Betsy Nabel addresses BWH employees.

Earlier this week, BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, provided a comprehensive update on several key issues to a full crowd of employees in Bornstein Amphitheater and those tuning in by webcast. Town Meeting topics consisted of an update on nursing contract negotiations (see related story), institutional strategy, and building upgrades and planning projects.

“As we think about BWH, our values today are the same as they were 100 years ago,” said Nabel in outlining the institutional strategy. “The foundation of everything we do is exceptional patient care, research, education and caring for our community.”

Nabel walked attendees through the hospital’s seven strategic priorities and three areas of focus: discovery and innovation, leading-edge care redesign and business development. (Learn more about BWH’s strategic commitments and areas of focus in a special issue of BWH Bulletin on June 24.)

Steve Dempsey, director of Planning and Construction, detailed several of BWH’s ongoing and upcoming capital projects, providing updates on the BBF, NICU and Emergency Department expansions, The Garden Café progress, Thorn Building and 221 Longwood Ave. upgrades, and main entrance renovations at 75 Francis St.

During the question-and-answer session, employees asked about access to standing desks, reduced seating in the Shapiro Center’s Miller Atrium and alternate routes for patient stretchers so that, in the interest of patient safety and privacy, they do not pass through the hospital’s temporary dining areas. Luis Soto, director of Central Transport and Environmental Services, shared that he has put a plan in place for alternate patient transport routes that avoid dining and other busy areas.

If you missed Town Meeting, view the webcast here.