Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) commemorated National Doctors' Day on Thursday, March 30, 2023, by donating $1,500 to the Hope Fund, the same recipient the MAHHC Medical Executive Committee selected in 2021. The Hope Fund provides grants to aid MAHHC and Ottauquechee Health Center employees who are experiencing hardships or financial emergencies.
President of the MAHHC Medical Executive Committee, Richard Marasa, MD, said the Medical Executive Committee voted unanimously to direct this year’s donation to support the fund.
“National Doctors' Day is a day to honor and thank physicians, but providing exceptional care to patients requires a team effort – from hospital greeters, schedulers, custodians and food service associates, to nurses, therapists and doctors – everyone plays an important role,” Dr. Marasa, said. “The Hope Fund was created to help our team members when they need it most. This donation is made in honor of Doctors' Day but in support of our dedicated colleagues and team members sharing in this challenging but rewarding work.”
The Hope Fund is supported solely by donations and was initially started up by MAHHC employee donations to support their colleagues during the coronavirus pandemic. The fund is dependent upon continued community support to sustain it to help our local healthcare workers. To donate, visit the HOPE Fund page.
About Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center
Founded in 1933, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) is a not-for-profit community hospital network in Vermont, including the critical access-designated Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Historic Homes of Runnemede, a senior residential care campus, in Windsor, as well as the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock. A member of the Dartmouth Health system, MAHHC provides primary care and a comprehensive suite of specialty services, along with 25 inpatient beds, a therapeutic pool and an acclaimed, fully modernized 10-bed Acute Rehabilitation Center. Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is dedicated to improving the lives of those it serves and is at the hub of a wide network of community resources that have partnered to cover gaps in services and improve overall population health. One of the largest employers in the area, MAHHC acknowledges its employees as its greatest asset and has been recognized by the Governor's Office with an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award.
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), is a recent recipient of Best Practice recognition by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for health care quality, and is recognized by the American Hospital Association (AHA) as one of the "Most Wired" hospitals for integration of technology to boost clinical performance. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded MAHHC with Level 3 status, the highest level of medical home designation.