STEWARD HEALTH CARE'S NORWOOD HOSPITAL IN MASSACHUSETTS PARTNERS WITH BUILD HEALTH INTERNATIONAL TO DONATE SALVAGED BUILDING MATERIALS TO HAITI

After a storm destroyed Norwood Hospital in June 2020, the hospital is building a new facility. The undamaged materials that once made up Norwood will soon be repurposed in Haiti and other vulnerable international communities.

NORWOOD, Mass., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Norwood Hospital announced their donations of essential building materials and equipment will be leveraged for future international healthcare infrastructure projects, including additions to the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais in Haiti. Following catastrophic flooding, Norwood Hospital is in the process of demolition and reconstructing a new facility. The hospital is partnering with Build Health International (BHI) to collect salvageable materials—such as metal, doors, and sinks—which will be used for global health projects serving vulnerable communities.

"Norwood Hospital is thankful for this project to turn a terrible misfortune into a unique opportunity to help others," said Salvatore Perla, DrPH, President of Norwood Hospital. "The materials that helped us provide care for our community will live on in essential services to the people of Haiti."

"The incredible generosity of the Steward team and the Norwood Hospital allowed BHI to target and access essential materials needed for current and future healthcare infrastructure projects," said Zac Chase, BHI's Director of Partnerships. "Gift-in-kind donations have a tremendous impact on our work and procurement costs. Collaboration is key for BHI, and we welcome any opportunities to repurpose materials to expand global health quality and accessibility."

Among the materials collected from Norwood Hospital, some of the most meaningful were 175 metal, wood and lead-lined standard hospital doors. According to the BHI team, Norwood's donation will help them reallocate money towards purchasing other critical line items, like biomedical equipment. In addition to the doors, other essential materials were collected, including scrub sinks, stainless corner guards, and grab bars, which will present huge cost savings for future international healthcare projects.

The  materials collected from Norwood have found a home at a new diagnostic center at the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais in Haiti, and across a number of BHI's pipeline of projects.

Ground was broken on the new Norwood Hospital in December of 2021. The diagnostics center at Haiti's Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais is set to open at the end of 2022 and the new Norwood Hospital plans to re-open its doors before the end of 2024.

About Steward Health Care 

Nearly a decade ago, Steward Health Care System emerged as a different kind of health care company designed to usher in a new era of wellness. One that provides our patients better, more proactive care at a sustainable cost, our providers unrivaled coordination of care, and our communities greater prosperity and stability.

As the country's largest physician-led, tax paying, integrated health care system, our doctors can be certain that we share their interests and those of their patients. Together we are on a mission to revolutionize the way health care is delivered - creating healthier lives, thriving communities and a better world.

Steward is among the nation's largest and most successful accountable care organizations (ACO), with more than 5,500 providers and 43,000 health care professionals who care for 12.3 million patients a year through a closely integrated network of hospitals, multispecialty medical groups, urgent care centers, skilled nursing facilities and behavioral health centers.

Based in Dallas, Steward currently operates 39 hospitals across Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah.

For more information, visit www.steward.org.

About Build Health International:

Build Health International (BHI) believes that every person has a right to quality healthcare. By designing, building, equipping, and maintaining healthcare infrastructure in low resource settings, BHI develops dignified care spaces and solutions that elevate the quality and accessibility of healthcare worldwide. Working closely with Ministries of Health, partner organizations, and local workforces, BHI promotes sustainable design, empowers communities, and enables access to dignified and affordable healthcare for some of the world's most resource-poor populations.

SOURCE Steward Health Care