A Guide to Caregiving in Massachusetts Hospitals:

We are lucky to live in Massachusetts where we have some of the best hospitals in the world. Our hospitals are well known for their innovation, medical breakthroughs, and pioneering research. But all those discoveries would fail to save lives if it weren’t for the caring and compassionate team of trained professionals who take care of you when you are in one of our hospitals.

Being a patient in a hospital can be upsetting. You know and trust your doctor but he or she isn’t going to be at your side throughout your stay. So, who is?

The answer is – a lot of people will be taking care of you and it all depends on how ill you are, what kind of care you need, and what kind of hospital is treating you.

This website is designed to show you – on a unit-by-unit basis for each hospital in the Commonwealth – who will be on staff to help you or a loved one during a hospital stay.

Please remember: Each patient is unique and his or her conditions may change from hour-to-hour, shift-to-shift, thereby requiring changes to the staffing plans outlined on this site. Also, remember: the following are staffing plans. Massachusetts hospitals are committed to filing their actual plans beginning next year and to explain what actions were taken if there is a significant variation from the plan (+/-5%).

Making staffing plans available through this website and through public posting in hospitals is unique to Massachusetts. We’re the first state to do it and we’re proud of our commitment to keeping patients informed about the care they receive. In the future we’re committed to posting hospital-specific information – in an easy-to-understand way – about certain care measures relating to nurse staffing.

This website will also explain the people who work in our hospitals and how they may be involved in your care.

Below, you can print out a brochure to take with you when you go to the hospital or when visiting a friend or loved one.

“Patients First, the program that has been launched in Massachusetts, stands out as one of the most innovative, unique, and bold initiatives in public accountability for quality patient care.”

“It Takes a Team” Consumer Brochure:

The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) and the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE) has created a brochure to explain:

• Who’s Who on your hospital team
• Questions you should ask about your stay
• And how to evaluate the care you are receiving.

Please click the link below to download the Consumer Brochure:

“It Takes a Team” - (Hi-res 5MB PDF)

"It Takes a Team" (Spanish version) - (Hi-res 5MB PDF)

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to email us.