Baystate Health

“This was truly a labor of love.” When Abby Candee, a nurse resident in the Heart and Vascular Critical Care Unit, saw an opportunity to enhance our response to rare post-cardiac surgery emergencies, she teamed up with Nurse Educator Kim Grady to make it happen. Together, they developed a ‘pit crew approach’ to help ensure their team is prepared for these critical situations. Watch how Abby’s passion and teamwork have advanced critical care for our patients.

"I am Nimish Shah, MD, FACC, a non-invasive cardiologist at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. A typical day varies day to day for me. I spend about half of my days seeing patients in the clinic, and the other half of my time is dedicated to performing and interpreting cardiac imaging tests, including echocardiograms, nuclear stress tests, coronary CT scans and cardiac MRI exams. One of the biggest challenges of being a cardiologist is maintaining and applying a wide variety of knowledge of cardiovascular diseases and deciding how to apply that knowledge to a wide variety of people. Integrating one’s expertise as a cardiologist with individual patient’s wishes and beliefs to provide answers or treatments that improve their quality of life or prevents cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest rewards we experience. One of the most common recommendations I give to patients is to listen to their bodies. Don’t ignore unusual symptoms. Some important steps to consider may include: -Quitting smoking -Cutting back or eliminating alcohol -Staying physically active -Choosing more plant-based, whole foods over red meat and processed foods Perhaps more important now than ever before, is to be mindful of misinformation and critically evaluate health-related information available on the Internet or in the media. Today’s instant access to the Internet and social media make it too easy to over-emphasize certain aspects of medical care while under-emphasizing evidence-based data from rigorous scientific studies. When you truly enjoy what you do, it’s easy to stay engaged with colleagues and patients. I find it personally gratifying to share my expertise, particularly in advanced cardiac imaging and cardio-oncology, with trainees and colleagues as they also learn and grow. Similarly, I find that patients also appreciate receiving a full explanation of their conditions or test results, and providing this information also builds a positive long-term connection. Having grown up in Western MA and with family and friends in the area, it is an amazing experience to be able to return to this community to practice at Baystate Health." #MyBaystateStory #HeartMonth

"My name is Julie Rooney. I am a nurse and the electrophysiology coordinator for Baystate Health. My journey in healthcare began at the age of 15 as a dietary aid in at a long-term care facility. Ten years ago, I came to Baystate for its reputation in cardiology and took a position on the interventional cardiology unit. Baystate has given me many educational opportunities. The more I learned about the heart the deeper my commitment to cardiology and my patients became. Here at Baystate I found myself surrounded by the most dedicated and compassionate nurses who share my passion for developing relationships, caring for, and educating patients to promote the very best outcomes. A year ago, I stepped away from the long hours at the bedside and assumed my current role. With the guidance of my manager and mentor, Sean LaValley, I am a part of the team molding the electrophysiology department to meet the needs of the patients here in western Massachusetts. Electrophysiology is the arm of cardiology that pertains to the heart rhythm, and I started by position just as Baystate was purchasing the newest technology to help patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). This technology is called pulsed field ablation, and it is revolutionizing the way we can care for this large patient population. It is safer and faster than previous ablation techniques which allows access for many more people. The longer people are in AFib the harder it becomes to get them out of it, leading to structural changes and potentially heart failure. I am proud to working where the investment has been made to bring the patients the best and most current treatments available. Spending the last 10 years at Baystate my roots are now quite deep. I know many of the people who make this place hum: people in transport, environmental folks, doctors, PCTs, nurses and so many in ancillary disciplines, that it feels like a second home. Seeing so many “friends” throughout the course of my day makes me feel blessed to be a part of this organization. Baystate, like electrophysiology, has a life-giving energy, and its staff are its heartbeat."

Congratulations to Baystate Franklin Medical Center, named among the 2025 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®. “At Baystate Franklin Medical Center, we have the privilege of caring for patients from some of the state’s most rural communities and it is an honor to be recognized by Chartis for this work,” says Jodi B. Stack, president & COO of Baystate Franklin. “Every day our dedicated caregivers strive to provide accessible, high-quality care in this unique setting. This recognition is a direct reflection of their commitment to our community, and we are proud to serve as an example of top performance for other community hospitals.” “The Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals award program elevates the very best performers and helps create a roadmap for those seeking to improve financial and operational performance while continuing to care for the communities they serve,” said Michael Topchik, Executive Director, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This is our 10th year recognizing the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate this milestone with this year’s winners.” We're incredibly proud of our Baystate Franklin Medical Center team. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and excellence of our entire team in providing exceptional care to our community. Read More: https://bit.ly/4jSfx29

Congratulations to our Marketing and Communications team, finalist for the Ragan Employee Communications Awards for Feature Article. The team is being honored for their powerful storytelling on the Ashley Piccirilli patient story. Ashley's life was saved by the Baystate Medical Center team after being buried alive while working on a construction site. Ashley’s story of resilience and hope is nothing short of extraordinary and will undoubtedly touch your heart. Read Ashley's story here: https://bit.ly/4aveTl9 Learn more about the Ragan Awards: https://lnkd.in/edrTp2vF

"My name is Becky Kingsley, and I am the Cardiac Services supervisor at Baystate Noble Hospital. My fascination with the heart, anatomy, and physiology inspired my career choice. After about five years of working as a surgical technologist, I began my career as an exercise physiologist in a cardiac rehabilitation program. While working in cardiac rehab, my father passed away in 2018 from a cardiac arrest while golfing with his friends and I knew then that I had to continue to help families keep going after life-changing cardiac events. I felt that I could now empathize with my patients and their families and thought that I could better serve this population. Baystate Noble was an easy choice for me because I love the atmosphere of a small community hospital, and my team is very easy to work with. We have a small but dedicated group. Even though I drive an hour to work every day, it is truly worth it. My advice to patients diagnosed with heart issues is to take small, manageable steps to alter your lifestyle. Making too many changes at once can be overwhelming and may lead to giving up more easily. Focus on achieving measurable goals and keep setting new ones to maintain your positive progress. It's also essential to stay connected with family and friends. Often, when someone faces a significant diagnosis or traumatic event, they are not the only ones undergoing the healing process. Baystate Noble's Cardiac Center may be compact, but we provide a wide range of services to the community. We understand how crucial it is, and we are proud to deliver these services to the greater Westfield community.” #MyBaystateStory #HeartMonth

"He's my Valentine and I'm his." ❤️ For Mary and Paul, love isn’t about chocolates and roses—it’s about showing up for each other, in sickness and in health, for 60 years and counting. At 81, the couple has been through just about everything together. This past year, they even faced matching health challenges—both needing heart valve replacements just months apart. Mary had hers, undergoing a TAVR procedure in June after struggling with fatigue and breathlessness. Not long after, Paul learned his aortic valve was nearly completely blocked and followed in her footsteps with having a TAVR procedure performed as well. Mary was by Paul’s side for every appointment, just as he had been for her. “He helped me, and I helped him,” she shared. “We’ve been together so long, we just get through everything together.” While Mary recovered smoothly, Paul’s journey took a detour when he faced unexpected heart failure post-surgery. Now, they’re navigating his next steps hand-in-hand, grateful for the care they received and the extra time they’ve been given. “We cannot say enough about the incredible doctors, nurses, and staff,” Mary and Paul agreed. “Dr. Ahmed made me feel so confident when I was terrified of surgery. He’s just a wonderful man and an amazing surgeon,” Mary shared. “We also received care from Dr. Islam and Dr. Deaton and had an incredible experience with them. They got Paul in just in time—his valve was so blocked they couldn't even get a camera through it.” Through it all, one thing never wavered—their love for each other. As they celebrated their 60th anniversary, they did so with deep gratitude, knowing that their story isn’t just one of heart surgeries, but of a lifelong commitment to standing by each other’s side. Paul sums it up best: "We have a Valentine's Day everyday. Every day we wake up and are with each other— that's our Valentine's Day. We're just gracious to wake up next to each other. God has been so good to us." 💙 This Heart Month, Mary & Paul’s story is a reminder to listen to your heart—both in love and in health. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked. Early detection saves lives.

Congratulations to Peter Banko, Baystate Health, President & CEO, elected to the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Board of Trustees on January 30. MHA serves as the united voice for the commonwealth’s hospitals, health systems, and healthcare providers. “It is our honor to welcome Peter to the MHA Board at a critical time for the commonwealth’s healthcare system,” said MHA President and CEO Steve Walsh. “He brings a highly valuable national healthcare perspective to our mission, as well as a strong vision for the future of care delivery and patient access. We know he will bring the same compassion and ingenuity to MHA as he does to the Western New England region.” As part of the MHA Board, Peter will help support the recovery of local hospitals and health systems, all of which have absorbed a relentless series of pressures dating back to the beginning of the pandemic. The Board will advocate with a united front to ease the capacity pressures, workforce shortages, and administrative burdens that are now challenging timely patient care across the commonwealth, and to restore financial stability to the state’s most important sector. In the coming year, MHA and its Board will also build upon Massachusetts’ world-renowned legacy for healthcare innovation. Its priorities will include advancing state-of-the-art care outside the hospital, reimagining what an empowered healthcare profession looks like, and closing patient care disparities in new and creative ways. “We are blessed to have a health association that creates a bridge for collaboration and partnership amongst hospitals and health system leaders across Massachusetts,” said Peter. “We are individually and collectively connected through our mission-driven care, and I look forward to working together to advocate for health and health care in New England and to find opportunities to advance care for our neighbors and caregivers in western Massachusetts.” Under Peter's leadership, Baystate Health is building a clinically driven and physician-led health care system to deliver high quality and safe care and experience to its neighbors. Through its strategic plan, Baystate seeks to be the economic and health pillar in New England, preferred destination to work and practice, and establish long-term financial resilience. The focus on returning Baystate to healthy growth affords the system the opportunity to remain an independent system and the ability to invest $1.2 billion over the next six years in operations and growth. Congratulations, Peter!

A heartfelt congrats to Dante Raggio, a nurse in our Heart and Vascular Critical Care (HVCC) unit, our most recent DAISY Award winner, just in time for Heart Month. Dante was nominated for the impact he had on a family facing a devastating medical crisis. When a seemingly healthy patient was struck by a life-threatening STEMI (heart attack), Dante’s expert care, combined with his profound empathy, provided not only critical medical support but also a sense of comfort and trust for the family during their most vulnerable moments. Please read below for Dante’s nomination, sent in by his colleague, Brittany: "Dante took amazing care of a critically ill patient that was transferred to HVCC after having a STEMI. This was unforeseen and a huge shock to the family who was having a hard time coping and understanding the extent of the patient’s illness. Prior to the heart attack, the patient was healthy and living a completely normal life- to the next day now in the ICU with multiple life-threatening problems. I was in my last few weeks of orientation, new to critical care while working alongside Dante taking care of the patient, and family. Dante is one of the most knowledgeable nurses I have had the pleasure to work alongside. He was able to give facts on the situation, but also answer questions concerns of the family with deep compassion and kindness. Dante made a connection with this family, and you could see the relief on their faces when they found out Dante was the nurse for the day. After multiple shifts with the patient, it was beautiful to see the trust that was put into Dante to care for their loved one. After days of staying at the hospital, the family was able to go home and care for themselves after knowing Dante would be there. Due to the complexity of the patient and other pressing health issues, the patient was transferred to the medical ICU where a goals of care meeting would take place. Days after the patient left the unit, the family came back to HVCC to ask if Dante was there that day. They wanted to ask him to be there in the meeting supporting them throughout the difficult decisions, even though they were on another unit. I witnessed this family's journey from denial and disbelief, hesitant to trust anyone, to finding comfort and placing their full trust in Dante to discuss the patient's end-of-life care and seek his support and input. Dante demonstrated advocacy, patience, compassion, thus connecting with the family and playing a role that was extremely difficult. He is the epitome of what the Daisy award stands for every shift he works." Thank you, Dante, for the unwavering compassion you bring to patients and families, offering not only your expertise but also your kindness and support in their most difficult moments.

"I initially had no idea what I wanted to do when applying to colleges. During my first year in college, my dad suffered a heart attack and needed an urgent bypass procedure. I was in Boston then and could not return home due to finals week. I thought of dropping everything just to see him, but I got good news that he had a quick recovery from his procedure. It was then that I knew I wanted to be in cardiology. I had a cardiology rotation as an elective and loved it as well. I have a strong family of cardiac disease. Overall, I want to be someone patients can depend on when it comes to cardiovascular disease and their heart health. Eventually, I would like to be known as that "heart guy!" The best part about the care I provide is that I'm able to experience many aspects of cardiology care, including inpatient, outpatient, and the stress lab. The doctors and nurse practitioners I work with are amazing teachers. The nurses and ancillary staff are so helpful and hopeful for the wellness of our patients. The best part is that everyone is understanding of a new graduate working in the field. I am incredibly lucky to be part of this team. I feel like people would be surprised about the amount of autonomy I give my patients. Usually, I don't like to force patients on what to do, such as telling them to stop eating what they love most. I like to give them a choice on their treatment options and how they want to approach lifestyle changes that are best for them. The best part of my day is interacting with patients and congratulating them for advocating for their own health. I love it when patients are able to take action and focus on healthy lifestyle choices. When they tell me that they are walking daily or eating healthier, it just makes me happy." -Jacky Huang, Physician Assistant, Baystate Cardiology - Palmer, Health & Wellness Center - Palmer, Baystate Wing Hospital