News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Joyce Brennan
Public Information Officer
Southcoast Health System
Phone: 508-961-5270
Fax: 508-961-5876
Pager: 508-387-9605
brennanj@southcoast.org
www.southcoast.org/news/releases/
Tobey suspends some services due to air conditioning failure
WAREHAM, Mass. — Tobey Hospital in Wareham has temporarily suspended some
services due to the failure of the hospital’s main air conditioning system. The hospital is currently
running on its backup system, which has more limited capacity.
The hospital is currently rescheduling surgeries through Thursday, with the exception of
some endoscopies and colonoscopies, with plans to evaluate as the week progresses. Emergency
services and Tobey ExpressCare continue to be operational.
“Patient safety is our number one concern. We will continue to work with our physicians
and staff to notify patients of any changes or further suspension of services as soon as the
information becomes available,” said Elaine Meredith, Vice President & Site Administrator at
Tobey Hospital. “We are taking extensive measures to ensure that all patients are cared for safely
while at the same time limiting any inconvenience for those patients who need to be rescheduled.
“Hospital equipment and areas such as surgical suites must operate at a certain
temperature level and humidity rate to maintain efficiency and infection control standards. The
hospital has put into effect its emergency management plan and is currently dedicating a team of
professionals to ensure that all standards are being met and patients are receiving quality care,”
Meredith said.
-more-
Tobey suspends some services due to air conditioning failure
Page 2 of 2
August 4, 2008
The following is an overview of current services at Tobey Hospital:

Emergency Department: Emergency services continue to be operational.

Surgical services: All surgeries are being rescheduled or transferred to another
location. Patients who were scheduled to have surgery at Tobey Hospital on Monday,
August 4, through Thursday, August 7, are being contacted by Tobey Hospital staff
or their physician’s office.

Outpatient services, including maternity: Patients coming to the hospital for
laboratory services, labor and delivery, respiratory services such as EKG, holter
monitoring and pulmonary function testing should proceed to the hospital as normal.

Diagnostic Imaging: Patients coming to the hospital for diagnostic imaging —
including X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, mammography and nuclear medicine — should
proceed to the hospital as normal.

CT scans: Patients scheduled for elective CT scans at Tobey Hospital will be
rescheduled.
The hospital will be providing updates as they are available on its website at
www.southcoast.org.
About Southcoast Health System & Southcoast Hospitals Group
Southcoast Health System is a community based health delivery system with multiple
access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern
Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up
Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in
New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
Southcoast provides advanced clinical services, such as open heart surgery, angioplasty
and heart rhythm services, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery, orthopedic surgery and advanced
imaging services. Southcoast is a not-for-profit charitable organization that depends on the
support of the community to provide services.
More information is available online at www.southcoast.org.
# # #