Today is Griffin Hospital’s official 100th birthday.
To honor the occasion, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro gave the following the speech to Congress.
Madame Speaker: It gives me great pleasure to rise today to join all of those gathered to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Griffin Hospital.
On December 9, 1909, Ralph Colonna, a worker at Ansonia Brass was the first patient admitted to Griffin Hospital and thus began its distinguished history of providing quality health services to the communities of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.
When Griffin Hospital first opened its doors, it held just twenty-four beds. Today, Griffin Hospital has grown into one of the most respected health institutions in the country.
Its facilities cover hundreds of thousands of square feet and include the Griffin Imaging and Diagnostics Center, the Hewitt Ambulatory Pavilion, the Center for Cancer Care, the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center, Childbirth Center, as well as the only hospital based hospice service in Connecticut.
From Charles E. Clark, the hospital’s first president, to today’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Charmel, the unique vision of its strong leadership has allowed Griffin to expand its services to meet the changing needs of its patients and the community.
In fact, in 2005, much in part because of Griffin’s growing industry leadership position, Pat was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to
the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Perhaps most important is the culture of care that surrounds Griffin Hospital.
In 1992, Griffin adopted the Planetree patient-centered care philosophy – — promoting the development and implementation of innovative models of healthcare that focus on health and nurturing body, mind, and soul.
Just last year, Griffin became a “Designated Planetree Patient-Centered Hospital” which is the formal recognition of the hospital’s achievement and innovation in fostering an organizational culture that prioritizes patient comfort, dignity, empowerment, and well-being.
In following this patient-centered care philosophy, Griffin has also created an extraordinary work environment for all Griffin employees – — reflected in its recent celebration of its tenth consecutive year on FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.
Griffin Hospital not only provides outstanding care to its patients but also devotes programs and resources to benefit the greater community as well.
The Valley Parish Nurse Program, which today serves thirty-five churches throughout the Lower Naugatuck Valley, provides health education, screening and referral services to a total of thirty-five thousand parishioners with a primary focus on outreach efforts to the underserved, minority, and low-income populations.
Griffin also founded and sponsored the Healthy Valley project – — the goal of which is to make the Valley a better place in which to live, work, raise a family,
and enjoy life by measurably improving the quality of life and health of the community and its residents.
Healthy Valley also focused on enhancing regional economic development by making the community a better place for businesses to relocate and expand as well as for their employees to live.
An industry leader in providing quality patient-centered care and understanding that their involvement is fundamental to the continued growth and prosperity of its surrounding communities, there are innumerable ways in which Griffin Hospital has made a difference.
I am proud to stand today to congratulate the Board of Directors, administrators, and staff alike as they celebrate this very special occasion.
Today, as they mark their centennial anniversary, they not only celebrate their past accomplishments but, as they have for the last one hundred years, they look to the future – — to ensure that they continue to provide the best possible care to their patients and meet the ever-changing needs of our community.
I wish them all the best for another century of success.
