Stamford Hospital


Stamford Hospital, residing on the Bennett Medical Center campus, is a 305-bed, not-for-profit hospital providing area residents with access to the latest technology using a compassionate, patient-centered care approach.
Stamford Hospital is a major teaching affiliate of the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons.

History

Founding and early history
John Clasen, a farmer and former state legislator, town assessor and school board member, is credited with the founding of Stamford Hospital. After consultation with his friend and attorney, Edwin L. Scofield, regarding possible philanthropies, he gave the initial funding for the hospital by selling some of his property. Clasen raised about $45,000 from the sale of the property. Clasen's only conditions for the money were that the new institution would be named Stamford Hospital, be nonsectarian and not discriminate in receiving patients. Subsequently, the hospital opened with 30 beds on May 7, 1896 in a mansion on East Main Street, just west of the railroad bridge.
Edgar L. Geibel, chief administrator of the hospital from 1954-1977, oversaw significant change and growth of the hospital, specifically from 1966–1969, with the construction of the hospital's signature white pavilion wing designed by Perkins & Will.
From 1994 to 2000, the hospital had significant financial difficulties, but the hospital's finances began to improve under CEO Brian Grissler, with revenues in 2007 of $357 million. \
In early 2006, the hospital actively considered moving to a new, undetermined site and construct a new hospital in order to enlarge hospital rooms, as well as expand and modernize clinical departments. However, this proposal was scrapped in favor of building a large expansion. The expansion of the hospital, dubbed "New Stamford Hospital" resulted in a large 11 story glass structure, becoming the dominant portion of the hospital. This expansion was completed late 2016 and cost approximately 575 Million dollars. The Perkins & Will white pavilion building is largely vacant, with its future plans to be determined.
Stamford Health as an organization has expanded significantly since 2010, now with a large affiliated medical staff, Stamford Health Medical Group. In that same time, Stamford Health has opened numerous small outpatient clinical, laboratory and imaging facilities spanning throughout Fairfield County and southwestern Connecticut.

Facilities

Stamford Hospital's Carl and Dorothy Bennett Medical Center is located in the southwestern portion of Stamford, CT, adjacent to downtown and near the waterfront. The campus has facilities that provide both inpatient and outpatient care. The hospital structure is composed of various wings, including the new main hospital, the original Perkins & Will pavilion, Warner and Wheeler wings, was well as the Whittingham Pavilion. Adjoined to the main structure is the outpatient Bennett Cancer Center as well as the Medical Office Building. The Tandet Center, previously a nursing home, is currently used for administrative purposes, including housing the affiliated Sacred Heart University Physician Assistant training program.
Carl and Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center
The Carl and Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center opened in 1992, offering access to oncologists, oncology nurses, a team of professionals and treatment options and supportive services. It was the first facility in Connecticut selected to join the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Care Collaborative. The Bennett Center offers the full array of cancer care specialists, including Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology/Oncology as well as ancillary staff such as Geneticists. The staff participates in multiple ongoing scientific studies for researching advanced therapies for cancer.
Hospital for Special Surgery
In 2018, Stamford Hospital and HSS opened a collaborative unit within the main hospital, staffed by HSS orthopedic and sports medicine physicians. This unit offers separate dedicated clinic and operating room space. In addition, there is increased cooperation between HSS staff and Stamford Health at Stamford's Chelsea Piers facility, specifically for sports rehabilitation.
Cohen Children's Specialty Center at Stamford Hospital
An extensive pediatric ward within Stamford hospital, the Cohen Children's Center provides all branches of pediatric medicine and surgery. This works in concert with the hospital's dedicated pediatric emergency room, which is staffed by fellowship trained pediatric emergency physicians.
Tully Health Center
The "Daniel P. & Grace I. Tully & Family Health Center" is a satellite campus site located a few miles northwest of the main hospital. Named after the Tully family who made a significant donation to The Campaign for Stamford Hospital, the center opened in the spring of 2002 at the site of the former St. Joseph's Hospital and includes multiple health care services in an outpatient "medical mall" setting. The Patty and George Sarner Health & Fitness Institute is housed within and provides access for both rehabilitation and personal fitness.
Auxiliary sites
In addition to those listed above, Stamford hospital has several additional outpatient facilities scattered throughout southwestern Connecticut, largely imaging centers and clinical offices of the affiliated Stamford Health Medical Group. These include the HSS at Chelsea Piers,, Darien Imaging Center, Darien Medical Center, Wilton Surgery Center, Holly Hill Greenwich among others.

Clinical Services

The 305 bed Stamford Hospital and its 440 affiliated physicians provide patient care in all of the general medical specialties as well as the majority of subspecialties typically seen within a regional referral center. As a Level II trauma center, required subspecialty care is on-site, including Trauma Surgery, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and Interventional Radiology. As of 2005, Stamford Hospital had a total of 2,254 employees, making it one of the city's largest employers.
A large segment of the 2,254 hospital employees are represented by the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, affiliated with the Service Employees International Union.
The hospital's focus has been to become a regionally respected center for Neurology/Stroke, Invasive and Non-invasive Cardiology/Cardiac Surgery and Orthopedics.

Special programs

In early 2007 the hospital started a "Familial Colorectal Cancer Registry" for individuals and families with a history of colorectal or associated cancers. The private registry is the first of its kind in Connecticut and provides general screening information as well as updates on the latest research.
To amuse patients, some volunteers at the hospital roam the halls dressed up as clowns, calling themselves Health and Humor Associates.

Awards and recognition

In 2004, the Joint Commission awarded the annual Ernest A. Codman Award for creating a protocol to maintain correct blood glucose levels in critically ill patients. The new protocol cut the death rate among those patients by 29 percent and shortened time spent in the intensive care unit by 11 percent.
Stamford Hospital was awarded American Nurses Credentialing Center Award for Excellence in Nursing Services in 2005. Stamford Hospital was one of 168 hospitals in the country to receive the award.
In 2007 Ernst & Young LLP gave Brian Grissler, the hospital president, its Entrepreneur of the Year award in the "social enterprise" category.

Alliances and Partnerships