North Shore Medical Center Will Offer Sex Assault Care

SALEM, MA — Under a partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, North Shore Medical Center in Salem will become the first hospital on the North Shore to offer enhanced services for sexual assault patients. The program, which launches next month, includes specialized training for 16 emergency department nurses and makes use of secure, video-conferencing technology that will allow hospital staff to work with expert Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) to provide patients with additional support.

The SANE experts will be able to guide the nurses through examinations, information gathering and evidence collection. Under the program, NSMC will also work with the YWCA North Shore Rape Crisis Center, Essex County Children's Advocacy Center, Disabled Persons Protection Commission, and local law enforcement.