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Island Hospitals Lend Each Other a Helping Hand

Who says there’s an Island rivalry?

In a collaborative and neighborly gesture, the Nantucket Cottage Hospital (NCH) supplied the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital (MVH) with a case of suture kits when supplies were back-ordered.

On July 5, MVH was notified that an order for additional suture laceration kits was back-ordered and would not be available until after the holiday weekend.

Wanting to stay ahead of the curve, Mike Spiro, the MVH emergency department nurse manager reached out to his Nantucket counterpart, Martha Lake-Greenfield, about acquiring additional kits. Later that afternoon, one case of 16 suture kits was delivered to the Vineyard from Nantucket on a regularly scheduled Hy-Line ferry. Hy-Line provided delivery free of charge.

Two years ago, MVH supplied NCH with respiratory supplies when its stock was running low. Cape Air made the inter-Island trek free of charge to deliver the supplies to the hospital.

“We appreciate the close relationship we share with Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and are grateful for them stepping in to assure we would have enough suture supplies to get us through what we anticipated being a busy weekend in our ER. We are also grateful to the Hy-Line and Cape Air for their assistance with transporting crucial supplies in a timely manner and free of charge,” Spiro said.

MVH CEO Denise Schepici reiterated Spiro’s comments. “Our neighborly relationship with Nantucket Cottage Hospital is crucial to the isolated reality that both our hospitals face. The efforts to problem-solve and support each other allows us to provide great healthcare to both island communities,” she said. “The generosity of the Hy-Line and Cape Air has allowed both hospitals to transport these important supplies when needed. It’s true what they say, it takes a village, and I’m grateful for ours.”