Yale New Haven Hospital celebrates five years since two became one

At a celebration to kick off the anniversary of the YNHH – Hospital of Saint Raphael integration, hospital President Richard D’Aquila shared major milestones over the past five years.

Yale New Haven Hospital and the Hospital of Saint Raphael came together as one hospital Sept. 12, 2012. Today, Yale New Haven can reflect on many accomplishments over the past five years that once may have seemed unimaginable.

At the onset of the integration, YNHH committed to making significant investments in the Saint Raphael Campus (SRC) as part of a vision to enhance the quality of care and expand access to that care for people in New Haven, across Connecticut and beyond.

“Yale New Haven Hospital has made good on that promise,” said Richard D’Aquila, president. “Since 2012, we have invested more than $130 million in the Saint Raphael Campus.”

The investments started with the renovation of the Sister Louise Anthony general medicine unit, followed by several other patient care units, operating rooms, a cardiac catheterization lab and the cafeteria.

YNHH also created centers of excellence in several specialty areas based at the SRC, including the Center for Restorative Care for Older Adults, Center for Musculoskeletal Care and Gastrointestinal Surgery Center. The hospital is making significant investments in the McGivney Ambulatory Surgery Center, the latest MRI equipment and a number of infrastructure improvements.

“Even more important than the infrastructure changes, Yale New Haven gained 3,500 experienced, skilled and dedicated employees and more than 400 physicians,” D’Aquila said.

Other major milestones in the past five years include implementing Epic on both campuses; gaining Joint Commission accreditation twice; committing to becoming a high reliability organization; and having both campuses achieve Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

“Combining two hospitals is a complex, long-term process. It affects thousands of employees, physicians, patients and community members, many of whom had long affiliations with one or the other hospital,” D’Aquila said. “While I am proud that we’ve come together as one team with a new common culture, our work to make our combined, single hospital the best medical center in the region is not over. The journey continues today and will well into the future.”

As part of the five-year anniversary celebration, employees were invited to enjoy a treat from the hospital cafeterias and receive a keychain as a token of appreciation.