TOWNSHEND, Vt. – Cozy and cheerful, with bright and sunny rooms, flowers blooming on the windowsills, and a happy, attentive staff – does this sound like a good description for your next vacation getaway? Then you might be surprised to learn that these descriptions were part of a recent patient testimonial for Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital, on Grafton Road in Townshend, Vt.
Grace Cottage is indeed proof of the saying, “Good things come in small packages.”
People are often surprised by how many healthcare services they have access to at our facility, despite it being Vermont’s smallest hospital.
Located on a five-building campus just down the road from the busy intersection of VT Routes 30 & 35, Grace Cottage offers everything from primary care, geriatrics, pediatrics, and mental health appointments, to outpatient physical and occupational rehabilitation, to hospital inpatient care, and emergency care any time of day or night, every day of the year. This means you can come to us for your day-to-day healthcare needs – annual physicals, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and chronic conditions, vaccinations, mental health care, pediatric and geriatric screenings, and more, and have access to lab tests, CT scans, and x-rays just a few steps away. And there’s more. Grace Cottage also helps with short-term inpatient care and longer-term “swing bed” care for rehabilitation. There’s a hospice suite for those who need it. And an expertly trained staff with the latest diagnostic equipment is always ready to care for you in an emergency.
Many of our patients say that being at Grace Cottage is like coming home. They’re referring to that cozy, friendly atmosphere mentioned before. But truly, this label is also appropriate because we are a federally certified “Patient-Centered Medical Home.”
Why is this important? First, it’s important because the patient comes first. You get to decide what kind of care is right for you. And second, that fancy, complicated-sounding phrase means that our providers talk to each other. Your care is well coordinated by providers who follow up and follow through. That means that you, the patient, aren’t forgotten in the bureaucracy that sometimes surrounds healthcare. You are at the center of it all.
One recent patient from Chester, Vt., wrote to thank Grace Cottage, saying, “I enjoyed my stay at your ‘home.’” How often do you hear that about a hospital? If you need a new place for your healthcare, come home to Grace Cottage!