Ms. Schepici leads the 25-bed critical access facility located seven miles out to sea and accessible only by boat or air. The hospital cares for a year-round population of more than 20,000 that swells to well over 100,000 in the summer months. Under her leadership, the hospital has added more than 38 new clinical specialties to meet increasing demand and population growth, saving patients—many of whom are older than 65—difficult travel off-island for care. Initiatives to expand access to primary care have resulted in more than 1,200 new patients in island practices, reducing what was once a 1,000-person waiting list. She has led a campaign to address the critical need for workforce housing which has nearly reached its goal of $22 million and a 48-unit. A 76-bedroom building is under construction and expected to open in early 2025, helping to alleviate the cost of living on an island featuring a median housing price of $1.5 million. The hospital also supports the island’s only skilled nursing facility, caring for 30 residents, and Ms. Schepici has led efforts to transition the facility to a new small home model with increased capacity to 66 beds. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has been recognized by Commonwealth Institute for the past three years as one of the “Top 100 Women-led Businesses in Massachusetts” and by 2022 Best Hospitals Women’s Choice Awards as a top hospital for obstetrics, orthopedics and mammogram imaging.
