Release Date: 02/07/2017

(Providence, RI) -- On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, Butler Hospital’s leadership team and staff held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its newly constructed infusion suite for the hospital’s Memory and Aging Program.

The new Memory and Aging Program infusion suite, located in the Weld Building on the Butler Hospital campus, was designed with vital input from clinical staff and others who will use the space. The bright, spacious and modern facility includes a refurbished reception area configured for improved patient comfort and customer service, a more spacious and efficient nurse’s station within sightline to patients for improved safety, and a lab processing room conveniently located adjacent to the nurse’s station. The new space also includes a large treatment room, a new added feature that provides an improved experience for both staff and patients while conducting blood draws, EKG testing and vital sign screening.  

“Our new state-of-the-art infusion suite offers patients a relaxing environment while receiving the compassionate care they’ve come to expect from Butler Hospital,” said Mary Marran, president and COO, Butler Hospital.

She added, “I really hope that this new facility will make living with Alzheimer’s disease a little easier for patients who deserve a treatment experience that decreases their stress levels, and puts them more at ease.”

Stephen Salloway, MD, MS, is a leading Alzheimer’s disease researcher, and founder of the Memory and Aging Program at Butler Hospital. He is also a Martin M. Zucker Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Neurology, and Associate Director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Brown University.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Salloway said, “We’re in a very exciting time for Alzheimer’s research, with promising breakthroughs happening at a rapid pace that are bringing significant advancements in treatment, diagnosis and prevention. The increase in the number and variety of studies and trials we’re now conducting here at Butler Hospital reflects that. This new space is critical for growth, providing the expanded modern facility necessary for carrying out cutting-edge research. We are so grateful to our donors and supporters for helping to make this a reality. Together with our many study volunteers we are opening the modern era for the treatment of Alzheimer’s.”

The infusion area itself was designed to provide for either a contemplative or communal experience, depending on the patient's preference. Eight new infusion bays offer more privacy, space and comfort for patients to relax while investigational medications are administered, as well as an additional chair to allow caregivers to comfortably stay with the patient throughout the infusion process. There is also a new, conveniently located nourishment station for patients and caregivers, and a sitting area where they can gather to eat lunch, play cards, or work on puzzles during the post-infusion monitoring period.

About Butler Hospital

Butler Hospital, a member of Care New England, is the only private, nonprofit psychiatric and substance abuse hospital serving adults, seniors and adolescents in Rhode Island and southeastern New England. Founded in 1844, it was the first hospital in Rhode Island and has earned a reputation as the leading provider of innovative psychiatric treatments in the region. The Major Affiliated Teaching Hospital for Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Butler is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in conducting cutting-edge research.

About the Memory and Aging Program at Butler Hospital

The Memory & Aging Program (MAP) at Butler Hospital is a worldwide leader in Alzheimer’s disease research and a local Rhode Island partner in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. An affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, MAP has a 25-year history of excellence in Alzheimer’s clinical care, training, and research aimed at developing new and better ways to detect, treat, and someday even prevent Alzheimer’s. Individuals who wish to be considered for participation in current and future research studies and clinical trials conducted at the Memory and Aging Program for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease can join the program’s Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry at Butler Hospital online at butler.org/ALZregistry or by calling (401) 455-6402.