From left: Liz Lopez, Dwaygth Guaman, Vasillios Tsiakanikas, Michelle Clarke, Manny Morse and Yamigza Torres

Reflecting on her 30 years of service at the Brigham, Gloria Rosario-Ruiz, an inventory controller in the Operating Room/Clinical Service Specialties Central Sterile Processing, can’t help but smile when she thinks about all the wonderful opportunities she’s been afforded during her time here.

“I feel proud to work at the Brigham,” Rosario-Ruiz said. “My favorite part about working here is knowing that no matter what I’m doing, all of it benefits our patients.”

On June 6, Rosario-Ruiz and hundreds of other BWHers were honored during the 38th annual Employee Service Awards ceremony. Attendees came together in the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School to celebrate the dedication and achievements of those who have worked at BWH in increments of five years, from five to 50 years.

Hospital leaders kicked off the awards presentations by recounting milestones and events that occurred at each five-year interval.

The fun and upbeat presentation by eight senior leaders had the audience dancing in their seats and shaking noisemakers. Attendees tapped their toes to songs that were popular from each five-year interval, including Beyonce’s “Put a Ring on It,” and “Dance to the Music” by Sly and the Family Stone.

BWHers with 20 years of service or more shared heartwarming, fun or little-known facts about themselves that were read aloud by an announcer during the ceremony. Several honorees reflected on how memorable it was to meet their spouse at the Brigham or have their children here. Others shared meaningful milestones, ranging from obtaining their master’s in nursing to promotions and awards. Some of these stories were also shared in a video that was played during the ceremony.

Among those celebrating at this year’s ceremony was Martin Van Denburgh, an information systems manager in the Division of Preventive Medicine, who has worked at the Brigham for 40 years.

Betty Santini Rowe, MSN, RN, a nurse in the Division of Hematology, who was also recognized for 40 years of service this year, recounted one of her fondest Brigham memories: seeing how her colleagues came together during the Blizzard of 1978 to ensure patient care was uninterrupted.

Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, congratulated this year’s recipients and noted how proud she is of all that they do for patients, their families, our community and each other.

“Today we honor you — the heart and soul of the Brigham,” Nabel said.

Also congratulating employees was Paula Squires, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, senior vice president of Human Resources.

“It’s an honor to celebrate all of you today,” Squires said. “At times like this, I am struck by the power of a committed group of individuals to make a difference. You continue to inspire us with your passion and commitment to our precious mission.”

From left: Wendy Chan, Maddy Pearson, Jessica Levy, Colleen Tully, Katherine Shea and Betsy Nabel at the Magnet celebration

On May 24, BWH celebrated Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), marking a historic moment for the institution as it joins the 8 percent of U.S. hospitals honored with this elite recognition.

The news was announced that day during a dramatic reveal in Bornstein Amphitheater, with BWH Magnet champions, nursing leaders and Brigham Health senior leadership listening to a call from ANCC. To thank all staff for their role in this extraordinary achievement, the Brigham hosted a series of celebrations at the main campus on June 1, which included an indoor breakfast and lunch buffets, as well as an outdoor festival in Stoneman Centennial Park with food trucks, music and carnival games.Celebratory events are being planned at several of the Brigham’s offsite locations as well. View the schedule here and view photos from the June 1 celebration here.

Maddy Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and senior vice president for Patient Care Services, recently spoke with BWH Bulletin about this significant milestone.

What Was It Like To Hear We Received Magnet Designation?

MP: It was perfect. Having all of us in the room, having it announced live in Bornstein Amphitheater, having the Magnet champions up there with us, the music, the confetti cannons — all of it made the moment so beautiful, exciting and memorable. It was tremendous to celebrate with not only our Magnet champions but also our nursing leaders and hospital leadership. I will always remember seeing Dr. Nabel’s face light up with joy when we heard the announcement.

Another special piece was that the news was delivered by a member of our Partners HealthCare family: Jeanette Ives Erickson, DNP, RN, FAAN, chief nurse emerita at Massachusetts General Hospital, who is a Magnet commissioner. Hearing her voice on the other end of the phone made it that much sweeter.

On top of that, continuing the celebration on June 1 with everyone on the main campus was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to doing the same with our colleagues across the distributed campus. There was so much joy and camaraderie at the June 1 event, and the teams that pulled it together in such a short time did an absolutely remarkable job. From the hot breakfast to the outdoor carnival to the “Celebrating Magnet” banner wrapped around the Shapiro bridge and Partners shuttles, everything has been magnificent.

Why Is This Designation So Meaningful?

MP: Because we join roughly 8 percent of elite health care organizations around this country that have shown a deep commitment to patient care and patient outcomes, as well as our practice environment for staff and providers. We believed we had always functioned at that level, and now we have that external validation.

So, Does This Mean The Magnet Journey Is Over?

MP: Not at all — the journey continues! When the Magnet appraisers come back in four years, they are going to expect us to have improved our processes, achieved better patient outcomes and implemented a more robust practice environment across the entire organization — which is right, because we shouldn’t stand still. We should continually build on what we have in place.

Can You Share More Detail About How We Plan To Do That?

MP: First, we are taking a deep dive into our committee and our council structure to identify how to expand staff and nurse engagement to produce better processes and better patient outcomes.

Additionally, we are focused on developing strategies to improve wellness, resiliency and joy for all staff. We work in a very busy place and often face difficult situations, including challenging and sometimes negative outcomes. It’s vital that we have the resources and programs in place to support staff wellness.

These efforts are complemented by our important work around leadership development. To create a robust practice environment, you need leaders — including, but not limited to, nurse leaders — who have the skills, knowledge and support to create an environment where staff thrive.

What Have You Found Most Inspiring Over The Past Year?

MP: Without a doubt, the passion and dedication shown by our Magnet champions, nursing leaders and our entire nursing staff. They believed in this journey, as did I, every step of the way. They were relentless in rallying not only their nurse colleagues but also the entire institution so that we could be recognized for the amazing care delivered here. We all very much believed that we were already a Magnet organization, so when you have that conviction, the rest falls into place. I cannot overstate how inspiring their tireless advocacy, enthusiasm and hard work has been.

In addition, our Magnet journey gave us the opportunity to showcase the incredible interprofessional collaboration that happens here every day. I was so proud to see this reflected in the final report from the Commission on Magnet, which recognized interprofessional collaboration in two of the three exemplars — indicating areas where we exceeded best practice — that we received in addition to our designation. I truly believe that this commitment to collaboration is the spirit of the Brigham, and the way it shines through in everything we do is so inspiring.

BWH celebrated its receipt of Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) on May 24, marking a historic moment for the institution as it joined the 8 percent of U.S. hospitals honored with this elite recognition.

The news was announced during a dramatic reveal in Bornstein Amphitheater, with Brigham Health senior leadership, nursing leaders and BWH Magnet champions listening to a live broadcast of the call from ANCC sharing its decision.

“The commission on Magnet has unanimously voted to credential Brigham and Women’s Hospital,” the ANCC representative said. Cheers immediately erupted in Bornstein while confetti rained down. BWHers hugged each other in celebration, some shedding tears of joy for the culmination of a journey that began in 2014.

While the Magnet Recognition Program’s roots are in nursing, it honors the work and culture of an entire institution.

In a hospital-wide memo announcing the news, Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, and Chief Nursing Officer and Service Vice President for Patient Care Services Maddy Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, thanked staff for the exceptional work they do every day and for their tireless efforts throughout the Magnet journey.

“We have believed for quite some time that the high-quality care we provide and our staff support structures satisfy the criteria for Magnet. We are so proud to announce that it’s now official,” Nabel and Pearson wrote.

Noting that several of the Magnet standards are specific to nursing, Nabel and Pearson extended a special congratulation to the Brigham’s 3,500 nurses for this recognition of the care they provide as part of a multidisciplinary team.

“Receiving Magnet designation affirms what we and our patients already knew: that nursing care at the Brigham is second to none,” Nabel and Pearson wrote.

An event celebrating this achievement will be held Friday, June 1. Stay tuned to your BWH email for more details.

Learn and Teach About Asthma, June 9
Presented by Christopher Fanta, MD, and Jacqueline Rodriguez-Louis, MPH, MEd. Saturday, June 9, 8:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m., at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont St., Roxbury. This continuing education program is open to all, but it is specifically tailored for patient care assistants, medical assistants, outreach workers, childcare providers and nurses. For more information and to register, call 617-732-7464.

Training Opportunity: Unconscious Bias, June 13
This two-hour program explores how our unconscious works to create bias and what we can do to “get conscious” about the decisions we make daily – whom we hire, who gets medical treatment and how we treat one another. This course is recommended for leaders and employees at all levels. To register, visit PeopleSoft and search for Course Code: BWHUB, or email FDiaz2@partners.org.

Run the Falmouth Road Race, Aug. 19
The 46th annual race is a seven-mile route along the shore from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights. The race will take place on Sunday, Aug. 19. Members of the team run to raise funds for BWH, BWFH or The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at BWH. The fundraising commitment is a minimum of $1,000. Runners are responsible for the Falmouth Road Race registration fee of $175 per runner. Visit BWHEvents.org/Falmouth for more information and to register. Email BWHteam@partners.org or call 617-424-4235 with questions.

Nominate a Colleague for the Brigham Way
The Brigham Way is about going above and beyond what is required of you to make BWH a better place for all who come through our doors. Tell us about how you or one of your colleagues go above and beyond, and your nomination could be featured on PikeNotes and TV screens across the distributed campus. Email your nomination to TheBrighamWay@partners.org.

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The BWH community is invited to attend the 38th annual Employee Service Awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 6, starting at 2 p.m., in the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. Each year, the ceremony honors employees who have worked at the hospital in increments of five years.

Join colleagues, friends and family members, along with BWH leadership, in celebrating employees with five through 50 years of service with music, festivities and a reception after the ceremony. Those who have worked at BWH in increments of five, 10, and 15 years will be recognized collectively. BWHers who’ve worked at the hospital for 20 through 50 years will be honored individually. 

Jonathan Potter uses Cogito Companion while taking his dog, Beau, for a walk.

This following is an excerpt from the article “Pocket Docs” in the summer issue of Brigham Health magazine. View the complete issue here.

As digital tools simplify everyday tasks and transactions, patients and providers alike are looking to mobile apps to augment care at home and on the go. At the forefront of this work, BWH innovators are building, testing and deploying evidence-based, user-friendly technologies to improve patients’ lives. 

BWH patient Jonathan Potter was initially skeptical of digital health apps and their claims to transform people’s wellness. However, after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he was willing to try almost anything to feel better. 

Thanks to a novel collaboration between BWH researchers and a mobile app developer, Potter is one of several patients benefitting from the use of a smartphone app called Cogito Companion, which can assess a person’s mood and emotional well-being based on their voice and physical activity.

Cogito Companion has unconventional origins for a health app: It was originally developed for the customer service industry, using machine-learning algorithms and advanced voice analysis to help agents gauge callers’ attitudes in real time and suggest techniques to improve customer satisfaction. Like an ultra-precise mood detector, the program is so attuned to unconscious, nonverbal signals like tempo, emphasis and mimicry, the software’s developers can’t successfully mimic an upset-sounding voice and fool the system into sensing true distress.

Several years ago, researchers at BWH wondered if Cogito’s emotional intelligence could help people living with depression or other conditions. 

Led by David Ahern, PhD, director of the Behavioral Informatics and eHealth program in the Department of Psychiatry, the team worked with developers at Cogito to pair the software with smartphone sensors. As patients speak into their phones or move throughout the day, the app analyzes patterns in their speech and activity to track their emotional well-being. The data give clinicians a chance to respond sooner to warning signs and have richer conversations with patients.

An early user of the app, Potter first learned about Cogito Companion while attending a support group for patients with PTSD at Brigham and Women’s Advanced Primary Care Associates, South Huntington. On his daily walks with his dog, Beau, Potter recorded his thoughts in the app. Hoping to receive a positive report, he initially tried his best to sound upbeat. After one recording, he was stunned when Companion sent him an alert that he sounded down.

“I knew how Companion was supposed to work, but I didn’t believe it actually worked until I saw the way it was interpreting my messages,” Potter said. “It was listening to how I expressed my thoughts, not the actual words I was saying. It was like talking to a friend who really cared about how I was doing – someone who would call me on saying I’m fine when I’m obviously not.”

The Future of Care

The insights gained from apps like Companion could fundamentally change the way providers monitor their patients’ mental health conditions, Ahern explained.

“Having sophisticated, built-in sensors in our pockets creates opportunities for observing and understanding how we live that didn’t exist 10 years ago,” Ahern said. “What providers do with that information could be an even bigger change. That will require us to move toward a population health strategy – not just filling out surveys at appointments and waiting to see how patients are doing, but actually following them in real time and knowing when their care needs to escalate.”

The best of what’s to come with digital health may be its power to extend the reach of health care, as actions and conversations that used to occur only in an exam room can now happen anywhere. Integrating wearables and devices into routine care will take time, however, since they don’t fit traditional health care delivery models.

“Wearables and apps fit health care models of the future: population health, precision medicine and personalized care,” Ahern said. “Systems will need to evolve to enable care delivery with these devices without compromising privacy – and we’re seeing that evolution now.”

For Potter, having a tool that can identify concerning behavior with such objectivity and clarity could be especially helpful for patients who are struggling.

“I’m lucky to have people in my life who care about me and how I’m doing, but others might not, or they might not want to talk openly about their mental health,” he said. “In that way, this app could really help people feel less alone and get the help they need.”

Open Forum: Art in Bornstein, May 22
It is vital that our institution continues to be a place where all staff, patients and families feel welcome. All staff are invited to share their reflections and suggestions about the art in Bornstein Amphitheater – the main gathering point for our Brigham community – at an open forum on Tuesday, May 22, 2-3 p.m. in Bornstein. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to RSVP. If you are unable to attend the event, please submit your comments to BWHArtCommittee@partners.org.

Donors Needed: Blood Drive, June 7
The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center will host a blood drive at 15 Francis St. on Thursday, June 7, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Donate blood aboard the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women’s Hospital Blood Mobile. All donations benefit patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and BWH. Donors will receive a free Kraft Family Blood Donor Center lunch thermos. To schedule an appointment, visit tinyurl.com/15FrancisJun2018. For eligibility questions, email BloodDonor@partners.org or call 617-632-3206.

Save the Date: Walk from Obesity, June 9
Join members of the Brigham and Women’s Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as they participate in the “Walk from Obesity” on Saturday, June 9, at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. Funds raised will support the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation. Visit WalkfromObesity.com for more information.

Host an Intern, Requests Due by June 12
The Partners in Career and Workforce Development Health Care Training and Employment Program is looking for departments to host an unpaid intern for four weeks, beginning the week of June 25, with the possibility of extension. The program prepares experienced, dedicated individuals for careers within Partners. The deadline to request an intern is Tuesday, June 12. Learn more.

From left: Kristina, Rosemary and Katie Wickman

While “the Brigham family” typically refers to the close-knit community at BWH, the phrase takes on a more literal meaning for some staff. In honor of Mother’s Day, BWH Bulletin highlights a few Brigham moms whose children followed in their footsteps to work here.

Meet the ‘Brigham and Wickmans’ Family

There are dozens of reasons why Rosemary Wickman, RN, loves working at the Brigham, but one in particular stands out: being able to work with her daughters and fellow BWH nurses, Kristina Wickman, MSN, RN, and Katie Wickman, RN.

“It’s an absolute dream come true that I’m able to work with my daughters at the Brigham,” said Rosemary, a nurse in charge on Tower 14B. “I’m a very lucky mom.”

While each of the Wickmans works in a different unit, they all enjoy feeling connected through their family’s shared dedication to caring for patients and families. Living only a couple of miles from each other, they almost always commute together, and several times a week they have dinner together.

“We are the best of friends,” said Kristina, a nurse on Tower 6B. “Both Katie and I have learned so much from our mom about nursing.”

Kristina and Katie have fond memories of when their dad, Chuck, would bring them to the Brigham to visit their mom when they were younger: “We’d come in wearing our pajamas,” said Katie, a nurse in charge on Tower 14CD. “We were always so excited to see our mom at work.”

Rosemary said many of her colleagues remember meeting Kristina and Katie, who were born one year apart, when they were little girls. They said many people at the Brigham call them “Team Brigham and Wickmans,” a play on “Brigham and Women’s.”

“We all love the Brigham and can’t imagine working anywhere else,” Kristina said. “We are one happy Brigham family.”

During Mother’s Day weekend, Rosemary enjoyed spending time with her family. They visited a winery on Cape Cod and had dinner together: “It was perfect,” Rosemary said.

No Place Like Home

To say Julie Santiago and her son, Jonathan Santiago, grew up at the Brigham is no understatement.

Celebrating 30 years of service this year, Julie began working at BWH when she was in high school, landing a part-time job as a dispatcher for Central Transport. Now a senior practice assistant in the Phyllis Jen Center for Primary Care, Julie says the Brigham has always been a big part of their lives – particularly for Jonathan, who was born here.

In 2002, Jonathan joined BWH as a volunteer in Materials Management. Today, he is director of the department. In the interim, he served in various roles at BWH and, until earlier this year, BWFH as its first internal manager of Materials Management.

“When Jonathan was offered his current job, he said to me, ‘I’m coming back home, Mom,’ because he calls the Brigham home,” said Julie, who celebrated Mother’s Day with Jonathan, his wife and their three children.

Julie and Jonathan said they feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to see each other so frequently at work, especially because they now live an hour apart, and try to have lunch together every day.

Of the many things Jonathan admires about his mother, one trait stands out above all: her unwavering dedication to her patients at the Jen Center.

“My mom had me at a young age, and I have always admired how much she has accomplished in her career,” Jonathan said. “But it was really moving when I had the chance to see her importance and involvement in patient care – and how much her patients value everything she does.”

Appreciation for ‘Little Acts of Kindness’

Eddie Gorman is proud to call Janet Gorman, MM, BSN, RN, his mother.

“She’s wonderful, smart and supportive,” said Eddie, an admitting officer in Patient Access Services. “I enjoy working with her and learning from her every day.”

Janet – associate chief nursing officer for the Emergency Department, Float Pool and nursing administrators – said it’s fun commuting to work with her son and seeing him at the Brigham throughout the day. Sometimes, Eddie will surprise his mom with a cup of coffee: “Those little acts of kindness mean a lot to me,” Janet said.

Janet said many people at the Brigham don’t know that her son also works here. She added it’s fun when colleagues realize they are mother and son.

On Mother’s Day, Eddie showed his appreciation for his mother with flowers, which Janet planted in her garden at home.

A Great Role Model

With a career at BWH spanning nearly 18 years, Vivianne Ashfield, a practice assistant at Occupational Health Services’ mid-campus clinic, has many happy memories in her time at the Brigham. Now, she looks forward to creating a new collection of special moments here with her daughter, Nathalie Ashfield, who became an executive staff assistant at BWH two months ago.

Although they don’t work together directly, Vivianne and Nathalie said they enjoy having the opportunity to meet for lunch or coffee several times a week.

“When life gets busy, it can be hard to get together. It’s been really nice being so close to her now and seeing each other a lot more,” said Nathalie, who celebrated Mother’s Day with her mother and grandmother at a Boston restaurant.

Nathalie, who previously worked at BWFH as a senior administrative assistant, said she looks up to her mother in many ways, especially in terms of her career. “She’s always been a very strong, independent woman, and her work ethic is really something that I admire,” she said.

The feeling is mutual. “I’m very proud of Nathalie – she has already accomplished a lot,” Vivianne said. “She’s really amazing.”

“I had a great role model,” Nathalie chimed in.

‘We Know We Have Each Other’

Stephanie Peña and her mother, Virtudes Carrasco, both feel a sense of comfort knowing they work right down the hall from each other at the Brigham.

Peña, a service coordinator in the Bretholtz Center for Patients and Families, said she cherishes the fact that her mom, who works in Central Transport, stops by Peña’s office before the start of each shift to say hello.

“That always brightens up my day,” said Peña, who has worked at BWH for almost 10 years.

Their Brigham bond has also brought them closer, Peña added: “We’ve become best friends. We know we have each other very close by if an emergency happened.”

Carrasco, who has worked at BWH for 17 years, looks forward to seeing her daughter at work throughout the day.

“I know that she is OK, and even if I don’t see her at home, I know the next day I will see her at the Brigham bright and early,” Carrasco said.

Blood, Platelet Donors Urgently Needed
The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors due to a severe drop in scheduled appointments. In May and June, donors will receive a Kraft Center lunch thermos. If you refer a friend who also books a donation appointment between now and Friday, May 25, you will each receive two free movie tickets to any Showcase Cinemas theater. To schedule an appointment, email BloodDonor@partners.org or call 617-632-3206.

Bay State Bike Week, May 12-20
CommuteWorks, a free benefit for employees of MASCO member institutions, is hosting several events during Bay State Bike Week. Events include a bike breakfast and bike checkups. In addition, bicyclists are invited to participate in the MassCommute Bicycle Challenge and will be eligible to win prizes. The weeklong celebration will conclude with a Bike Bash on Thursday, May 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Flat Top Johnny’s, 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge. Learn more at masco.org/bike-week-2018.

Hearing Screening for Staff, May 18
The Division of Otolaryngology is offering a free hearing screening for BWH employees on Friday, May 18, 8 a.m.-noon, in the ENT clinic, located in the 45 Francis St. lobby. No appointment is necessary. Call 617-525-6509 if you have questions.

Save the Date: Town Meeting, May 24
Join Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, for the next Town Meeting: An Open Forum for BWHers on Thursday, May 24, noon-1 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. Receive an update on important issues, followed by an open forum for discussion and Q&A. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to submit your questions or topics of interest in advance by completing a brief survey. Town Meeting will be webcast for those who cannot attend in person, and there will be an opportunity for webcast viewers to ask questions during the event.

For nearly two centuries, the Brigham and its predecessor institutions have been recognized for unparalleled patient care, groundbreaking research, outstanding medical education and our steadfast commitment to supporting communities locally and globally.

This world-renowned identity, image and reputation is an important asset. Every BWHer has a responsibility to help build and protect the Brigham Health brand, and a new campaign, “Stand for Our Brand,” calls on all staff to do their part.

How can you take a stand for our brand? It’s as easy as one, two, three:

Contact the Office of Strategic Communication at 617-525-6370 or BWHbranding@bwh.harvard.edu with any questions.

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Francisco Marty, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases, fondly remembers the first camera he ever received – a childhood gift from his father. While Marty enjoyed experimenting with it for a short time, it wasn’t until he entered medical school that he returned to photography.

The reunion was practical at first. Looking to better understand the patient cases he was studying in school, Marty tried medical photography and soon accumulated a library of images. As time went on, he was drawn to photography as a creative outlet and began taking pictures of both urban and natural landscapes with a more artistic eye.

Standing in front of a sample of his photos exhibited at the Brigham’s 17th annual Medicine and the Muse event, which showcases artistic and musical talents of BWH faculty and trainees, Marty said he enjoys sharing his passion for photography with the Brigham community.

“In addition to helping me find a meaningful work-life balance, art is a very good way to communicate with colleagues, trainees and patients,” he said. “When my patients find out I do photography, it becomes a way to talk about something that’s different from their illness – it provides a common ground, solace and hope for so many of them.”

Co-hosted by the Department of Medicine and the Internal Medicine Residency Program, the annual event consists of a visual arts exhibition and live musical performances. A silent auction at the event also benefits a different nonprofit each year. Funds from this year’s event, held May 3 in Cabot Atrium, were gifted to Possible, an organization working to provide affordable, high-quality health care in rural Nepal.

Alexandrea Ramnarine, a technical research assistant in the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, shared a mixed-media exhibit that illustrated the intersection between science and art. A recent Boston College graduate who majored in biochemistry and minored in studio art, Ramnarine said her creative outlet has been rewarding in unexpected ways.

Cape Neddick Lighthouse in York, Maine; photograph by Francisco Marty. Click to view full size.

“When it comes to lab work, I’m a perfectionist. But with art, I don’t have to be that person,” she said. “I used to throw out so many pieces because they didn’t come out how I’d wanted them to. Eventually, I realized that art allows you to make mistakes, which has helped me grow up a lot from a mentality of only seeing one way to do something to seeing different paths.”

Daniel Kuritzkes, MD, chief of Infectious Diseases, opened the musical portion of the event with a moving piano performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-flat major, Op. 26. Kuritzkes dedicated the piece, also known as Beethoven’s “Funeral March,” to a beloved colleague who recently passed away.

Before beginning a duet performance of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose,” senior BWH cardiologist Thomas Michel, MD, PhD, wrapped his arms around an accordion and asked attendees to imagine they were on the banks of the Seine River in Paris. He was joined on stage by resident Anastasia Vishnevetsky, MD, who played an accordion and sang the romantic ballad in French.

Also among the evening’s memorable moments was an original composition by resident Omar Bayomy, MD, who strummed the ukulele and sang a comical self-described “poetic rap” about Harry Potter and organic chemistry.

Siobhan Case, MD, a member of the Medicine and the Muse Committee, said she and other organizers were thrilled to see the creativity of attending physicians and trainees on display.

“This can take the form of ukulele raps about organic chemistry to photographs capturing Boston’s seasons to heartfelt remembrances for colleagues and patients,” said Case, a resident in the Harvard Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Boston Children’s Hospital Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Training Program. “It brings our community together while also benefiting a nonprofit organization chosen by the residents.”

Save the Date: Town Meeting, May 24
Join Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, for the next Town Meeting: An Open Forum for BWHers on Thursday, May 24, noon-1 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. Receive an update on important issues, followed by an open forum for discussion and Q&A. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to submit your questions or topics of interest in advance by completing a brief survey. Town Meeting will be webcast for those who cannot attend in person, and there will be an opportunity for webcast viewers to ask questions during the event. 

TJC Survey Window Open; Tips to Prepare
The Joint Commission can arrive at the Brigham unannounced anytime between now and January 2019 to conduct its hospital-wide site visit. Regulations focus on quality and patient safety. To learn more and to view a list of tips to help you prepare for the upcoming site visit, go to BWHPikeNotes.org.

Flu Mask Policy No Longer in Effect
While sporadic cases of influenza exist, the number of cases has decreased significantly. As a result, staff who did not receive a flu shot or received an approved exemption are no longer required to wear a mask. Thank you for helping keep our patients, visitors and each other healthy this flu season.

adjusting federal tax withholdings from your paycheck
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax withholding tables were changed in January to reflect changes brought by the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017. Some employees may have noticed a difference in the amount of federal tax withheld from their paycheck. The IRS urges taxpayers to review whether they need to adjust their paycheck withholding and, if necessary, submit a new Form W-4. If you would like to change your withholding, you may complete a new electronic Form W-4 in PeopleSoft. Learn more.

Shalaine Parker, a concierge in BWH Police and Security, delivered an informal performance on the piano in Cabot Atrium to brighten the day for BWH patients, visitors and staff on May 1. 

A self-taught pianist, Parker volunteers her time to play before or after her shifts at the Brigham in hopes that her music can comfort those in need. 

Learn more about Parker and listen to a recent recording of her music in President’s Perspective.

Medication Disposal Kiosks Located at BWH
Do you have unused or expired medications? Safely dispose of any medications you no longer use by dropping them in the drug disposal receptacles at one of two locations at BWH: The Outpatient Pharmacy, located at the Brigham’s main campus, 45 Francis St., Monday- Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and the Outpatient Pharmacy, located at 850 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Medicine and the Muse, May 3
The BWH Internal Medicine Residency Program hosts the 17th annual Medicine and the Muse, which showcases the musical and artistic talent of Brigham physicians. A raffle and silent auction will benefit Possible, a nongovernmental organization improving access to high-quality, affordable care in Nepal. Thursday, May 3, in Cabot Atrium, 45 Francis St., beginning at 5 p.m. Live music performances begin at 6 p.m. For more information, email mteichman@bwh.harvard.edu. 

BWH Young Professionals Hosts “Coffee with” Session, May 25
Join the BWH Young Professionals for a “Coffee with” session featuring Kristen Murphy, administrator of the Bretholtz Center for Patients and Families. Friday, May 25, noon-1 p.m., in the Shapiro Conference Room, eighth floor. Learn about Murphy’s role, her career path and advice for young professionals. Registration is required. Refreshments will be provided. Learn more.

Donate Blood and Platelets at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center
The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center is always in need of blood and platelet donors. Schedule your donation today and make a lifesaving difference for our patients. All blood and platelets collected at the Kraft Center and on the Blood Mobile benefit patients at the Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. To schedule an appointment or learn more, email BloodDonor@partners.org or call 617-632-3206. 

Jessica Logsdon

Jessica Logsdon, MHS, MHA, PA-C, was promoted to senior director of Physician Assistant Services at BWH earlier this month.

In her new role, Logsdon continues to serve as the primary contact for Physician Assistant Services (PAS) across BWH. She supports efforts to recruit and retain highly skilled physician assistants at BWH by collaborating with senior leaders and others across the organization. 

Logsdon joined BWH in 2005 as a physician assistant (PA) in the Department of Neurosurgery. In 2011, she became chief physician assistant. Before her appointment as director of PAS in 2016, Logsdon worked on the inpatient floor in the Neurosciences Intermediate Unit and in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit. She currently still works in the Neurosurgical ICU on an as-needed basis. 

Earlier in her career, Logsdon served as associate director for Performance Improvement after completing several BWH-sponsored programs, including the Clinical Process Improvement Program, the Brigham Care Redesign Incubator and Startup Program (BCRISP) and the Brigham Leadership Program at Harvard Business School.

“Jessica has done a superb job leading our PA program,” said Stan Ashley, MD, chief medical officer. “She has been an important resource for the hospital throughout her tenure and we are confident her continued leadership of our PA professionals will strengthen Physician Assistant Services.”

Logsdon earned her master’s in health science physician assistant from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., and her master’s in health care administration from Simmons College in Boston. 

From left: Betsy Nabel and Atul Gawande

There is a tremendous amount of interest and innovation in health care surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), a branch of computer science in which machines are trained to perform or simulate human tasks. Successful implementations are harder to find, however.

That disconnect between expectation and reality occurs when excitement about new technology overshadows the less glamorous, but essential, work of ensuring any new tool fits into how frontline staff currently do their jobs, explained BWH surgeon, researcher and author Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, during a discussion with Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, at the World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston on April 24. 

To describe the current state of the industry, Gawande cited a comparison made by a pharmaceutical executive: “We’re building Star Wars medicine, but we have a Flintstones health care delivery system.”

Gawande and Nabel were among a cadre of international experts featured at the forum, which brought together health care leaders to highlight advancements and opportunities at the intersection of patient care and AI. The event, hosted by Partners HealthCare, also included presentations and panel discussions with several BWH clinicians and researchers who shared their insights and discoveries in this emerging field of medicine. 

Lessons from the Past

Striking the balance between cutting-edge technologies and real-world practices was a common theme throughout the forum. In her conversation with Gawande, Nabel noted the widespread, lasting and proven success of low-tech tools in health care – namely, safety checklists in surgery.

“Essentially, it’s a list on a wall. That’s about as far away from artificial intelligence as you can get,” Nabel said. “How do you reconcile disruptive technology and its rate of development alongside such prosaic processes?”

Gawande noted that when looking at the future of medicine, there is much to be learned from the past. He turned to two innovations from the 19th century that transformed surgical care: anesthesia and antiseptics. When anesthesia debuted, it was practically an overnight success. Conversely, antiseptics – which required hospital staff to disinfect surgical tools one by one using a harsh acid – took more than two decades to gain traction.

The difference? “One was good for the patient and good for the clinician. Anesthesia had an immediate visible effect that made life better for both,” Gawande said. “The other one was pain now for gain later.” 

Eventually, famed businessman Robert Wood Johnson met with Joseph Lister, a pioneer of antiseptic surgery. Johnson founded the company Johnson & Johnson around an idea that would transform the field: prepackaged sterilized sutures and dressings. “He made it easier to do the right thing for the patient,” Gawande said. 

The same lesson can be applied to the innovations of today. Through his work at Ariadne Labs – a joint center of BWH and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Gawande and his team are designing and deploying innovations that make it easier to deliver better care today and to identify strategies that support successful implementations at large scale. 

“We need equal commitments to breakthrough innovation and follow-through innovation,” said Gawande, Ariadne’s founder and executive director.

AI at the Bench and Bedside

Throughout the four-day forum, experts from across the Brigham participated in sessions exploring the opportunities and challenges of AI in medicine from a variety of perspectives.

Krishna Yeshwant, MD, a physician in the Phyllis Jen Center for Primary Care and a partner at Google Ventures, and Stephen Wiviott, MD, a cardiologist in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and a senior investigator in the TIMI Study Group, participated in a panel discussion on AI’s potential to reduce the cost of clinical trials. Noting that trials have always had mathematical and statistical tools at their core, speakers discussed how AI could enable researchers to more efficiently identify large cohorts, analyze data and automate other resource-intensive tasks. 

In a roundtable discussion, Calum MacRae, MD, PhD, vice chair for Scientific Innovation in BWH’s Department of Medicine, reflected on where AI is today and what’s needed for it to succeed.

“In the convergence between modern and existing technologies, the only constant is the underlying biology, which doesn’t fit within the silos we define in our health care system,” he said. “We are going to have to redefine everything we do to cross those spaces.”

Read more WMIF coverage in BWH Clinical and Research News.

Enhancing Security in the Tower
Starting Wednesday, April 25, a new security system in the Tower will automatically lock inpatient units after hours and enable staff to quickly lock down a pod in the event of an emergency. Pods will automatically lock 9 p.m.-6 a.m., requiring badge access for entry. Staff will screen visitors via intercoms and remotely grant access during these hours. There are no changes for pods currently locked at all times. Learn more at BWHPikeNotes.org.

Quality Rounds: Solving the Opioid Crisis at Brigham Health, May 11
Scott Weiner, MD, MPH, of the Department of Emergency Medicine and director of the Brigham Comprehensive Opioid Response and Education (B-CORE) program, will speak about the opioid crisis and implementing a system-wide response. Friday, May 11, noon-1 p.m., in the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine’s third-floor conference room. The event will also be webcast. Learn more.

Young Professionals Spring Fling, May 17
The BWH Young Professionals group is hosting a spring fling networking event. Meet your colleagues and learn more about the BWH Young Professionals. Food will be served, and attendees will be entered in a raffle. Thursday, May 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Baseball Tavern, 1270 Boylston St., Boston. For more information, email BWHYP@partners.org.

Navigate BWH with Wayfinding
Have you ever started walking to a meeting or tried to provide directions to an unfamiliar part of the Brigham, only to realize you weren’t sure how to get there? An online wayfinding tool is available to help patients, visitors and staff get where they need to go around the main campus. Visit maps.brighamandwomens.org on any desktop computer or mobile device.

BWHers take part in a vinyasa yoga class, hosted by the Brigham Education Institute on April 17 in the BEI Knowledge Center. The program, part of a BWell grant sponsored by the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization, is one of many aimed at promoting wellness and self-care among faculty, staff and trainees. The next class will be held Thursday, April 26, 6-7 p.m., in the BEI Knowledge Center, located on the first floor of the Thorn building, room 127D. Participants of all levels of experience and fitness are welcome to attend. To learn more and register, click here.

Danika Medina

Danika Medina, MPA/HCA, RN, FACHE, NE-BC, CCTC, was named executive director of Ambulatory Nursing on April 1. She oversees nursing clinical practice, personnel management and financial performance across all Ambulatory sites, supporting BWH in providing exceptional patient care while ensuring quality of work-life and the promotion of positive fiscal outcomes.

Medina previously served as director of Ambulatory Nursing: Transplant Administration in the Heart & Vascular Center, a position she assumed in 2014. In this role, she was accountable for clinical operations and programmatic oversight of the hospital’s solid organ transplant operations, the ambulatory care clinics, the mechanical circulatory and advanced heart failure programs and the Lung Center.

In a message to Nursing staff announcing Medina’s promotion, Maddy Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and senior vice president for Patient Care Services, and William Johnston, MPA, chief operating officer and treasurer of Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization and senior vice president for Ambulatory Services, said they look forward to Medina applying her impressive abilities and experience in this new role.

“Danika is a trusted nurse leader, mentor and coach, with a commitment to defining the role of licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses,” Pearson and Johnston wrote.

Prior to joining the Brigham, Medina worked at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where she established all clinical and business operations for the hospital’s new advanced heart failure, heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support programs. She also formerly served as manager and thoracic transplant coordinator at Houston Methodist.

Medina earned a master’s in public administration and health care administration from the University of Texas and her bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Houston. She is currently a master’s candidate in business administration at Babson College in Wellesley.

Kelly Fanning

Kelly Fanning, MBA, was appointed to the role of executive director for Ambulatory Services, a newly named position within Brigham Health, in March.

As executive director, Fanning works with William Johnston, MBA, chief operating officer and treasurer for the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization (BWPO) and senior vice president for Ambulatory Services, and members of the Ambulatory team. In addition, she will partner with other hospital and BWPO leadership to advance the institution’s Ambulatory strategy, focusing on operations to improve access, quality and safety, while also offering more efficient practice for staff and physicians.

“We are delighted to welcome Kelly to the Ambulatory team,” said Johnston. “During her time at BWH, Kelly has established several key relationships within Brigham Health and the Partners HealthCare System. Additionally, she brings a sound balance of both strategy and operations to our team, enabling her to be a strong advocate for our Ambulatory community.”

Fanning also focuses on enhancing the team’s organizational and governance structure to assist with operations and strategy within Ambulatory Services, in addition to overseeing its existing projects.

Prior to her current role, Fanning worked in Population Health Management in several positions since 2013. Most recently, she was executive director of Population Health Management and Care Innovation; previously, she served as the team’s senior director and, prior to that, its director.

As executive director in Population Health Management, Fanning advanced the strategy, operations, accountability and performance of population health management as well as care innovation across Brigham Health and in coordination with Partners.

Fanning earned her master’s in Business Administration from Simmons School of Management in Boston and her bachelor’s in English, with a minor in Human Development from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.

Partners 2018 Patient Experience Summit, April 26
The summit, “Caring for Everyone: Enhancing Experience and Advancing Equity,” is Thursday, April 26, at the Partners HealthCare headquarters at Assembly Row in Somerville. The event will feature presenters from several Partners institutions, including BWH, BWFH and Massachusetts General Hospital. Keynote speakers will explore how substance use disorder and health equity affects the patient experience. Learn more.

Step Up for Stepping Strong, Register by April 30
This May, join the Brigham and Greater Boston communities in supporting trauma survivors through Step Up for Stepping Strong, a free fitness challenge. Commit to taking 4,000, 8,000 or 12,000 steps per day, and download a free app that will automatically track your daily steps. When the community’s total number of steps reaches 100 million, Cigna will make a $100,000 gift to The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at BWH to fuel advances in trauma research and care. Register by Monday, April 30, at BWHstepup.org.

Use ‘KRONOS’ for All Your Timekeeping Needs
The “Kronos WFC” link in the Partners application menu has been renamed “KRONOS.” You can now use this menu option to access all Kronos functions. If you are a Kronos Self-Service user, use the “KRONOS” link to clock in and out. The “Kronos Self-Service” link has been removed. The eForm link will remain in the Utilities menu. Kronos can still be accessed from outside the Partners network by going to kronos.partners.org. There is no change in procedure for employees who clock in and out using the Kronos timeclocks. 

Register for the 2018 Healthcare Quality and Safety Conference
The annual two-day educational experience, hosted by Brigham Health and Harvard Medical School, is for clinicians and administrators who plan, manage and support quality and safety initiatives. Customize your learning experience by choosing from 29 practical breakout sessions that explore proven best practices for improving quality and safety. Monday, Oct. 15, and Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton St. Learn more and register.

Partners HealthCare institutions, including BWH, are empowering patients to better manage their health using Apple’s new Health Records feature and other consumer health applications. Patients enrolled in the Partners Patient Gateway health portal can now authorize parts of their medical record to be shared with a range of third-party apps, enabling them to play a bigger role in their own care through technology. 

Apple is one of the first major technology companies to provide this capability through a mobile app. The Health Records feature can be accessed through the iPhone Health app upon upgrading to iOS 11.3. Partners and BWH are among the nation’s leading health care systems working with Apple to support this new feature. 

Patients using the Apple Health app can view their current medical information – including allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and recent vital signs – from multiple providers. Additionally, the app can notify patients if their data has been updated.

Besides making it easier for patients to access their data, consumer applications such as iPhone’s Health app offer new opportunities to streamline care. For example, the Health Records feature enables patients to sync their current medical history from more than one health care system – allowing both sets of records to be viewed through the same interface. This combined presentation of data makes it easier to visualize health trends and the effects of any interventions patients have implemented in collaboration with their providers.  

“We know that engaging patients in their own care can make a profound difference in their health,” said Adam Landman, MD, chief information officer at Brigham Health. “Supporting this new feature aligns with our broader goal of expanding and accelerating access to digital tools for our patients.”

The Health Records feature within Apple’s Health app contains a directory of connected organizations, including Partners HealthCare and its founding members, Brigham Health and Massachusetts General Hospital. All Partners Patient Gateway users, regardless of where they receive care in the Partners system, may access their data through any of the three Partners listings. 

Patients who would like to authorize consumer health applications to access their health data must initiate this function from an app specifically designed to use this capability; a provider cannot do so on a patient’s behalf. In addition, information currently flows one way only – from the electronic health record to the patient. Patients cannot use the app to alter their data in Partners Patient Gateway.  

Kerri Bisaga

This is the final installment in a weekly BWH Bulletin series profiling runners participating in this year’s Boston Marathon with BWH’s Stepping Strong Marathon Team on Monday, April 16.

Kerri Bisaga has never been one to view obstacles as impassable. Every challenge she has encountered in life – including a cancer diagnosis at age 18 – she approaches with unwavering optimism, seeing them as adventures rather than struggles.

On April 16, Bisaga will gear up for her next great adventure when she runs the Boston Marathon with BWH’s Stepping Strong Marathon Team, which raises funds to support The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation.

Bisaga said it was an easy decision to run her first Boston Marathon with the Brigham because she wants to give back to the hospital that gave her a second chance at life.

Shortly after graduating high school in 2007, Bisaga visited her pediatrician for a routine checkup. During the exam, her physician noticed a lump on her neck. Referred to specialists at BWH, Bisaga was diagnosed with malignant follicular carcinoma, a form of thyroid cancer. 

True to form, Bisaga embraced positivity and said a “little thing like cancer” wasn’t going to interfere with her next chapter in life: college. Her care team worked to schedule her surgery and cancer treatments that summer so that she could leave for school in August as planned.

“Running the Boston Marathon is a dream for so many runners, and running it for a hospital that has done so much for me personally is incredibly meaningful,” said Bisaga. “Just as BWH has been a supportive safety net for me in some of my most challenging medical moments, the Stepping Strong Center provides hope for trauma patients.”

While her health has often been challenging to manage over the last decade, Bisaga said her BWH care team has supported her every step of the way. “They have always respected and believed in my dreams,” she said. “They’ve problem-solved around my goals and helped me to become the best, strongest version of myself.”

Since her surgery in 2007, Bisaga has earned two degrees and completed 11 half-marathons and one full marathon. Looking ahead to this Marathon Monday, she plans to run the entire route with a smile.

“I’ve always known this city was special and strong,” said Bisaga, a Boston resident. “Every race is a huge accomplishment for me, but running in the Boston Marathon is also going to be hugely sentimental for so many reasons.”

Garrett McKinnon

Garrett McKinnon was named executive director of the Department of Finance at BWH in March.

McKinnon is responsible for long-term financial planning, financial remodeling, operating plan development and finance project coordination. Working at the Brigham for more than 15 years, McKinnon most recently served as budget director at BWH. He reports to Christopher Dunleavy, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Brigham Health. 

As executive director, McKinnon continues to partner with Tom Walsh, MBA, vice president of Analytics, Planning and Process Improvement, to co-lead the implementation of rolling forecasts across Brigham Health. In addition, he collaborates closely with Steve Jenney, chief financial officer of the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization, and Jerry Hadley, vice president of Finance and Support Services at BWFH.

McKinnon got his start at the Brigham back in 2003 as senior financial analyst. From 2005 until 2016, he worked as budget manager until he was named budget director in 2016.

Dunleavy said he appreciates McKinnon’s strong commitment to excellence and service to the Brigham’s mission: “Garrett has effectively served Partners HealthCare and Brigham Health in numerous roles since 2003 and has been instrumental in the design of efficient and proactive finance support for operational decision-making.”

Betsy Nabel greets Boao Evergrande staff prior to the dedication ceremony.

On April 2, Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, joined BWH senior leaders attending the dedication of the Boao Evergrande International Hospital in affiliation with Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Located in the province of Hainan, it is the first hospital in China to be designated “in affiliation” with BWH. The event marked a milestone in a collaboration initiated in 2015 and spearheaded by BWH’s Business Development and Strategic Initiatives team. When the hospital formally opens, it will deliver world-class cancer care, thanks to operational and clinical guidance provided by more than 100 experts across 17 clinical specialties and hospital functions at BWH and Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. 

From left: Nurse practitioners Carol Orton and Christine Harker are part of the team supporting OHS’ Episodic Care Clinic.

Looking in the mirror last month, Sharon Bezuka could not figure out what was causing her eyes to remain red and puffy for several days. 

Bezuka – a perianesthesia operations manager in the PACU, Pre-Op, Day Surgery Unit and Extended Recovery Unit – had no other symptoms suggesting it was conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. Could it be seasonal allergies? An eye injury? After home treatments failed to resolve the issue, Bezuka decided one day at work that it was time to seek medical attention. 

She opted to use Occupational Health Services’ (OHS) new Episodic Care Clinic, which provides BWH employees conveniently located care for common illnesses and conditions at OHS’ mid-campus clinic on the ground Pike. The clinic diagnoses and treats upper respiratory infections, sore throats, conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections and back pain. 

“My primary care doctor is located close to my home, not on-site at the Brigham. My symptoms also didn’t seem serious enough to warrant going to the Emergency Department. The OHS clinic just made it so convenient for me to see someone right away,” said Bezuka, who was ultimately diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis, a non-contagious condition that causes eye inflammation due to an allergic reaction. 

Staffed by BWH nurse practitioners, the clinic serves staff who have a BWH primary care provider and receive medical insurance through Partners HealthCare. Staff who meet these requirements are not charged a co-pay for their visit. Labs, radiology exams or prescription medications are billed to the employee’s health insurance.

Launched earlier this year in partnership with the Brigham’s Division of Internal Medicine and Primary Care to assist with high-volume points of care, the OHS Episodic Care Clinic provides staff with an opportunity to be evaluated and obtain care at work, said Carin Bennett-Rizzo, MS, ANP-BC, COHN-S, acting director of OHS.

“We want to provide the best care for our employees so they can continue to do the great work that they do,” Bennett-Rizzo said. “We are able to perform point-of-care testing, such as throat cultures and urinalysis, which means that we can give patients a quick answer and provide the appropriate treatment within the guidelines of care.”

While the clinic can accommodate walk-ins, OHS recommends BWHers call ahead to confirm their eligibility and schedule an appointment in advance to minimize wait times.

Bezuka described her experience at the OHS Episodic Care Clinic as pleasant and efficient. Upon arriving at the clinic, she was quickly registered and seen by a nurse practitioner.

“Without a doubt, the biggest benefit of the clinic was the ease and convenience it provides because, as employees, our time is so valuable,” she said. 

The OHS Episodic Care Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and located on the ground Pike (closest to 45 Francis St.). To schedule an appointment, call 617-732-8501.

2018 Simulation Educator of the Year Award
The Neil and Elise Wallace STRATUS Center for Medical Simulation will present a Simulation Educator of the Year Award to one BWH faculty member and one resident/fellow who have demonstrated outstanding simulation-based teaching during the 2017-2018 academic year. To submit a nomination, visit tinyurl.com/simEDUaward2018. The deadline for nominations is Friday, April 13. For more information about either award, email jmrobertson@bwh.harvard.edu.

BWH Science Fair, April 19
Hosted by the Brigham Research Institute (BRI), the BWH Science Fair will highlight Brigham-led research projects. This event will coincide with the MIT Cambridge Science Festival. Thursday, April 19, 5-6:30 p.m., in the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine Café Atrium. Learn more and register here.

Physician Assistant Career Fair, April 23
Meet with staff from various medical and surgical departments at BWH and learn about upcoming available positions as well as what it is like to be a physician assistant at the Brigham. Monday, April 23, 3-6 p.m., in Cabot Atrium. For more information, email BWHPAServices@partners.org.

‘Out at Brigham,’ April 24
The Brigham Health LGBT & Allies Employee Resource Group will host “Out at Brigham,” an LGBT+ inclusive careers panel. The purpose of the panel is to highlight the stories of LGBT leaders within the Brigham family and provide inspiration, advice and encouragement to early-career staff who identify as LGBT+. Tuesday, April, 24, 1-2 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. To submit a question in advance, click here.

This May, join the Brigham and Greater Boston communities in a challenge to take 100 million steps together in support of trauma survivors.

Participation is free and easy. Simply commit to taking 4,000, 8,000 or 12,000 steps per day, and download a free mobile app that will automatically track your daily steps progress. When the community’s total number of steps reaches 100 million, Cigna will make a $100,000 gift to The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at BWH to fuel new advances in trauma research and care.

Sign up to participate at BWHstepup.org. Registration for the step challenge closes on Monday, April 30.

Nicholas Colasanto

Nicholas Colasanto was promoted to director of the Department of Finance at BWH in March.

In this role, he will lead the development of the Brigham’s operating plan, controllership and general finance support activities.

Colasanto has held several positions in Finance over his seven-year tenure at BWH, most recently serving as budget manager for the last two years. He managed the development, analysis, reporting and monitoring of the hospital’s operating budget. Prior to that, he was a senior financial analyst.

Colasanto reports to Garrett McKinnon, executive director of Finance.

Christopher Dunleavy, MBA, CPA, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Brigham Health, said he’s delighted Colasanto will be able to expand his leadership responsibilities as Finance director.

“Responsive and knowledgeable, Nick has served Partners HealthCare and the Brigham since 2011, providing sound discretion to frontline managers,” Dunleavy said. “His partnership with departments reflects his great clarity of understanding about the importance of timely financial support to achieve our institutional goals.”

Colasanto holds a master’s in Business Administration from Bryant University and a bachelor’s in Business Administration, Finance, from Bryant.

Kimberly Cardillo

This is the fourth article in a weekly series in BWH Bulletin profiling runners participating in this year’s Boston Marathon with BWH’s Stepping Strong Marathon Team on Monday, April 16.

No matter how exhausted Kimberly Cardillo, RN, feels when she ascends Heartbreak Hill on Marathon Monday, the BWH trauma nurse says one thought will keep her going: the resilience and courage her patients and their families demonstrate each day.

Cardillo, who works in the Surgical, Burn and Trauma Intermediate Care Unit on Tower 8AB, will participate in this year’s Boston Marathon as part of the Stepping Strong Marathon Team, raising funds to support innovation in trauma research and care at BWH and beyond.

“As I go up that hill, I will be running for my patients, some of whom can’t run themselves as a result of their injuries,” she said. “I know the pain that my patients experience and overcome is a lot worse than mine could ever be that day.”

Although Cardillo says she never imagined she would become a marathoner – having previously completed a couple of 5K races – last year she and a friend were inspired to participate in the 2018 race. But she didn’t simply want to run; she wanted to run for a cause near and dear to her heart.

“When I discovered the Stepping Strong team, I was sold. I thought to myself, ‘I need to do this,’” Cardillo said. “I see firsthand how the funds we raise advance such important work, helping doctors and researchers develop better ways to help and heal our patients. Being a part of this team has provided me with an opportunity to give back in a different way.”

Kimberly Cardillo participates in a recent training run.

She was moved to learn how the funds the team raises also support projects aimed at increasing public awareness around trauma care, such as the Stop the Bleed campaign, which teaches laypersons how to apply tourniquets and other techniques to stop uncontrolled bleeding.

Cardillo began her career at the Brigham as a nurse in Orthopaedic Surgery, where she worked for two years – caring for several patients with traumatic injuries over that time – before moving to the trauma unit in 2016. Seeing the progress her patients make is inspiring, she said.

“It’s amazing to see how far they come. They have such horrific experiences, and they grow so much,” Cardillo said. “They go from not being able to walk on their own, or at all, to walking into the unit months later to visit and thank us.”

Cardillo says that moments like those – and so many others, big and small – make her feel honored to be not only a nurse, but also part of an incredible, dedicated care team.

“We’re a family here. At the Brigham, nurses work very closely with so many different roles – from social workers to housekeeping to doctors – toward the common goal of helping people,” she said. “Whether it’s holding a patient’s hand or doing chest compressions to save someone’s life, it’s very rewarding and humbling to be able to help our patients in so many ways. Sometimes, even smiling at someone can change their whole day.”

Hope for Accreta Blood Drive, April 6
April is Accreta Awareness month. Placenta accreta is a rare but serious condition that occurs when the placenta embeds too deeply in the uterine wall. The complication carries a high risk of severe bleeding during delivery. Donate blood aboard the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women’s Hospital Blood Mobile on Friday, April 6, outside 15 Francis St., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to register and learn more. For eligibility questions, email blooddonor@partners.org. Donors will receive a free Kraft Family Blood Donor Center umbrella.

World Medical Innovation Forum, April 23-25
Partners HealthCare is offering a discounted registration fee of $299 (through April 25) for Partners employees attending the 2018 World Medical Innovation Forum. This year’s forum, being held at the Westin Copley Place Boston Hotel, will focus on the advancements and opportunities of artificial intelligence. Hosted by Partners HealthCare Innovation. Visit worldmedicalinnovation.org.

Lyft to longwood with CommuteWorks
CommuteWorks and Lyft are collaborating to bring employees three new programs – CommuteLine, CommuteFlex and Lyft Emergency Ride Home – in an effort to reduce congestion and make your commute more efficient in the Longwood Medical Area. Click here to learn more about the programs and download registration forms. Incentives, including Lyft ride credits, are available for a limited time.

Improve Your Well-Being with myStrength
More than 1,000 employees throughout Partners HealthCare have taken steps to better their emotional and physical health by signing up for an online myStrength account. Offered through Partners Employee Assistance Program (EAP), myStrength is a free, confidential well-being resource available to all employees and their household members. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

James O’Leary

Growing up in the Boston area, James O’Leary always looks forward to cheering on the thousands of Boston Marathon runners as they make their way to Boylston Street. On April 16, the BWHer is excited to hear those crowds cheer for him when he participates in his first marathon, running with the BWH Stepping Strong Marathon Team.

O’Leary’s family ties to both the Brigham and the Boston Marathon run deep. Not only was he born at BWH, but his parents – Michael O’Leary, MD, MPH, of the Division of Urology, and Kathleen Welch, MD, MPH, of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine – are also BWH physicians. Additionally, his father serves as president of the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), and his grandfather was a longtime volunteer with the race.

“I have grown to appreciate everything that is great about the Boston Marathon,” said O’Leary, a research coordinator in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. “Over the years, I’ve enjoyed hearing stories about how my grandfather worked as a medical volunteer at the marathon, and I admire my father for his current work with the Boston Athletic Association. The Boston Marathon has always had a special place in my heart.”

Although training for the race this past winter has been challenging, O’Leary said he’s thankful to be a part of such a supportive team, which has helped him increase his mileage with each run. Last weekend, O’Leary and his teammates completed a 21-mile training run.

With 2018 marking the five-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon tragedy, O’Leary said there’s no better time than now to lace up his sneakers and support such an inspiring cause.

“I’m ready to run,” O’Leary said. “It has been wonderful to train with such an amazing team. The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation has been able to take a tragic situation and produce something so meaningful. I’m proud to be a part of that.”

Liz Burke

Liz Burke was less than a half-mile from completing the Boston Marathon in 2013 when a police officer stopped her and hundreds of other runners to inform them of the tragedy that had just occurred at the finish line.

At the time, Burke was participating in her first marathon. She knew at that moment, however, it would not be her last.

“Prior to the bombing, I had been ready to be one and done – cross the marathon off my bucket list and never run another one again,” Burke said. “After everything that happened, I couldn’t not run it again. I wanted to cross the finish line for myself and all the people of Boston.”

Five years later, she is preparing to participate in her eighth marathon – running this year on behalf of BWH’s Stepping Strong Marathon Team to raise money for The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation.

A science writer in BWH’s Development Office since 2016, Burke frequently interviews Stepping Strong donors as well as physicians and researchers who are dedicated to transforming trauma research and care.

“I didn’t know until I started writing about Stepping Strong just how underfunded trauma care and research really are,” Burke said. “But they shouldn’t be because trauma can affect anyone at any time – it could be a car accident, mass-casualty event or sports injury.”

Having the opportunity to see and document the remarkable accomplishments of Stepping Strong has been an inspiring and rewarding experience, she added.

“The Reny family took an awful, dark day and turned it into a vehicle for bringing this important issue to everyone’s attention,” Burke said. “I feel so privileged to be running five years later in support of their work.”

Meenu Tuteja

Meenu Tuteja, MD, MBA, MPH, was recently named administrative director of the Division of Pain Medicine. Tuteja began in her role on Feb. 26.

The division, a branch of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary therapies for patients with back and neck pain, cancer-related pain and many other conditions.

In this newly created role, Tuteja is responsible for operational and financial oversight for physicians practicing at the Center for Pain Medicine at 850 Boylston St., as well as supporting the division’s four other clinical sites at the main campus, the Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center in Foxborough, Harbor Medical Associates and BWFH. She will also lead strategic business development initiatives in conjunction with Chris Gilligan, MD, MBA, chief of the Division of Pain Medicine.

She will report to Gilligan and Rich Cornell, MBA, executive administrator of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine.

“Meenu is a very welcome addition to the Division of Pain Medicine leadership team,” said Cornell. “She brings a unique combination of clinical, management and research experience, along with vast institutional knowledge from her tenure at BWH.”

Tuteja has worked at the Brigham since 2007 in a variety of administrative roles, including director of Global Health Programs; administrative director of the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health, Division of Women’s Health and the Fish Center for Women’s Health; and assistant director of the Skeletal Health and Osteoporosis Center in the Department of Medicine.

She received her medical degree from DY Patil Medical College in Maharashtra, India, her master’s in business administration in operations management from Symbiosis College in Maharashtra, India, and her master’s in public health from Boston University.

Andrea Pusic

Andrea Pusic, MD, MHS, FACS, FRCSC, has been named chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Brigham Health, effective March 1.

Before joining the Brigham, Pusic was an attending plastic surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and a professor of surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York.

She is an internationally renowned innovator and leader in the area of patient-reported outcomes and surgical experience. She was the director of the MSKCC Patient-Reported Outcomes and Surgical Experience Program, and has served as the American College of Surgeons’ representative to the International Patient Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) Collaborative.

Pusic’s research focuses on the measurement of quality of life and patient satisfaction in surgery. Dual training in epidemiology and surgery has enabled her to lead a team of experts in psychometrics, quality of life and social science methods to develop, validate and use new quantitative measures to assess patient outcomes.

The patient-reported outcomes instrument she developed for breast surgery, known as BREAST-Q, has been widely adopted for research and clinical care and serves as the basis for development of other outcome measures in surgery.

“Dr. Pusic is a highly effective leader, and I am confident she will build on the strong foundation we have in place within our plastic surgery programs,” said Brigham Health Surgeon-in-Chief Gerard Doherty, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery. “Her expertise in patient-reported outcomes and surgical experience will create opportunities throughout the Brigham and Boston communities for both research and clinical patient care initiatives.”

Outside of the Brigham, Pusic serves as vice president of WomenforWomen Reconstructive Surgery, a charity supported by female plastic surgeons whose goal is to help women suffering from disfiguring or socially excluding injuries and trauma. She also regularly leads surgical camps to provide reconstructive surgery for injured women and girls in the developing world.

Pusic earned her medical degree at the Cumming School of Medicine in Alberta, Canada, and her master’s of public health at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. She completed a general surgery residency at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and a plastic surgery residency at McGill University in Montreal, followed by a plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at MSKCC.

What’s happening in your corner of the Brigham? Share your photos of BWH celebrations, events, presentations and more with The Week in Photos. No photography expertise is required – even smartphone photos can be shared.

Email your submission to BWHBulletin@partners.org.

Note: Any photos with patients must have proper consent. Be mindful of private information
that could inadvertently appear in the background of your photo.

Food Services Offers Payroll Deduction
Food Services is making it easier than ever for BWHers to purchase their food and drinks in an efficient and timely manner. To expedite checkout service in the Garden Café during peak lunch hours, the department is adding a register for payroll-deduction transactions only. This new register will be open weekdays from noon to 2 p.m., beginning Monday, March 26. As a reminder, you can sign up to make purchases via payroll deduction at any of the Brigham’s dining locations: the Garden Café, Coffee Connection at 45 Francis St. and the Hale Building Cafe. Stop by any register at these locations to pick up a payroll deduction form and to learn more.

Register for the B.A.A. 10K with BWH
BWH will once again serve as the exclusive charity partner of the Boston Athletic Association’s annual 10K road race. Walk or run to support any area of the Brigham’s mission. The race is Sunday, June 24, at the Boston Common. Bibs are available on a first come, first served basis. To register and learn more, visit BWHevents.org/10K.

Mentor the Next Generation of Health Care Professionals: Host an Intern
The Student Success Jobs Program’s Summer College Internship Program is looking for a variety of departments to host college interns June 1-Aug. 10. Students work for 35 hours a week during their 10-week internship, and are paid through the Center for Community Health and Health Equity. For more information, contact Becca Luz at rluz@bwh.harvard.edu or 617-264-8739.

‘Scaling Prevention and Treatment of Opioid Addiction,’ March 29
Join Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, former BWH physician and 19th Surgeon General of the United States, for a conversation moderated by BWH surgeon, author and researcher Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, about “Scaling Prevention and Treatment of Opioid Addiction.” Thursday, March 29, 4-5:30 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. The event is hosted by the BWH Department of Quality and Safety and Ariadne Labs.

‘Personal Accountability in a Just Culture,’ March 22
Ron M. Walls, MD, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Brigham Health, will be speaking about “Personal Accountability in a Just Culture” during the next Quality Rounds. Thursday, March 22, noon, in Bornstein Amphitheater.

Patient Safety Award: Nomination Deadline, March 31
Nominate a colleague, team or yourself for the fifth annual Safety Matters: Patient Safety Award. The award is given to individuals or teams that have gone above and beyond to promote patient safety or implement innovative safety projects within their departments. All BWH staff are eligible to apply. Nominations are due by Saturday, March 31. Visit surveymonkey.com/r/safetymatters2018 to submit
a nomination.

Volunteers Needed: Stepping Strong Event with Boston Celtics
The Shamrock Foundation and the Reny family are hosting a 50/50 raffle to benefit BWH’s Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation during a Boston Celtics game on Sunday, April 8. Energetic volunteers are needed to help sell raffle tickets. Friends and family are welcome to volunteer. To sign up, or for more information, email aross10@partners.org or call 617-424-4318.

BWH Science Fair, April 19
Hosted by the Brigham Research Institute (BRI), the BWH Science Fair will highlight Brigham-led research projects. This event will coincide with the MIT Cambridge Science Festival. Thursday, April 19, 5-6:30 p.m., in the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine Café Atrium. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to register.

As Boston buckled down for its third major storm in two weeks, BWH employees remained committed to supporting our patients, their families and each other during the nor’easter – traveling on foot or even skis through more than a foot of snow to get here. View more photo submissions in The Week in Photos gallery.

In just a few weeks, the Brigham will welcome appraisers from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for our Magnet site visit occurring March 26-29. Here are five things you can do to prepare.

Review Resources on PikeNotes: This page, available at BWHPikeNotes.org/magnet, includes important information about the Brigham’s journey to Magnet designation. View videos showcasing BWH initiatives that exemplify Magnet’s hallmarks, review a site visit Q&A and FAQ, download a “Magnet Jeopardy” presentation to test your knowledge and more.

Read BWH’s Magnet Submission: BWH submitted a body of evidence to the ANCC last April that demonstrates how the hospital meets 49 standards within the Magnet model. The 75 initiatives selected for submission are examples of our deep commitment to high-quality care, clinical excellence, interprofessional collaboration and innovation. Instructions for accessing the body of evidence are on BWHPikeNotes.org/magnet.

Attend the Magnet Ready Rally, March 20-23: Stop by the Tower 2 mezzanine near the bridge to Shapiro, March 20-23, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., to learn about the Magnet site visit and participate in games testing your Magnet knowledge, daily raffles, food, fun and giveaways.

See the 75 Francis St. Lobby Display: Located near the Emergency Department, the “Pursuing Magnet” lobby display features various projects that reflect the many ways BWH exemplifies the four hallmarks of a Magnet institution: high-quality patient care, clinical excellence, innovations in professional practice and interprofessional collaboration.

Read Past Issues of BWH Heart & Science and BWH Bulletin: For the past several months, these publications have covered the Brigham’s path to Magnet designation, including stories highlighting examples of hospital initiatives that reflect the hallmarks of Magnet. Read past issues of these publications at BWHHeartandScience.org and BWHBulletin.org.

Health care professionals around the country are taking a stand against gun violence. Join an event at BWH and hear from speakers who will offer reflections on gun violence as a public health issue:

• Charles Morris, MD, MPH, associate chief medical officer
• Lachelle D. Weeks, MD, PhD, Internal Medicine resident; chair, Resident Social Justice Committee; member, Social Justice Task Force
• A member of Spiritual Care Services who will offer a moment of reflection

Wednesday, March 14
10-10:20 a.m.
Fish Rotunda at BWH (15 Francis St. lobby)

All are welcome to attend. Sponsored by the BWH Resident Social Justice Committee. Attendees are invited to wear orange to honor victims of gun violence and bring awareness to gun violence prevention.

2018 Safety Matters Award Nominations Due March 31
Have you or a colleague gone above and beyond to promote patient safety or implement new and innovative ideas in your department? Do you have a patient safety story to tell? Nominate a colleague, a team or yourself for the fifth annual Safety Matters: Patient Safety Award. Submit a nomination at surveymonkey.com/r/safetymatters2018 by Saturday, March 31.

Rape Aggression Defense Classes Begin April 3
Learn self-defense tactics – including hands-on defense training, risk reduction and risk avoidance – during a free, four-class program for women affiliated with Longwood-area member institutions, including BWH. Class dates are April 3, 10, 17 and 24, 6-9 p.m., at Boston Children’s Hospital, 1 Autumn St. For more information and to register, email peacemakertraining@outlook.com.

BWH Providers Offer Virtual Visits
See your provider from the comfort of home or another private location during a virtual visit. Appointments are conducted using a video conferencing app that can be downloaded on most smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. Ask your provider if they’re participating in the program, or email BrighamVirtualCare@partners.org to learn more.

microsoft access, excel and sharepoint training available
Brush up on some of your Microsoft Office skills or learn new ones. Full-day training courses in Access, Excel and SharePoint are available over the next several months. To learn more or register for an upcoming class, visit sharepoint.partners.org/phs/istraining and click “Course List.”