The William W. Backus Hospital is a 213-bed, not-for-profit, acute care community hospital in

Norwich, Connecticut Norwich ( ) (also called "The Rose of New England") is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Yantic, Shetucket, and Quinebaug Rivers flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River flows south to Long ...

. Backus Hospital provides inpatient care for approximately 11,000 patients each year, and has more than 400,000 outpatient visits. The hospital operates outpatient centers in Colchester, Montville,

Ledyard Ledyard may refer to: *Ledyard (name) *Ledyard, Connecticut, United States *Ledyard, Iowa, United States *Ledyard, New York, United States *Ledyard Bridge, connecting New Hampshire and Vermont, United States {{disambiguation, geo ...

, and Plainfield; and the Backus Outpatient Care Center in Norwich.

History

The hospital was founded in 1893 by William Wolcott Backus and William A. Slater, in response to the region's growing healthcare needs. In 2008, Backus Hospital's Cancer Center received the

American College of Surgeons The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913.American College of Surgeons Online "What is the American College of Surgeons?"/ref> See also *American College of Physicians The American College o ...

Commission on Cancer's Outstanding Achievement Award, placing it among an elite group of cancer centers nationwide. In 2008, the hospital also earned the John D. Thompson Award for eliminating central line infections in its Critical Care Unit. In Dec 2015, the Board of Trustees named Bimal Patel President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 2016. Backus Hospital operates the state's only trauma center east of the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...

, and it is the only regional facility that has a helipad and support facility for LIFE STAR, Hartford Hospital's air ambulance helicopter. LIFE STAR provides advanced life support scene response and transport for the most critically injured and medically unstable patients in Connecticut. These patients are taken to Level I or Level II trauma centers across the state, according to state regulations. It is the most profitable hospital in the Hartford Healthcare System. On October 13, 2020, about 400 nurses at the hospital went on strike over contract negotiations and issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

External links

Official Website
{{authority control Hospitals in Connecticut Buildings and structures in Norwich, Connecticut Hospitals established in 1893 1893 establishments in Connecticut