From left: Tigist Asseged and Germaine Dorfeuille prepare a stretcher for patient transport.

For 40 years, Germaine Dorfeuille, a supervisor in Central Transport and Equipment Services, has called the Brigham her second home. With a passion for helping others, she takes immense pride ensuring she and her team provide safe, courteous and timely transport of patients and equipment.

“I come in to work every day and feel like a little kid on their birthday,” said Dorfeuille, who started her career in Central Transport as a patient transporter. “I cannot put into words what the Brigham, our patients and the Central Transport team mean to me. I hope I can work here for another 40 years.”

A department within Inpatient Clinical Services, Central Transport is responsible for transporting patients, medical equipment and other patient care-related items throughout the hospital. The 125-person team operates 24/7, 365 days a year, transporting patients to and from testing and clinical appointments throughout the main campus, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as to the Brigham’s main lobby areas at discharge. They also provide transport from the Brigham’s helipad.

In addition to the transport of patients, Central Transport moves specimens to laboratories, disinfects transport and patient equipment, delivers oxygen tanks and responds to emergency codes.
The department also plays an important role in hospital-wide projects to improve patient care. Last January, Central Transport joined a multidisciplinary team to assist with a mattress conversion project, which involved replacing nearly 800 mattresses in patient care areas throughout the Brigham. In May, Central Transport staff were among the 12 teams that replaced about 3,800 large-volume infusion pumps with a new model, the Baxter Spectrum IQ pump.

Raul Rodriguez, the department’s senior manager, has worked in Central Transport for 30 years. Like Dorfeuille, he started at the Brigham as a transporter. He is proud of his team and everything they do to support patients, families and employees.

“We function as part of the patient care team, and every request we receive is treated with the high level of respect it deserves,” Rodriguez said. “We are proactive, and each one of us is always willing to help.”

One part of the job that Rodriguez enjoys most is witnessing members of his team train one another and coach each other on different safety protocols and hospital systems, initiatives and procedures. Staff also mentor student interns and volunteers on the team.

Erlande Jean-Louis, a manager in Central Transport, said she and the team enjoy having the opportunity to mentor young students.

“We provide them with the tools they need to succeed and, through our work and interactions with patients and colleagues, inspire them to pursue a career in health care in the future,” Jean-Louis said.

For members of the Central Transport team, their interactions with new patients and those who come to the Brigham regularly for care make each day rewarding.

“Many patients request our transporters by name,” Rodriguez said. “We have the privilege to hear patients’ stories and learn from them. They appreciate that we are always here to help them, no matter the time of day.”

“Behind the Scenes” is a monthly series that provides a glimpse of the people whose everyday contributions help make the Brigham a world-class institution. Is there a team you’d like to see featured? Send your ideas to bulletin@bwh.harvard.edu.

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