Northampton Neighbors Community Meeting with Cooley Dickinson Hospital Leaders
On March 6, 2025, leaders from Cooley Dickinson Hospital joined a Northampton Neighbors Zoom meeting to answer questions about hospital programs and services as well as introduce several members of its new executive leadership team. The speakers were Debra Rogers, MSM, Interim President and COO; President-Elect Kevin Whitney, DNP, RN, and Sundeep “Sunny” Shukla, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs. Debra, Kevin and Sunny took turns answering the questions that were submitted ahead of the meeting and during the live Zoom Q&A. Below are the questions that were raised and answers to those questions. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
(Please note, as of the date of this document, Kevin has assumed the role of President and Chief Operating Officer and Debra will remain at the hospital as Immediate Past Interim President and COO for several months to assist with the transition. Read more about Cooley Dickinson’s new President and COO here.)
Submitted Questions with Answers
Emergency Department Services
What is your vision for emergency medicine?
Our vision for emergency care is the same as our overall vision: to be the health care provider of choice in western Massachusetts, offering quality care, elevating the patient experience and attracting the best talent by combining the highest quality of community health with the world class medical expertise of Mass General Brigham (MGB). We are transforming emergency care in our community, and exciting renovations are well underway.
The multi-step renovation and expansion plan has been phased carefully to ensure the Emergency Department (ED) operations continue uninterrupted ‘round the clock, 365 days a year. We have continued to provide care throughout the construction project and are expected to open the new ED in Jan/Feb of 2026.
The generosity of this community is making the ED expansion possible. In fact, there are many people on this call this afternoon who are making this project possible, and we are extremely grateful for your support. The ED and the corresponding capital campaign to support that project are among our highest priorities. As of our meeting, we have raised over $11.6M of the $26M project; the campaign will continue through the end of the year.
What changes will come with the expanded ED?
One significant change is an increase in the size of the department by 40%, which translates into an expansion of the footprint to 50,000 square feet. In addition, a new computed tomography (CT) scanner, a medical imaging procedure that uses X-rays to create detailed, cross-sectional images of the body, will be located with the ED. This will help ensure a faster diagnosis for specific medical conditions such as stroke, and patients can remain in the ED for the exam. In the expanded ED, there will be 32 private exam rooms.
Other changes include: a “racetrack” floor plan and streamlined workspace for our staff allow for better flow and communication among staff and providers. An expanded Behavioral Health pod provides the physical spaces to respond to the needs of patients in crisis. In addition, the expansion of the ED allows us to apply for a higher level of Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA). The ED is currently accredited as a level 3 GEDA. (See below, under Geriatricians, for additional information.)
What is the timeline (for the ED construction)?
Over the next months, we’ll continue with a phased approach to our construction. The new ER opening is on track to open in Jan/Feb of 2026.
What are alternatives to visiting the Emergency Department?
Local urgent care and convenient care facilities. Many primary care provider (PCP) offices offer “same day” appointments for non-life-threatening conditions.
Primary and After Care
With long wait times and difficulty finding a PCP, will primary care at the hospital be expanded? Do you have plans to hire more geriatricians?
It can be difficult to find a primary care provider (PCP). This is an issue in western Mass as well as across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, according to the Boston Globe.
We are working on improving access to care locally. Of note, as of January 2025:
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Cooley Dickinson Medical Group (CDMG) employs 40 PCPs; 22 CDMG PCPs are taking new patients.
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It takes new patients less time to make an appointment with a CDMG provider this year vs. last year. For example, the new patient lag (a metric that measures the time from the length of service to the date the claim is submitted) is 101 days down from 112 days this time last year.
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New patient lag target is 40 days.
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CDMG offers “same day access” to established patients.
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Expanding access by incorporating the expertise of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) including Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners to care for patients.
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CDH has a partnership with Valley Medical Group providers.
Geriatricians:
Our new geriatrician Dr. Dhruv Jani is accepting new patients; Dr. Rebecca Starr is also in the community and member of CDH medical staff.
We are building our facilities with the care of older populations in mind. For example, the Emergency Department expansion allows us to apply for the next level of Geriatric ED Accreditation. Our ED earned level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians in 2021. This is currently the highest-level accreditation we can achieve based on the current footprint of the Emergency Department. What this means for our community: Cooley Dickinson has the clinicians, training, services and resources in place for any older adult who comes to the Emergency Department for care. Read more about the accreditation here.
What is discharge planning? Does it help with transfer from hospital to home? Who does CDH work with in the community to enhance discharge services?
Discharge planning is designed to provide a safe transition to the next phase of care to help patients recover from an acute care hospitalization, successfully manage a chronic condition and supporting the need for readmission.
The discharge planning process begins as soon as a patient is admitted. A case manager is a core member of the care team and helps coordinate care during the acute admission and assists the physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other team members in care planning and preparing for discharge.
The case manager has expertise and knowledge in post-care care options, based on clinical patient needs, such home with home care services, skilled nursing facility, or acute and long-term rehabilitation.
Are there patient care advocates available at the hospital for both outpatient visits and inpatient care? How do I offer feedback to CDH?
Concerns or feedback can be submitted through Cooley Dickinson’s Patient Family Relations office. Contact Patient Family Relations via email at patientrelations@cooleydickinson.org or call 413-582-4970. Members of our team are working with MGB’s patient experience department to develop a formal patient advocate program.
How will the shuttle service to MGH work?
The return of the shuttle was a consistent theme among the submitted questions and has been a request from our community at large since the shuttle service was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are thrilled to be able to announce that we are bringing back the free, weekday, round-trip shuttle from Northampton to Boston. We thank everyone for their patience as we have worked to make this service a reality again.
The shuttle is a 28-passenger van with accommodation for 1 wheelchair. It departs daily from the parking lot across from the 8 Atwood facility and offers weekday trips to Mass General Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and returns to Northampton. Reservations to ride the shuttle are required. Watch the CDH website for more information about the restart of the shuttle as well as how to make a reservation.
Community Relationships
Can you offer an overview of current and future strategy for integration with MGB?
Cooley Dickinson is an award-winning hospital that provides outstanding health care to our community, which is made possible because of our exceptional and dedicated teams, state-of-the-art facilities, and access to world-class care as a member of MGB.
MGB and CDH share a strong commitment to ensuring the health and vitality of our community hospital. Our local commitment to this community is unwavering.
As a member of MGB, and part of the MGB Community Division, we are connected to world-class care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, community health centers, and home care services. This means that when you come to CDH for care you can trust in what we do exceptionally well, and when you need a specialist, we have the connections within our system to get you where you need to go. We are one Mass General Brigham: our people, our services, and the care you receive.
How do you think a COO with your (nursing) background will impact day-to-day operations at our hospital?
What I can bring to the table is experience in five areas that we want to focus on: quality and safety; the patient experience; and workforce and staff engagement and doing so in a way that is financially sustainable for the organization.
About my background: I am a paramedic as well as an ED nurse. With over 34 years in healthcare, including 15 years at Mass General Brigham, I am a seasoned clinician and a strategic leader who has had the privilege to work in both community hospitals and academic medical centers. And I bring those skills to my new role as the incoming President and COO of CDH. As far as day-to-day operations, my immediate focus, in partnership with Cooley Dickinson’s clinicians and administrative teams, is to enhance quality and safety, as well as the patient experience. I want to help make Cooley the best place to work, and in order to do that, I am committed to supporting our staff and clinicians. My process is to build strong relationships with our teams, and I have been working extensively with medical staff, nursing, and patient care services since joining Cooley Dickinson. It is critically important to me to build and foster those relationships.
How do you expect the anticipated cuts in Medicare and Medicaid to impact patients, staff and services?
It is too soon to know the impact.
What are the community partnerships that extend CDH services?
We have partnerships that extend across our community. For example, related to our workforce: we have workforce partnerships specifically with the Elaine Marieb School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and BayPath University. We also partner with Springfield-Based neba to provide internship opportunities for adults with disabilities.
Wellness Services
How to access wellness services Older Adults? Diabetes? Women’s Health?
CDH offers a variety of community education classes including Heartsaver CPR and choking safety as well as bereavement support programs. Learn more about community programs and hospital services at www.cooleydickinson.org. The CDH Wellness & Sports Performance Center, located in Hatfield, offers one-on-one personal training and coaching; classes for adult fitness including injury prevention; senior fitness and joint health; post-operative ACL repair; and Tai Chi classes. For anyone new to the Wellness & Sports Performance Center, the first class is free. The first consultation for personal training is also free. Learn more at www.cooleydickinson.org.
How does CDH support memory care now and what are the plans for the future?
The Pioneer Valley Memory Care Initiative, funded by the Eisenberg Family Trust, is dedicated to empowering and supporting older adults living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and their caregivers. Learn more about the Pioneer Valley Memory Care Initiative (PVMCI) on our website.
Working with generous donors, CDH is part of a coalition of healthcare and community providers, including Northampton Neighbors, that is dedicated to empowering and supporting older adults living with dementia and their caregivers.
Can you tell us about end-of-life planning and supports?
At Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, our team is here to help the community manage whatever challenges arise. For those facing short-term illness or injury, that can mean the specialized assistance of a nurse or physical therapist. For those facing terminal illnesses, that can mean the emotional, physical and spiritual support of everyone from medical experts to therapeutic musicians.
Cooley Dickinson’s VNA & Hospice team is focused on home-based care. These compassionate, talented professionals provide care and assistance, seven days a week, throughout Hampshire County and parts of Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties.
Among that older population are our nation’s veterans. The Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice program is now a Level 5 Partner with We Honor Veterans, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Level 5 is the highest level that can be achieved. Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice is one of only five hospice agencies in Massachusetts and the second in western Mass to earn the level 5 Partner distinction. Achieving the Level 5 designation demonstrates the agency’s utmost commitment to providing veteran-centric care in the community
What are you plans to serve the underserved?
Serving the underserved is about providing the highest quality inpatient and ambulatory care to our community. We want to hear from the community on where you believe there may be gaps and work with us on how to put those in place. We have a Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) that provides input on areas they bring forward to us; they help us improve the patient experience. The PFAC also provides input, such as opportunities for programming that might be missing. In addition, the CDH Senior Team would enjoy hearing from this group with suggestions.
Questions During Live Zoom Meeting
There are various parts of the new ED, like the mental health pod, opening before fall. Can you please speak to that.
The new Behavioral Health pod is complete, and we will begin to use the pod for patient care when we receive approval from the Mass Department of Public Health. We are excited to offer expanded capacity for those community members who need this important level of care.
You said that with the new design you can see what’s happening in other areas of the ER. How does that affect privacy?
The floor plan of the new ED uses a “racetrack” layout with a central clinician team station. The layout enhances patient privacy and security, while also facilitating efficient flow of patients in and out of the department. The improved floor plan facilitates a more global view for providers. In addition, the ED space and current ED renovations offer additional private rooms for patients and families. The new ED will enhance patient privacy with the additional private rooms and will decrease the need to use the hallway to take care of patients.
Is the “special” relationship with Valley Medical like a concierge system? What about everybody else?
Valley Medical Group (VMG) is a strong partner for Cooley Dickinson; our patients are their patients and vice versa. We work closely with VMG leadership to ensure good communication, and they help us identify gaps in access to ancillary and specialty care. We share a common goal with VMG leadership: to increase primary care access for patients.
Do you ever foresee a limited number of beds within CDH for inpatients that are hospice- designated?
We can flex up in the number of hospice beds at any given time as needed. We have many beds available to support inpatient hospice. We work closely with the CDH VNA & Hospice program, and we partner together to care for patients and families in need of inpatient hospice care. We are always looking at ways to advance hospice care at our hospital and in the community.
What is CDH’s relationship or partnership with Dana Farber?
Dana Farber has a long relationship with Brigham and Women’s Hospital but that is coming to an end in the next few years. Mass General Brigham has focused on its own cancer center which aligns well with the research they conduct as the largest recipient of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.
I am concerned about the probable demise of Medicaid and reduction of Medicare funds, and I don’t know for people who have appointments coming up and their inability to pay … this is concerning.
CDH has a wonderful group of experienced financial counselors who can help people navigate a variety of situations. Please visit their website for more information. In terms of Medicare and Medicaid cuts, we will need to see what happens. We do not advise cancelling any appointments. Keep your medical appointments to receive the care you need.
What can you tell us about negotiations with nurses? They are concerned about patient/nurse ratios, and about protecting pay and benefits for nurses so we don’t lose them to other facilities that will pay more. I understand the part-time nurses are especially vulnerable.
There are two separate contracts, one for the hospital nurses and the other for the VNA & Hospice nurses. There are separate negotiations with the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) for both. There have been several meetings to date for each group.
The relationships among the MNA and the hospital and the MNA and the VNA and Hospice are positive; in fact the negotiations I have witnessed since joining CDH more than 10 months ago are some of the most positive, and most professional, that I have seen in my career. Both groups have a role; we have come to the table to and have had productive conversations. We have started to exchange proposals and will continue to monitor those proposals going forward.
Patient care is our top priority! In reference to ratios, in order to provide the best patient care we must have the most appropriate staffing to do so. Last summer, we looked at all staffing plans across the hospital and the VNA to see where we had opportunities. We benchmark to national patient care benchmarks. We are well-staffed and well-aligned from a benchmarking perspective.
Is there hospice care available in the hospital?
Yes, this is a big area of focus for CDH. There are three options for hospice patients: going home with hospice; going to a hospice home, i.e the Hospice of the Fisher Home, and general inpatient hospice or GIP.
If a patient is admitted as an inpatient, (an acute care admission), and if they are not able to go home or to a hospice home, and if they need more aggressive symptom management, we can take care of them in the hospital.
We follow a protocol that ensures the patient has a hospice level of care in the hospital. The same inpatient care team would provide care to the GIP patient. In addition, the services of the hospice team are made available to the patient, including bereavement, spiritual care, social work, etc. While this protocol is not new, we are trying to promote this as another option for our patients.
What is the role of the CDH Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and the CDH Patient Family Relations Team?
In addition to the PFAC, CDH has a Patient Family Relations team which welcomes feedback directly from patients and families. PFAC is a great resource, and their charge is to help to improve the patient experience.
The purpose of the Patient Family Relations team is to triage, investigate, track and seek resolution to concerns raised by patients and family members. They also work directly with the appropriate leader at CDH for the appropriate follow-up as needed. The Patient Family Relations team can be reached at patientrelations@cooleydickinson.org or 413-582-4970.