5 Tips to Prevent Infections
Protecting yourself and your loved ones from germs and infectious diseases can be a daunting task. By making a few simple behavioral changes, you can easily prevent the spread of many of these diseases.
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Wash your hands frequently. |
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Don't share personal items. |
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Cough or sneeze into your elbow. |
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Get vaccinated. |
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Use safe cooking practices. |
Read more at About Health. |
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Teamwork Really Makes Good Business Sense
Milford Regional's occupational health department, called TeamWork, provides important health services to local businesses throughout the region. Our clinical staff performs physical exams to evaluate applicants for occupations that require lifting, loading and unloading, including nurses, home health aides, truck drivers, and distribution center packers. Clinicians also conduct Department of Transportation evaluations for commercial motor vehicle drivers and manage many types of work-related injuries. Treatment for a work injury is handled efficiently and effectively by providing fast, appropriate diagnoses and treatment with early medical intervention and rehabilitation.
Drug screens and breath-alcohol testing are among the other types of testing performed by TeamWork clinicians. In addition, the staff coordinates follow-up injury care, such as arranging X-rays and MRIs, making referrals to Milford Regional's team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and surgeons, and working with the insurance company.
TeamWork follows guidelines set by such agencies as the Occupational Safety and Health Association, Department of Transportation, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Center for Disease Control, and Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
TeamWork Occupational Health, which previously had one location in Milford, has opened a second office in the new Milford Regional in the Blackstone Valley facility in Northbridge. Their clinical staff includes two nurse practitioners, a medical assistant and a registered nurse. Blackstone Valley companies looking to follow safety codes and reduce the chance of workplace accidents now have a valuable resource in their own neighborhood. In addition, the Blackstone Valley facility has a lab, X-ray, and rehabilitation services making it very convenient for patients to receive care.
For more information about Teamwork go to our website or call 508-422-2716. |
To ensure patient safety, what does the Medical Center do to disinfect patient and treatment rooms?
Take a look at one of the latest technologies in Milford Regional's environmental services department. Nicknamed, WALL-E and Rosie, these germ-fighting robots have taken Milford Regional to a whole new dimension in combating deadly pathogens and drug resistant organisms through the transmission of ultraviolet light.
Resembling R2D2 from Star Wars, the Xenex disinfection device uses pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV-C) light that is 25,000 times more powerful than sunlight to destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and even bacterial spores. Studies show that the Xenex system is consistently 20 times more effective than standard chemical cleaning practices and effective against a variety of the most dangerous superbugs, including Clostridium difficile endospores (C.diff), norovirus, influenza and staph bacteria like MRSA. It has been credited for helping healthcare facilities in the U.S. decrease their MRSA and C.diff infection rates by more than 50 percent. In just five to 10 minutes, the device can disinfect a patient room, patient bathroom or operating room (OR) by washing over the surfaces with UV-C light where germs reside without leaving a chemical residue. To disinfect a room after standard cleaning procedures are complete, hospital team members wheel the Xenex robot into the room, begin the automated sequence, and then leave the room.
The environmental services staff couldn't be happier about making WALL-E and Rosie an important part of their daily cleaning regime. They feel very empowered because they can clearly see that they're doing their part in preventing infections. Milford Regional has been recognized for patient safety measures in the past, so it makes sense that the Medical Center is incorporating this very latest innovation in disinfecting technology to provide the best defense against acquired infections. |
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Patient Stories: The Fight of His Life - A Battle with a Potentially Deadly Infection
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52-year-old John Meyer started his workday as a business developer at a local aerospace company on May 18, 2011 like any other. However, he began experiencing abdominal pain which convinced him to go home for some rest. Just the previous week, John had traveled to England, Germany and France for a six-day whirlwind business trip that he had taken many times before. Little did he know that this time he would become so sick, he would have to spend nearly a month in our Intensive Care Unit.
Read John's story.
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Good Things You Should Know
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Milford Regional's Patient Portal
The more you know about your health, the better prepared you will be to care for it. Milford Regional's Patient Portal is a secure, private web portal which provides patients and their families access to their most up-to-date health information including laboratory results, radiology reports, discharge instructions and much more!
By registering for Milford Regional's patient portal, you will have access to all the information you need about your most recent and previous visits dating back to January 1, 2011. You can also keep your health information current by updating the My Health Information section of the patient portal. This important information, which is not included in your medical record at Milford Regional, will be easily available for you to share with your healthcare providers.
Taking control of your health information has never been easier! You can register or log in (if you are already registered) by simply going to the patient portal page on our website.
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National Volunteer Week
President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer Week (the week of April 12th) with an executive order in 1974 as a way to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers. Every April, charities, hospitals, and communities recognize volunteers and foster a culture of service. At Milford Regional last year, 477 volunteers provided just under 36,000 hours of support.......about 700 hours each week! Volunteers provide valuable assistance in departments throughout the hospital, including several patient centered roles on the units.
We want to say thanks to our volunteers for your effort and support! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, go to our website to get more information and download an application.
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National Donate Life Month
April is National Donate Life Month. The month-long celebration showcases various perspectives of those touched by donation and transplantation. Every year since 2002, April has been filled with stories to spread the lifesaving message of donation in order to motivate people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. You can become a donor by registering at www.DonateLifeNewEngland.org.
Lauren of Chicopee, MA is just one example of an individual who waited for the gift of life. After a diagnosis of Laing Distal Mystrophy and Cardiomyopathy at 22 years of age, she needed a heart transplant to survive. In December of 2013, thanks to the selfless gift a person who said yes to donation, Lauren received a new heart and a new chance at life. She is looking forward to going back to school and getting her college degree. Lauren tells her story every chance she gets with the hope she will inspire someone to register as a donor, and someone else waiting for a lifesaving transplant may also receive the gift of life.
Approximately half of the U.S. adult population is registered as donors. Still, the number of people in need of transplants continues to outpace the number of donor organs. On average, 21 people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time. Registering your decision to become a donor is the most effective way to ensure you can save lives through donation.
To register as a donor or for more information about how to get involved, please visit www.DonateLifeNewEngland.org.
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Milford Regional's active medical staff, consisting of over 250 doctors, is highly qualified to treat you and your family through sickness and in health. Whether you need a primary care physician or a specialist, you can be assured of the best possible care.
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| If you need a physician, please call our Physician Referral Line at 1-888-DRS-HERE (1-888-377-4373). Our Referral Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For a quick look, see our list of primary care physicians who are accepting new patients. It is important to note that not all physicians accept all insurances. Please call the physician's office directly to find out if they accept your insurance plan.
Get to Know our Infectious Disease Specialist
We are fortunate to have on our active medical staff Dr. Michael Newstein, a physician who is board certified and very experienced in diagnosing and treating infectious diseases. In addition to his medical degree, he holds a PhD in virology. He is consulted when patients are hospitalized with some type of suspected infection such as influenza or Lyme Disease. He also continually works at preventing hospital acquired infections at Milford Regional.
Learn more about Dr. Michael Newstein. |
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Don't miss our exciting new interactive web page -
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508-473-1190
TTY/TDD: 508-473-5103
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Copyright ? 2014. Milford Regional Medical Center | 14 Prospect Street | Milford, MA 01757 | All Rights Reserved.
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