Politics & Government

Branford's Connecticut Hospice Becomes First Certified Palliative Care Facility in Nation

Dr. Mel Goldstein formerly of WTNH accepts the award for the center yesterday admits board members, Hospice care employees and local and national politicians.

Yesterday was a momentous occasion for Connecticut Hospice, which became the first hospital in America to receive certification as a palliative hospital or end of life care facility. Receiving this recognition from the Joint Commission, Connecticut Hospice established in 1974 and located in Branford, will lead the charge for other like facilities across the nation who meet this accreditation organization's standards. 

Among politicians such Branford First Selectman  Representative Lonnie Reed-D and Senator Eileen Daily-D, Dr. Mel Goldstein, former meteorologist for WTNH, accepted the award for the hospital.

Goldstein who retired from WTNH this year was diagnosed with incurable cancer 15 years ago. At the time he was given his prognosis, Goldstein told the crowd he had three years to live. “I’ve lived in this area for decades and I always admired the work Hospice was doing” he said. “But you know, I never thought I might be in a situation where I’d personally be looking to Hospice to help my own situation.”

Find out what's happening in Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Goldstein told the group he was honored to accept the award for the hospital. “From a patient’s standpoint, here is a place where you can go and you can really feel the warmth and the love that is in all our hearts. You can see it, feel it, touch it as it comes out and touches the patients that are here.”

After a particularly tough year, which caused him to become wheelchair-bound, Goldstein said his hope is to be standing next year when Connecticut Hospice is bestowed a second time with this prestigious award.

Find out what's happening in Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Joint Commission, a national accreditation body, seeks to continuously improve the quality of health care provided to the public by evaluating organizations like Hospice, according to the event press release.

“I am so proud of the staff at Connecticut Hospice first, for making our hospice programs the best in the nation and today, for providing a standard of excellence that makes our hospital the first certified palliative care hospital in the country,” said Rosemary Johnson-Hurzeler, CEO of Connecticut Hospice. “Connecticut Hospice is setting an example as a program that meets the highest quality standards for palliative care in the United States.”

This example of high quality palliative care has grown into a collaborative between Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale University and Hospice. Yale sends medical students to study palliative care at the facility; today Hospice is also home to doctors who have been certified as palliative caregivers – a new nationally recognized form of medical practice. 

Connecticut Hospice is among 1,500 hospitals across the country offering palliative care but it is the first to be recognized as having a “Gold Seal of Approval” from the Joint Commission. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here