Expanded Partnership Announced

Riverside Community Care and Milford Regional Medical Center have a long-standing relationship.  For over 17 years the two organizations have worked closely together to provide high quality medical and behavioral healthcare.  It was announced that this partnership has now evolved to a new level as Riverside was recently named as the Medical Center’s Division of Behavioral Medicine.

Tom Horn, M.D, a well-respected psychiatrist who works for Riverside, is now the Chairperson of this new Division of Behavioral Medicine.  Dr. Horn’s credentials are impressive and include roles as Associate Medical Director of Behavioral Health for Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, Area Medical Director & Interim Deputy Commissioner for the MA Department of Mental Health, and Chief of Clinical Services at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in PA. His years of experience, both clinically and in leadership positions, make him the ideal person to lead the integration of medical and behavioral healthcare approaches to improve patient care.

Under Dr. Horn’s direction, Riverside will help develop and improve the behavioral healthcare policies and procedure at Milford Regional Medical Center. This includes effectively integrating behavioral healthcare onto the medical units and establishing a comprehensive approach to intervening with patients who present with both medical and behavioral health issues.  By widening the scope of evaluation used to diagnose new patients, this partnership will improve both patient care and shorten the length of stay that a patient experiences in the hospital.  This in turn, will also help lower costs for both the hospital and the patient.  Riverside will continue to provide consultation on medical units, evaluations in the emergency room, and provide treatment through the Urgent Behavioral Health program in Upton (part of the Milford Regional Medical Center family that is managed by Riverside).

Milford Regional’s longstanding partnership with Riverside Community Care has benefited patients at our Medical Center for many years,” said Francis M. Saba, CEO of Milford Regional Medical Center. “Broadening Riverside’s participation in our healthcare system through a new division of Behavioral Medicine will enhance the level of care that we provide to some of our most needy patients.  With our own practitioners and those from Riverside, we look forward to strengthening and expanding our behavioral health services to better serve our patients and to provide the level and quality of service that both our organizations want.”

Our work over the years with Milford Regional Medical Center has created a strong partnership and we’re excited to announce this Division”, said Scott M. Bock, President /CEO of Riverside Community Care.   “We’re well poised for the healthcare change that is unfolding in MA (and the country) as we integrate primary and behavioral healthcare.”

About Milford Regional Medical Center

Milford Regional Medical Center is a full-service, community and regional teaching hospital serving a 20-plus town region. This 121-bed, nonprofit, acute-care facility has close to 300 highly qualified physicians in multiple specialties on their medical staff, and has partnerships with highly regarded tertiary care hospitals in both Worcester and Boston. Milford Regional has received local, regional and national recognitions including Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. More detailed information is available on their Web site at milfordregional.org.

About Riverside Community Care

Each year Riverside Community Care provides more than 40,000 adults, children, and adolescents with a broad range of healthcare and human services.  We are an award-winning, non-profit organization offering programs in mental healthcare, developmental and cognitive disabilities, addiction treatment, and early childhood services.  We are here to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities by delivering compassionate, locally-based, integrated care.  Learn more at www.riversidecc.org.