BREAST, COLORECTAL AND CERVICAL CANCER SCREENINGS FOR EARLY DETECTION. PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL'S PRIMARY CARE CENTER COMPLEX CARE PROGRAM TRIALED A NEW PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS HEALTHY LUNCH AND DINNER OPTIONS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. FUNDING FROM THE BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL FOUNDATION SUPPORTED THE MEALS PROGRAM THAT HELPS PATIENTS STRUGGLING WITH FOOD INSECURITIES, WHICH OFTEN CONTRIBUTE TO DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION.