Heywood Hospital

The Leapfrog Group has released its bi-annual Hospital Safety Guide scores, giving three Central Massachusetts hospitals A ratings for their dedication to patient safety.

Heywood Healthcare was profitable in its 2020 budget year, while most other Central Massachusetts hospital networks ran deficits despite federal coronavirus pandemic relief funding.

Heywood Healthcare and UMass Memorial Health Care are joining to help study the health needs of 29 cities and towns across northern Central Massachusetts.

Three Central Massachusetts hospitals are part of a new state initiative announced Wednesday targeting COVID-19 vaccine distribution in communities hardest hit by the pandemic.

Four hospitals in Central Massachusetts received an A for safety in twice-a-year reviews by a national group on Monday.

Dr. Vinod Mohan, who leads infectious disease operations at Heywood Hospital, has spent just about every day since last December working to figure out the coronavirus, and help the hospital respond to it and plan for the rest of the pandemic.

Medical professionals – especially those who work in an intensive care unit or emergency room – are used to seeing heartbreaking cases of disease, tragic accidents or violence. Virtually nothing, though, has been like the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has been not only a health challenge to hospitals in Central Massachusetts and beyond, but also a financial one. Fortunately for the larger Central Massachusetts hospitals, they came into 2020 with healthy financials.

Central Massachusetts hospitals are bringing home a range of awards for the care they offer.

Heywood Hospital in Gardner has received a state grant of nearly $650,000 to help improve community health in the adjacent small town of Winchendon.