UMass Memorial Health

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.

Central Massachusetts hospitals generally struggled to reach a break-even point financially despite millions of dollars in federal aid meant to help during the coronavirus pandemic.

UMass Memorial Health Care has hired a new vice president to oversee diversity and inclusion, a new position at the Worcester-based hospital system that's the largest employer in Central Massachusetts.

UMass Memorial Health Care is shifting into an emergency operations plan because of a critically high number of patients, and UMass Medical School is expanding testing and travel protocols as coronavirus pandemic numbers continue to rise, leaders at both entities said Tuesday.

UMass Memorial Health Care is working with state officials on plans for potentially opening a field hospital in Worcester as was done during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring at the DCU Center.

UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is tightening visitor restrictions again as cases rise, allowing only one visitor per day for patients who haven't been diagnosed with coronavirus or are under investigation of having it.

UMass Memorial Health Care is giving bonuses of $500 to full-time caregivers and smaller amounts to those who work part time, President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson said in a staff memo Monday.

UMass Memorial Health Care is not yet in a coronavirus surge but is preparing for one as cases rise locally and statewide, President and CEO Eric Dickson said in a staffwide memo Friday.

UMass Memorial Health Care will host a forum Thursday morning on health equity, including racial disparities in health care in Central Massachusetts and elsewhere.

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.