Submit 2017 FSA Claims by March 31
If you have a balance remaining in your 2017 Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you must submit covered expenses to our FSA administrator, Benefit Strategies, by Saturday, March 31. Otherwise, any money left in your account will be forfeited. Claims must have been incurred on or before March 15, 2018, to qualify for reimbursement. Learn more here or contact Benefit Strategies at 1-844-777-7870 or PartnersFSAinfo@benstrat.com.

Join the All of Us Research Program
BWH is partnering with the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, which aims to accelerate medical breakthroughs by collecting health information and samples from one million volunteers to build the largest health database of its kind. Brigham employees are invited to enroll in this landmark research program during its pilot phase. Sign up at joinallofus.org using the invitation code ZCCB9ME, or learn more at allofusnewengland.org.

Register for the B.A.A. 10K
BWH will again serve as the exclusive charity partner of the Boston Athletic Association’s annual 10K road race, which will be held Sunday, June 24, at Boston Common. Participate in this fun and rewarding event to support the important, mission-driven work done across the Brigham. Bibs are available on a first come, first served basis. Sign up during BWH’s exclusive early-bird registration period – now through Tuesday, March 13 – to receive a reduced fundraising minimum of $300. After March 13, the fundraising minimum will increase to $500. Register or learn more at BWHevents.org/10K.

Navigate BWH with Wayfinding
Have you ever started walking to a meeting or tried to give someone directions to an unfamiliar part of the Brigham, only to realize you weren’t entirely sure how to get there? A new online wayfinding tool is available to help patients, visitors and staff get where they need to go around the main campus. Access the web-based tool from a computer or mobile device at maps.brighamandwomens.org.

From left: Sgt. Troy Askew, Berthonia Louis, Officer Brandon Cooper and Officer Caitlin Murphy in the new dispatch center

The safety of patients, their families and staff is among the highest priorities at the Brigham, and the work to strengthen hospital security never stops. BWH Police, Security and Parking recently implemented several strategic initiatives to further enhance BWH’s security posture.

“We have a duty to protect everyone who comes through our doors, and these changes enable us to achieve that with greater skill and professionalism,” said Dave Corbin, MS, CPP, CHPA, director of Police, Security and Parking.

Two Teams, One Mission

The department recently reorganized to form two specialized groups: a Police and Security team and a Parking and Commuter Services team.

Both services continue to be based in a joint office, which recently relocated to the Lower Pike. As part of the move, the department also redesigned and modernized its Dispatch Center – outfitting the expanded space with state-of-the-art technology and more ergonomic workstations for dispatchers.

Transition to In-House Security Force

On Saturday, March 3, the department completes its transition from a contract security force to in-house staff. Headed by a leadership team with extensive experience in law enforcement, Police and Security now comprises more than 100 concierges, officers, dispatchers and supervisors employed by the Brigham. The team – which also updated its uniforms, training and physical fitness standards – includes many former contractors who were rehired as staff. In addition, BWH Police and Security staffing was expanded to include a presence at Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center and Brigham and Women’s Advanced Primary Care Associates, South Huntington.

“With this change, we can recruit, train and retain the most qualified personnel and have direct control over daily operations, quality of services and operational changes,” Corbin said.

Several department staff are now sworn as Special State Police Officers through the Massachusetts State Police, a designation that requires more than 400 hours of police academy training and annual in-service training requirements. This change enhances security across the distributed campus, Corbin explained. Security officers previously obtained this certification through Boston Police, which limited their jurisdiction to the city of Boston. Further, the department is recognized as a police department in the state and now has access to criminal justice information systems and other services to enhance proactive and investigative activities.

Safety Improvements in the Tower, CWN

To enhance afterhours security, Police and Security collaborated with clinical teams on the installation of a new locking system in the Tower. The system, whose launch date is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, will automatically lock the entrances to each pod between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day. During those hours, employees will have to tap their ID badge on the card reader by the double doors to enter. Staff will not need to request new badge access permissions.

Video intercoms outside of each pod will allow staff to screen and remotely grant access to those seeking entry. Also, lockdown buttons were installed on each floor to enable staff to quickly lock their pod in the event of an emergency.

In the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women and Newborns, an electronic infant security system, called Hugs, launched in February throughout several maternity units. Infants are now banded with a small anklet containing an electronic sensor that will trigger an alarm – and a series of responses – if someone attempts to remove the baby from the unit prior to discharge.

Magnet Public, Staff Notices Available
BWH has applied to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for Magnet designation. Patients and visitors who would like to provide comments are encouraged to do so by Friday, March 16. Staff have two opportunities to comment. Notices are in English, Haitian Creole and Spanish. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to view the notices and learn more.

BWH Science Fair: Participants Needed
Hosted by the Brigham Research Institute (BRI), the BWH Science Fair will highlight Brigham-led research projects. The BRI is seeking participants who can provide an interactive experience for attendees, such as a creative demonstration of a new technology or technique, for the event on Thursday, April 19. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 30. To learn more and apply, bwhresearch.org/events/csf.

Have You Tried FixIt?
Need to report a spill? Track a shuttle? File a Help Desk ticket? You can easily do all that at more from your desk or on the go with FixIt, a web-based tool accessible at fixit.brighamandwomens.org that enables staff to quickly and easily request services or assistance.

Town Hall on MassHealth, Feb. 23
On Thursday, March 1, the state is launching 17 MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations – the biggest change to the state Medicaid program in many years. Most MassHealth members will shift to these new plans, and many may be unaware of their implications. Attend a BWH Town Hall meeting on Friday, Feb. 23, noon-1 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater, to find out how these changes affect your practice. The event will be webcast. Learn more at BWHPikeNotes.org.

Alessandra Alvarez Hinojosa enjoys a relaxing moment with Oliver the therapy dog.

Medical students Maltish Lorenzo and Parisa Fallah were recently catching up on studying in the Brigham Education Institute (BEI) Knowledge Center when a four-legged study break padded in.

Oliver, a 7-year-old Golden Retriever and certified therapy dog, had arrived for a “drop-in” pet therapy session at the center on Feb. 7. The event series is one of several ongoing initiatives across the Brigham aimed at improving wellness and reducing burnout among faculty, staff and trainees.

Unlike service animals trained to assist an individual with a disability, therapy animals like Oliver are brought to hospitals, schools and other places to provide comfort for anyone who would like to pet, talk to or otherwise interact with a therapy animal.

Lorenzo and Fallah weren’t aware their study session at the Knowledge Center would fall in the middle of pet therapy. But as soon as Oliver came in, they joined several other BWHers who flocked to him with smiles and cuddles.

“One of the things that medical students and doctors don’t often prioritize is making time to relax and disengage from work and stress,” said Lorenzo. “This surprise for us was a blessing because it basically forced us to relax.”

Fallah agreed: “These days can be really long, so it’s nice to have an excuse to take a few minutes to pet a happy dog and talk to people,” she said.

Making time for self-care and wellness are important for one’s emotional well-being, both personally and professionally, said Erik Alexander, MD, executive director of the BEI.

From left: Parisa Fallah, Anish Mehta and Maltish Lorenzo take a break with Oliver.

“There are a lot of emotional ups and downs that occur in health care training because we deal with very complex and often sad situations,” Alexander said. “When Oliver comes into the room, you look around and quickly see the joy on people’s faces. Engaging with Oliver provides an extremely valuable outlet. It takes your mind away from your daily stresses and provides a sense of community as people naturally gather around him and chat.”

Anish Mehta, MD, an Internal Medicine resident, was happy to take a break to pet Oliver and send a text message to fellow residents encouraging them to join him at the recent session.

“I was working down here and then was pleasantly surprised to see a Golden Retriever walk in,” Mehta said. “It just makes you smile. It’s a nice way to destress by momentarily focusing on something other than the work ahead.”

Britt Simonson, a medical education program manager in the Department of Medicine, said it’s a delight to see Oliver bring happiness to so many people with his friendly, calming nature.

“Oliver’s presence is so uplifting. When he’s here, everyone is smiling,” she said. “He helps residents and students keep things in perspective and be reminded of the importance of work-life balance.”

Providing Warmth and Comfort

Although pet therapy is hosted by the BEI, everyone at BWH is invited to visit the Knowledge Center and meet Oliver during his drop-in sessions, which are currently held about every other week.

Oliver, who has an official BWH ID badge, has been a therapy dog at the Brigham for several years, occasionally “rounding” on CWN 7, the Orthopaedic Surgery unit, to visit patients and staff who would like to interact with him. Outside of the Brigham, he has also visited with local schoolchildren, college students and Boston Marathon bombing survivors.

When he’s off the job, Oliver is the Alexander family’s pet. Alexander’s daughter, Caroline, spearheaded efforts to have him trained and certified as a therapy animal and championed bringing him to the Brigham. Caroline recently became a BWH volunteer and serves as Oliver’s primary handler while he’s at work.

“We realized early on that Oliver carried a special trait of being able to engage in a loving way with everyone and to receive that love with warmth and comfort – providing therapy to so many,” Caroline said.

View a full calendar of upcoming BEI events.

PIE Awards Ceremony, Feb. 20
The annual Partners in Excellence (PIE) Awards Ceremony will be held Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 10 a.m. in Bornstein Amphitheater. Seating is limited; priority seating in Bornstein will go to individual and team leader PIE recipients. Team member recipients and colleagues may view a live webcast of the ceremony in Carrie Hall or via webcast on your computer. Learn more.

Partners Quality and Safety Symposium, March 2
The theme of the third annual Partners HealthCare Quality and Safety Symposium is “Advancing Quality Together.” During the event, attendees will be able to discuss Partners HealthCare institutions’ most challenging quality and safety issues and acquire examples of successful quality and safety initiatives from the front lines. Stephen Swensen, MD, of Intermountain Healthcare, will serve as the keynote speaker. The Quality, Safety & Value awards will also be presented. Friday, March 2, 7:45 a.m.-2 p.m., at Partners HealthCare, Assembly Row, Somerville. For more information, click here.

OHS Episodic Care Clinic for Employees
Occupational Health Services (OHS) offers conveniently located care for upper respiratory infections, sore throats, conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections and back pain. Employees who have a BWH primary care provider and receive medical insurance through Partners HealthCare can visit the clinic Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Employees will not be charged a co-pay for their visit. The clinic is located within OHS’ mid-campus clinic (45 Francis St. ground Pike). To schedule an appointment, call 617-732-8501.

Introducing myStrength: Personal Support for You
Partners Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is pleased to introduce myStrength, a free and confidential online well-being resource available to all employees and members of their household. You can tailor myStrength to fit your needs, whether you want to improve your mood, manage stress, learn better sleep techniques, supplement chronic pain management, help a loved one with substance misuse or achieve another goal. Learn more.

From left: Josie Elias and Cassandra Lee display the Brigham Mobile Research Platform.

Today, people use their phones for almost everything: ordering food, organizing finances or scheduling out their day-to-day tasks. Mobile devices are becoming the most used tool in people’s lives. But there is one area where mobile devices may be underused: research studies.

It can be challenging to get accurate, real-time data when conducting a population-based research study in a hospital or lab setting. Many studies depend on patient self-reporting, which in turn relies on a patient’s ability to recall details precisely and accurately. Using a phone as a data-collection tool could give the patient the ability to log their symptoms, activities and more in real time. But secure, research-oriented tools for doing so can be hard to find.

Yvonne Lee, MD, director of Pain Research in the Division of Rheumatology, has experienced these challenges, particularly in getting daily data from patients in a secure, HIPAA-compliant fashion for the team’s research projects on rheumatoid arthritis.

“We really struggled,” said Lee. “We wanted to build an app with patients’ input, but we couldn’t find a development partner.”

Recognizing that this was likely a challenge for other BWH researchers as well, Lee connected with the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub (iHub) to consider creating a platform through which patients could securely share data and researchers could access that data and better connect with study participants.

“Clinicians and researchers wanted a platform that would give them both security and flexibility. We wanted to help them innovate,” said Josie Elias, program manager of Digital Health Innovation at iHub. “Together, we created a platform that would offer them the basic tools and standard functions needed to create and launch an app tailored to their study’s needs.”

Known as the Brigham Mobile Research Platform, this tool is now available to researchers across the hospital.

Digital Connections

The platform comprises a suite of tools that help speed up the process for initiating new research app-based protocols, recruiting and retaining participants, and simplifying data collection, analytics and research operations. It serves as a foundation for quickly building specialized apps for individual projects, giving researchers and clinicians more time to focus on the study at hand.

“Adding onto the framework and components of the platform, instead of starting at ‘square one,’ can eliminate cost and time,” Elias said.

In addition, it provides an administrative dashboard for tracking participant progress, status, interactions and results, and it can also serve as a communication tool between research staff and study participants.

Throughout its development, the platform was supported by hospital and Partners teams and leadership. Because of this, it is approved for use at the Brigham – meeting HIPAA, Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements and marketing standards.

Bob Rudin, information scientist at the RAND Corporation, built the Asthma Symptom Monitoring App using the Brigham Mobile Research Platform. Rudin’s app, currently being used for a research study at the Partners Asthma Clinic, allows clinicians to integrate patient-reported outcomes between visits into routine care.

“The dashboard is used by our care management team to view patients’ activity, as well as send notifications via email, treating it somewhat like a phone call,” Rudin said.

To learn more about using the Brigham Mobile Research Platform for a research study, contact iHub at ihub@partners.org.

Cynthia Neider

Cynthia Neider joined BWH as executive director of BWH Connection on Jan. 2.

In this role, Neider oversees all administrative and operational aspects of BWH Connection, a program in the Development Office that ensures access to a full array of patient services at the Brigham, including providing medical referral assistance and facilitation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for patients who request support. In addition, she manages patient liaison service facilitators, who assist patients and families with planning and scheduling outpatient or inpatient visits and navigating the hospital.

Prior to coming to BWH, Neider served as director of business development at World Courier in New York, a health logistics and pharmaceutical supply chain company, where she worked for 30 years. After a long career in the private sector, Neider said she wanted to bring her experience to a mission-based organization.

“I am thrilled to be at BWH. I am a Boston native, and it is great to be back and involved with this extraordinary academic medical center,” Neider said.

Susan E. Rapple, senior vice president and chief development officer, said she and her team are thrilled to have Neider on board.

“Cindy brings a unique skill set and experience to the role. I have great confidence in her abilities to lead this team, and to provide the best experience for our patients as they navigate their care at BWH,” Rapple said.

Neider received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from University of Massachusetts Amherst. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at the Greater Boston Food Bank and assisting with local political campaigns.

Joseph Curro

Joseph Curro, EdD, MBA, RRT, was named director of Pulmonary Services at BWH and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). He serves as the clinical and administrative lead of Respiratory Care at BWH in collaboration with medical leadership, in addition to managing DFCI Respiratory Therapy staff.

Before joining the Brigham in December, Curro was the regional director of Respiratory Operations for New England and upstate New York at PromptCare Companies, which provides home-based respiratory products and infusion services.

Earlier in his career, he worked in a variety of roles in respiratory care services at numerous institutions, including Tufts Medical Center/Boston Floating Hospital for Children, Kindred Hospital Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, among others.

In addition, he is an experienced clinical educator, having developed educational and research programs in pulmonary medicine and respiratory care at Boston Medical Center and Northeastern University.

“I am incredibly pleased to have Joe here at the helm of Pulmonary Services. He brings extensive experience in respiratory care leadership, clinical care and education,” said Molly Boyce, MBA, MSW, senior director of Clinical Services. “I know that he will continue to support the great work of the department, foster development and provide strong, thoughtful and caring leadership to our staff.”

Curro earned a doctorate in education from LaSalle University, a master’s in business administration from Western New England College and a bachelor’s in biology from Merrimack College.

“Let’s Get Cooking” Series Begins Feb. 15
The departments of Food Services and Nutrition invite the BWH community to attend a six-week cooking series. The program will help support healthy eating at home through cooking demonstrations, recipe tasting and nutrition education. Learn how to create delicious and nutritious meals from experts at the Garden Café. The program takes place at the Garden Café, 75 Francis St., on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Feb. 15 through March 22. The program cost is $25 for the series. Email bwhnutrition@partners.org to register.

Ash Wednesday Service, Feb. 14
Service and distribution of ashes will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 14, noon-12:30 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. Ashes will also be available throughout the day in the BWH Chapel on Tower 1. Chaplains will be visiting inpatient units to bring ashes to patients on Feb. 14. For more information, call Spiritual Care Services at 617-732-7480.

Nominate a Colleague for the Brigham Way
Every day, BWHers go above and beyond to make the hospital a better place for all who come through our doors. There are hundreds of ways, both big and small, that employees care for our patients, visitors and each other. Tell us about how you or one of your colleagues goes the extra mile and your nomination could be featured on PikeNotes and TV screens across the distributed campus. Email your nominations to TheBrighamWay@partners.org. Learn more about the Brigham Way.

BEI Historical Presentation of the Iron Lung, Feb. 28
The Brigham Education Institute (BEI) will host a presentation on the history of polio and the iron lung on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at noon, in the BEI Knowledge Center on the Lower Pike. The presentation will be led by Jeffrey Drazen, MD, chief of the BWH Division of Medical Communications and editor-in-chief of The New England Journal of Medicine.

On Jan. 31, the Brigham flipped the switch and revealed its newly redesigned website, brighamandwomens.org.

For the past 18 months, the BWH Digital team has worked in partnership with Partners Information Services (IS) to undertake the monumental task of rebuilding the entire website from the ground up. In addition to the updated design, the site provides a better overall experience through simpler, more intuitive navigation menus.

One of the most critical improvements to the external site is that it is now more responsive, meaning content automatically adjusts for optimal viewing on any device, including smartphones and tablets – a critical upgrade, as nearly half of visitors to the Brigham’s website are mobile users.

In addition, the “Find a Doctor” section of the website, physiciandirectory.brighamandwomens.org, was revamped to match the new responsive design and provide enhanced search capabilities.

The BWH Digital team is eager to continue improving the site and has established a new process by which members of the BWH community can request updates to their departments’ webpages.

Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn how to request edits, read frequently asked questions about the new site and find out how to apply to become a web editor.

The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, which provides lifesaving blood and platelets to patients at BWH and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has an immediate need for Type-O negative whole blood donors and platelet donors.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, email BloodDonor@partners.org or call the Kraft Center at 617-632-3206. Specify whether you’d like to donate blood or platelets. Learn more.

Jonathan Santiago

Jonathan Santiago, former Materials manager at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH), was named director of BWH Materials Management on Jan. 22.

Santiago’s background at the Brigham dates back to 2002, when he was a volunteer in Materials Management at BWH. The following year, he was hired as the weekend and holiday lead for the department. In 2006, he was named supervisor for supply support in the Operating Rooms at BWH. He transferred back to BWH Materials Management as the inventory controller/supervisor in 2008. He was named the first internal manager of Materials Management at BWFH in 2012, where he focused on building efficiency and emphasizing customer service.

Calling BWH his “home,” Santiago said he’s excited to return to the institution where he began his career. He also has a personal connection to the Brigham: He was born here.

In his new role, Santiago is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the department and providing professional and technical direction to ensure cost-effective, efficient operation in his areas of responsibility. Santiago oversees several services within Materials Management, including Shipping and Receiving, Office Services, the Linen department and the Shop on the Pike.

George Player, CPE, FMA, vice president of Facilities and Operations, is thrilled Santiago is back at the Brigham and serving as the new director of Materials Management. With his knowledge of the department and the Brigham’s facilities, Santiago will help to elevate and strengthen the department in the months to come, Player said.

“I look forward to Jonathan continuing the important work that the team has accomplished, as well as search for opportunities and fresh ideas that will help to improve our customer service,” he said.

Santiago obtained his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Salem State College.

Jennifer Nayor speaks with patient Inez Codling prior to her upper endoscopy and colonoscopy at the Endoscopy Center.

Preparing for a colonoscopy can be a complex and sometimes confusing experience for patients, requiring a series of time-sensitive actions and dietary changes in the days leading up to the procedure. The process leaves ample room for human error, as it’s easy to forget a step or misunderstand an instruction.

But when a patient arrives for a colonoscopy inadequately prepped, the procedure takes longer to perform or must be canceled because the provider cannot obtain a clear view of the bowels. What’s more, a poor prep usually isn’t evident until after the care team has sedated the patient and inserted the scope.

“Colonoscopy preps are not the easiest thing to do, even with instructions,” said Jennifer Nayor, MD, of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy. “It’s unfortunate because if the prep is inadequate, we often have to abort the colonoscopy or not even start, which means the patient has to reschedule and do the prep all over again.”

Following a successful pilot last year, staff at the Endoscopy Center are using technology to make that less likely to occur. With funding from the Brigham Care Redesign Incubator Startup Program (BCRISP) and additional support from the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub (iHub), a multidisciplinary team has been using a texting tool, developed by a company called Medumo, to provide patients with a digital colonoscopy prep guide in advance of their procedure.

At predetermined intervals, patients receive automated instructions and reminders via text message explaining what steps they need to complete at that time. These include timely notifications about when to stop eating solid food or when to consume the laxative prep solution, among other check-ins. On the day of their procedure, patients also receive a text with directions to the center using BWH’s new wayfinding tool.

Prior to the intervention, 11.5 percent of Endoscopy Center patients were found to have inadequate prep quality within a three-month period. After the three-month pilot, that fell to 3.8 percent. In addition, the no-show rate dropped from 6.1 percent to 4.3 percent.

“I anticipated that we’d see an improvement, but the preliminary results were beyond what I expected, and it continues to be successful,” Nayor said. “The feedback has also been really positive from patients. They like the idea that we’re helping them through this.”

Patients who participated in the pilot rated their satisfaction with the digital reminders highly, 9.07 on a scale of one to 10. “I felt like someone cared,” noted one patient in a feedback form. Another wrote, “I really love the reminders. I don’t think I could go through the process without the instructions program.” One participant praised the clear, step-by-step instructions and real-time reminders via text message as a “great system that makes the patient feel cared for.”

Looking Ahead

The Endoscopy team has partnered with iHub to make the technology even easier for the clinical staff to use. Originally, staff had to manually input data from Epic into Medumo for each patient. Through the team’s collaboration with iHub, that transfer is now automated at the time of scheduling.

The Endoscopy Center is also looking at expanding its use of Medumo to additional types of automated reminders for patients, Nayor said.

Based on the team’s outcomes, other practices across Brigham Health are evaluating the tool’s use as part of Active Asset Management – an initiative focused on improving the effective utilization of resources – said Beth McDonald, MBA, RN, executive director of Surgical and Procedural Services.

“Innovative projects such as this help ensure we’re doing everything we can to optimally prepare patients for their procedures,” McDonald said. “It’s not only about using our resources efficiently. It’s just as important that we provide the best possible experience for our patients and staff.”

Mentors Needed: Host a High School Intern
The Center for Community Health and Health Equity (CCHHE) is looking for dedicated mentors for its Student Success Jobs Program. Students work in a department for seven to 10 hours a week after school while gaining knowledge from passionate BWH staff. Students are paid through CCHHE. To learn more, email rluz@bwh.harvard.edu or call 617-264-8739.

YMCA Achievers Award Nominations Due Jan. 30
Do you know a BWH or BWFH employee who has made an outstanding contribution to the organization’s success and has been willing to make a difference in the lives of youth in the Greater Boston area? If so, please take the time to nominate him or her for the 2018 YMCA Achievers Award. Nominations are due Tuesday, Jan. 30. To learn more and to access the nomination form, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.

Preventing the Spread of Flu
This flu season has gotten off to an early, severe start. As a reminder, if you feel sick, it is essential for you to stay home and recover (using your Benefit Time or sick time). This is both for your benefit and for our patients, since passing on the flu to our patients can have grave consequences. If you develop flu-like symptoms (i.e., a fever greater than 100.4°F with a sore throat and/or cough), notify Occupational Health Services at 617-732-6034 and stay out of work or leave work until cleared to return by OHS.

Electronic 2017 W2 Form Now Available
Effective Jan. 16, your 2017 W2 form is available using PeopleSoft Self-Service. Employees will be able to view, save or print tax years 2013-2017 in a PDF format. This electronic form is an official document and can be used when filing tax returns. By Wednesday, Jan. 31, staff will receive a print copy of the W2 at their mailing address on file in PeopleSoft. Learn more at BWHPikesNotes.org.

Exemplifying Magnet hallmarks: Hannah Chapman fills out an interactive whiteboard used in some Shapiro patient rooms.

In the next step toward the Brigham’s journey to Magnet designation, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) recently notified BWH that its appraisers will conduct a four-day site visit, March 26-29.

Two to four months following the site visit, BWH is expected to learn whether it has achieved Magnet designation. If successful, the Brigham will be among the 9 percent of hospitals that have attained Magnet designation.

The selection for a site visit is an important milestone for the entire institution, said Maddy Pearson, DNP(c), MSN, MA, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of Patient Care Services.

Appraisers will speak with staff across the Brigham to hear firsthand how they demonstrate the characteristics of a Magnet hospital: quality patient care, clinical excellence, innovations in professional practice and interprofessional collaboration.

“This site visit marks the next phase of the journey we embarked on nearly four years ago,” Pearson said. “It also confirms that the body of evidence we submitted last April captures how exceptionally the Brigham exemplifies the hallmarks of Magnet.”

She noted that appraisers will be interested in hearing specific examples of initiatives, programs and everyday practices that reflect quality patient care, clinical excellence, innovations in professional practice and interprofessional collaboration.

To help BWH staff prepare, a mock site visit will be conducted Feb. 20-22. Four nurse colleagues from Massachusetts General Hospital who have been involved in MGH’s Magnet work will serve as mock appraisers for the three-day exercise.

The body of evidence the Brigham submitted last year – highlighting 75 examples of how BWH meets the Magnet model – remains accessible to all staff. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org/magnet to learn how to access it.

In addition, a new display in the 75 Francis St. lobby features four initiatives that each demonstrates a hallmark of Magnet, accompanied by a video highlighting additional projects that exemplify these principles. More resources will be made available to all staff in the coming weeks to help everyone prepare.

“This visit will provide the opportunity to showcase and affirm the outstanding care we provide every day,” Pearson said.

National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 2, and the New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 4!

Send photos of you or your team wearing your favorite Pats gear and/or red clothing to work on Feb. 2, to BWHBulletin@partners.org. Share your photos on social media using the hashtag #BWHWearsRed. Photos will be featured on the TV screens and BWHPikeNotes.org throughout the day.

John Fish

John Fish, chairman and CEO of Suffolk, one of the largest construction companies in the country, was named chair of the Brigham Health Board of Trustees on Jan. 17.

Fish has been an ardent, active supporter of Brigham Health for more than a decade. In addition to being a trustee, he was campaign cabinet chair of the Life.Giving.Breakthroughs. fundraising program. Under his stewardship, the campaign surpassed its original goal – two years ahead of schedule – and set a new target of $1.5 billion last year. He also serves as a member of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases Advisory Board.

Throughout his career, Fish has served on numerous boards focused on improving the economy and raising the competitiveness of the Northeast. In addition, he and his wife, Cyndy, are dedicated philanthropists. In honor of their gifts to advance surgical and medical education across Brigham Health, they were inducted into The Luminary Society.

Fish succeeds former chair Scott Sperling, who transitioned to become chair of the Board of Directors at Partners HealthCare.

“I am certain that John’s abiding commitment and passion and leadership will build on Scott’s work in advancing our precious mission,” said Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD.

Fish obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. He was conferred an honorary doctorate of engineering technology from Wentworth Institute of Technology, as well as an honorary degree from Regis College.

From left: Karen and Rob Hale

On Jan. 22, Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, announced BWH received a transformative gift – the largest individual gift in the institution’s history – from longtime benefactors Karen and Rob Hale.

Marking a major milestone in Brigham’s Life.Giving.Breakthroughs. campaign, the Hales’ generosity is an investment in the future of medicine and the lives of BWH’s patients and their loved ones, Nabel said.

“The Hale family’s extraordinary gift will enable us take a giant leap forward in our work to fuel discovery and eradicate disease,” Nabel said. “Words cannot adequately convey our gratitude and admiration for their generosity and vision.”

In recognition of the Hales’ gift, the Brigham will rename its clinical and research facility at 60 Fenwood Road the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine.

The Hales are prominent Boston-area philanthropists with deep ties to the Brigham. Karen currently serves on the Brigham’s Cancer Research and Care Advisory Board, and Rob, who is president and CEO of Quincy-based Granite Telecommunications, serves as a chair of BWH’s Life.Giving.Breakthroughs. campaign and is a member of the President’s Advisory Board.

In addition to their BWH gift, the Hales also gave a significant gift to Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). BCH will name its future 11-story clinical building in honor of the Hales.

Having seen devastating diseases directly touch many of their family member and friends, Karen and Rob said they’re committed to finding cures and helping more patients walk away with a victory.

“Karen and I see Boston as an epicenter for far-reaching medical advances,” Rob said. “Both Boston Children’s Hospital and the Brigham are international leaders in their research and understanding of diseases. With our investment in these two world-class institutions, we hope to impact millions of patients.”

To learn more about this historic gift, visit thankyouhales.org.

B.A.A. 5K Registration Opens Jan. 17
Registration for the Boston Athletic Association’s (B.A.A.) 5K opens Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. The B.A.A. 5K will be held on Saturday, April 14. Support trauma research and care by running or walking with the Stepping Strong 5K team while honoring the Boston Strong spirit. Register here.

Medication Take-Back Day, Jan. 19
The Brigham is hosting a Medication Take-Back event on Friday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., on the Tower 2 mezzanine. Bring unused or expired prescription medications for safe disposal. All drop-offs are confidential. Giveaways will be available for the first 100 participants. To view a list of items that can be accepted, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.

Partners Online College Preparation Program Begins Jan. 22
Are you interested in going to college, but not sure you have the time? Have you considered taking an online class, but not sure you have what it takes to succeed? The Partners Online College Preparation Program can help. Visit partners.org/ocpp to learn more and to sign up. The next cohort begins Monday, Jan. 22. Contact Kathryn Decelles at kdecelles@partners.org or 617-435-6514 with questions.

Third Annual V-Day Event at BWH, Feb. 9
BWH’s third-annual event honoring V-Day will take place on Friday, Feb. 9, 12:30-2 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. V-Day is a celebration of female empowerment and is held to recognize, and begin to remedy, issues of violence against women and girls. This year’s event will focus on screening for domestic violence in medical settings. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

BWH and the Division of Hematology mourn the loss of Barry Paw, MD, PhD, a principal investigator at BWH and Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dr. Paw passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 28. He was 56.

A dedicated mentor, Dr. Paw is remembered by current and former lab members as a passionate teacher who took pride in the success of his trainees and students.

“Barry viewed every student, postdoc and technician who worked in his lab as a mentee and cared deeply about their development as future physicians and scientists,” said Jeffrey Cooney, a former student in the Paw lab who is now pursuing an MD/PhD at the University of Texas at San Antonio. “He always viewed the development of his mentees as an essential part of his scientific legacy, perhaps just as important as the seminal discoveries that he spearheaded. Personally, I know that I would not be where I am today without Barry’s mentorship.”

As a scientist, Dr. Paw devoted his career to the study of developmental biology of red blood cell differentiation. Focusing on the genes important for red blood cell development, his team used zebrafish as a model to identify mutations that cause anemia. Insights from this work led to new discoveries and implications for human blood disorders.

Besides his encyclopedic understanding of science and medicine, Dr. Paw was known for his wealth of knowledge about many other topics.

“Whenever our team would go out to eat, I would sit back in astonishment as Barry would recall obscure facts and stories that I would never imagine learning anywhere else,” said Jared Whitman, laboratory manager for the Paw lab. “For example, he enjoyed taking us to a Mexican restaurant where they would play mariachi music upon request, and when we arrived, Barry had a multitude of native songs and their significance tucked away in the back of his mind. No matter the conversation, he always had the most intriguing facts and stories to tell, and those conversations are the memories of Barry that will stay with me.”

His amazing recall was not limited to trivia. From high school students to professors, Dr. Paw got to know his trainees and collaborators as individuals and remembered small details about their lives, said Yvette Yien, PhD, a former postdoc in the Paw lab.

“I think this spoke to how closely he listened to people and how much attention he paid to them as human beings,” said Yien, now an assistant professor at the University of Delaware.

His colleague, hematologist Robert Handin, MD, also remembered Dr. Paw not only as a dedicated scientist and skilled pediatric oncologist, but also a devoted hobbyist. In particular, Dr. Paw was a superb gardener who maintained a collection of exotic orchids – another means through which his friendship and teaching lives on, Handin said.

“He was a fount of knowledge about his favorite flowers,” Handin said. “When I complained that I couldn’t seem to keep one alive or get it to rebloom, he consoled me and gave me careful advice about overwatering, root rot, proper fertilization and cutting back stems. Every time I see one of my orchids rebloom, I will think of Barry.”

In addition to leading a lab at the Brigham, Dr. Paw served as an attending physician in Pediatric Oncology at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI).

Dr. Paw obtained his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from University of California (UC), Berkeley. After receiving his medical degree and doctorate in Biological Chemistry from the UC Los Angeles School of Medicine, he completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at BCH. He was awarded a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at BCH and DFCI. He conducted his post-doctoral research fellowship in zebrafish genetics and hematopoiesis at BCH.

The BWH chapter of the Association for Multicultural Members of Partners (AMMP) invites you to attend its annual celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Join AMMP on Tuesday, Jan. 16, noon-1 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater, for a panel discussion moderated by BWH Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Sabrina Williams, MBA. The panel will discuss historic and present-day issues of diversity and equity as they pertain to Boston.

Several Boston champions of diversity and equity will participate in the discussion: Tanisha Sullivan, president, Boston National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); Michelle Morse, MD, MPH, of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine; and Abigail Ortiz, MSW, MPH, director of Community Health Programs at Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center.

All are welcome to join. Lunch will be provided.

Julianne Nee

Julianne Nee, MBA, was appointed administrative director of Patient Care Services Program Initiatives on Jan. 2.

She oversees the overall nonclinical administration and operational components of programs within Patient Care Services and the Department of Nursing. She serves as the department lead, overseeing several committees and reporting processes related to institutional and departmental accreditation and recognition, professional staff concerns regarding issues of safety and staffing, nursing contract issues concerning employee benefits, and employee- and workplace-satisfaction initiatives.

Nee brings a wealth of administrative experience in addition to project management skills to her new role. Prior to this position, she was a senior project manager in Human Resources (HR), where she was instrumental in designing, planning and implementing key HR initiatives and projects for BWH.

Earlier in her career at the Brigham, she was a business manager in the Center for Nursing Excellence, where she served as the nonclinical administrative lead for the 2016 Patient Safety Culture Survey. Nee also supported Nursing and Patient Care Services e-learning initiatives and managed Nursing’s intranet site, among many other duties.

Nee earned her master’s degree in business administration from Curry College and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Idriz Limaj

Idriz Limaj, MBA, BSN, RN, joined BWH as clinical executive director of Care Continuum Management in December.

In this role, Limaj is responsible for executing the strategic vision across all areas of Brigham Health’s Care Continuum Management program. This work includes planning, directing and coordinating strategic initiatives related to program development and the daily clinical and administrative practices carried out by social workers, care coordination nurses and care transition specialists who support patients and families transitioning between care settings.

Limaj reports to Kathryn Britton, MD, MPH, associate chief medical officer, and Shelly Anderson, MPM, senior vice president of Strategy and Operations, in these efforts.

With a long track record of providing high-quality, patient-centered care in various health care settings, Limaj most recently was the chief operating officer of Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Baltimore and of the Post-Acute Care Division in the hospital’s parent organization, LifeBridge Health.

Prior to his time in Maryland, he worked at Hebrew SeniorLife in Roslindale, where he served as executive director of the organization’s Community-Based Health Services.

Limaj received his master’s in business administration and bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Maddy Pearson (right) meets clinical nurses Monica Crowley (left) and Debelyn Leach (center) during a visit to Shapiro 9 East.

When I look back on this year, I am incredibly proud of how our Nursing and Patient Care Services staff have initiated and embraced new ways of engaging that continue to break down silos, promote a more inclusive, transparent and proactive work environment, and, ultimately, enhance the quality and safety of the care we provide. Our Nursing and Patient Care Services staff have mobilized a several initiatives that continue to demonstrate their commitment and brilliant work – through hospital-wide projects and the countless everyday actions that go on diligently behind the scenes.

As we continue on our journey toward Magnet designation, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: While it’s true that Magnet is about celebrating our excellent practice and patient care, it is our people who drive this work with purpose and instill it with meaning. 

Maddy Pearson, DNP(c), MSN, MA, RN, NEA-BC,
Chief nursing officer and senior vice president, Patient Care Services

Earlier this month, the Obstetrics (OB) Anesthesiology fellows put together an in-situ simulation drill for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Amber Benhardt, MD, Naida Cole, MD, Kyle Jespersen, MD, Chaim Nelson, MD, Sharon Reale, MD, and Jess Wrobel, MD, ran the exercise in a Labor and Delivery unit operating room.

I watched them set up the room with detailed props, enact a scenario with residents and then debrief about the salient points of PPH management. 

As their program director, I was proud to see their refined teaching skills in action. They improve safety and enrich the learning environment at BWH every day, and we are lucky to have them.

Michaela Farber, MD, MS
Associate chief, OB Anesthesiology, and fellowship
program director, OB Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

I was lucky to be selected as the winner of the 2017 Milestein Medical Asian American Partnership Foundation Fellowship Award in Translational Medicine. I chose BWH as my reception hospital and Joseph Bonventre, MD, PhD, past-president of the American Society of Nephrology, as my supervisor. I became a BWHer this November.

Kidney disease is growing rapidly in China. BWH is one of the most excellent places in world to study kidney disease, and Dr. Bonventre is a leader in the field. I knew I made a very smart choice by coming to BWH. It has been a great opportunity to strengthen the exchange of kidney disease research between China and the United States. 

I was thrilled to help coordinate a visit to the Renal Division and Dr. Bonventre’s lab by Prof. Xiangmei Chen, president of the Chinese Nephrologist Association, and Prof. Hongli Lin, the association’s vice president, in November. This was the first time that the presidents of the U.S. and Chinese nephrology associations met, and on that day a new international connection was forged. This is my Brigham moment from 2017 that makes me really proud.

Nan Shen, MD, PhD
Renal Division

Earlier this year, a dear friend from the Midwest required a bone marrow transplant. She traveled to the Brigham to have her procedure performed, and she received follow-up care here as well. When I asked her why she chose to travel such a great distance for care, she said that of all the hospitals across the country, she felt she would receive the very best care here at the Brigham. The sentiment filled me with tremendous pride.

Coincidentally, my son, Chris, has been a medical resident in our Bone Marrow Transplant unit. It’s been gratifying to hear him talk about how the clinicians on the unit have helped him expand his clinical skills and supported him through many challenging moments. Hearing Chris talk about how much he’s learned from our nurses and the respect and admiration he has for their professionalism reminded me of my own experience as a resident at the Brigham. I practically lived here, and my nursing colleagues quickly took me under their wings, becoming both mentors and friends. They were a great source of support for me, as I was one of the few female trainees at that time.

The bonds that we forge here – with our patients, their families and each other – are at the very foundation of who we are as a community. Our culture of caring and multidisciplinary collaboration is reflected in everything we do, and it is a tremendous honor for me to see that on display every day.

Betsy Nabel, MD
President, Brigham Health

Some time ago, a dear friend of mine needed to have major surgery. She was terrified. She was worried about the changes in her capabilities the surgery might bring, and she was dreading the hospitalization. She was not terrified of the actual surgery; she is a very stoic person. She was terrified of the loss of dignity and privacy and the loss of herself as an individual within such an enormous medical center.

She plucked up her courage – with reassurance and support from her family – and had her surgery. On her first post-operative day, I went to visit her. To my surprise, she was sitting up in bed, smiling and talking with her family. I told her how well she appeared to be doing, and without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “It’s these nurses. The nurses here on 12A are the most amazing, kind, skilled and caring people I have ever encountered. They are simply wonderful. They respect my privacy, they are always close at hand to help and they know exactly what they are doing!”

In 22 years as a department chair and three years in my current position, I have always been tremendously proud of the Brigham and our nurses, but never more than at that moment.

Ron M. Walls, MD
Executive vice president and chief operating officer, Brigham Health

Janelle Erickson, with her father

My shining moment was joining BWH in September of this year. Working here, I have met some of the most wonderful colleagues and patients, whom I can now call family. This year was especially tough because I was not only starting a new career, but I was also taking care of my dad, who had cancer and passed away in October. I received the most wonderful support from colleagues I had met only just a few weeks prior. My shining moment here is having a wonderful friendship with everyone and being a part of BWH.

Janelle Erickson
Medical assistant, Cardiology, Brigham and Women’s Harbor Medical Associates

I work for Partners eCare full-time as a trainer supporting Brigham Health. I also work per-diem as a BWH unit coordinator. My shining moment in 2017 occurred when these two roles converged one day.

I was working as a unit coordinator on Tower 12C, and one of our patients was in the midst of a Rapid Response. The responding nurse was having some technical issues with Epic as he initiated a blood transfusion. I called the Help Desk and opened a ticket. As we awaited the response, I realized my Epic knowledge could help resolve the issue. I quickly sanitized, gloved up, put on a precaution gown and a mask prior to entering the patient’s room and proceeded to provide the nurse with directions to fix the technical issue.

My nurse colleague was curious: How did a unit coordinator know how to resolve that problem? I explained that I train new hires in Epic application functionality. I later logged into a training environment and showed him how I fixed the issue in case he encountered it again. I was so happy that I could provide immediate assistance in an urgent situation. Patient care is always the top priority, and I am willing to do anything I can to help.

Tammy Guillery
Credentialed Epic Trainer, Partners eCare

A few weeks ago, I met a family who arrived here from the country of my birth, Trinidad and Tobago, seeking medical care for their child, who was very ill. Shortly after this had occurred, my neighbor asked me if I was willing to host a mutual friend’s family who was coming to Boston for medical care at BWH. Little did I know at the time that these moments were connected.

Later that day at work, after talking with my neighbor, I briefly saw the family I had met from Trinidad and Tobago when they arrived at BWH. Something inside told me this was the same family my neighbor had told me about. After the family’s next visit, we were able to chat a little more, and we discovered that we shared several relatives.

As it turned out, my newfound relative’s health issues were complex and serious. But thanks to Dr. Steve Singh in Cardiac Surgery, Dr. Jon Wee in Thoracic Surgery and their entire team, the surgery was very successful and she is recovering wonderfully.

It’s moments like this that make me so happy and thankful to be working at BWH and be part of this great institution.

Deborah Nicholas
Patient Access Services 

Michelle Morse teaches social medicine to health professional students in Haiti.

There are countless examples demonstrating how faculty and trainees in the Division of Global Health Equity contribute to the Brigham’s vision for a healthier world by expanding access to care and championing educational programs in underserved communities across the globe. It would be impossible to recount them all, but here is one that resonated with me this past year.

Michelle Morse, MD, MPH, founded EqualHealth as a resident at BWH in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Her goal has been to strengthen the country’s medical and nursing education programs. Now a BWH hospitalist and faculty member in our division, Dr. Morse travels each summer to teach a social medicine course to health professional students in Haiti. She has also been instrumental in establishing accredited residency programs at the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, reinforcing BWH’s partnership in Haiti.

Dr. Morse, like other faculty in our division, is committed to teaching social medicine: the concept that social and economic factors have an incredible impact on health. Providers are routinely exposed to socioeconomic forces, but have limited training in how to respond. Dr. Morse works tirelessly to increase understanding of the social determinants of health, in the U.S. and globally, and to expand how clinicians are trained to view these factors in patient care.

Jennifer Goldsmith
Director of Administration, Division of Global Health Equity

From left: Sharon Dickinson, Shirronda Almeida, Valerie Gaines, Annie Kelly, Mike Irish, Paula Maier, Joe Francoeur, Pilar Vacas Annette Mitko, Nancy Webber, Barbara Melanson, Karen Price and Alfreda Stokes, at the team’s retreat in October

The 60 volunteers who support our Reiki Service go the extra mile every week to bring a moment of peace to our patients. Many have full-time jobs in addition to their volunteer work. Some choose to spend their retirement years giving their time. Others are juggling busy family schedules in order to bring the gift of reiki here. Some volunteers travel more than an hour each way to get here.

One reiki volunteer faithfully shows up for her regular shift and then also comes in for extra time to provide reiki for staff. Another volunteer always has encouraging words for other team members. One individual had previously received such compassion as a patient and, after being so moved by the provider’s caring and concern, eventually became a volunteer to “give back.” Another loves providing reiki so much that she volunteers at two hospitals.

I am continually inspired by the generosity, caring and creativity of our volunteers.

Sharon Dickinson
Program coordinator, Reiki Service

It was an early, cloudy Tuesday morning like any other that we gathered for a meeting. Our research team had recently expanded, and we soon realized there were now too many of us to fit in our principal investigator’s office. However, that did not deter us, as you can tell by the photo, which shows our Urology research team at our weekly meeting regarding ongoing projects. Some of us sat on the floor while others stood by the wall, but everyone was ready to provide the input we needed to move our projects forward.

In addition to depicting the passion of our team, this picture also illustrates diversity at the Brigham. Physicians and researchers from four continents squeezed into this room to discuss approaches and methods to improve the delivery of health services in surgical sciences and make health care more equitable. This photo is close to my heart, and I refer to it often. It illustrates our team spirit and reminds us of why we do what we do.

Junaid Nabi
Senior Project Manager, Division of Urology

Share Your ‘One Shining Moment’ by Dec. 18
As you reflect on 2017, is there one memory that makes you especially proud to call yourself a BWHer? Maybe you recall a touching moment with a patient or family member, or perhaps you witnessed a colleague do something that made you proud. BWH Bulletin encourages you to share your “One Shining Moment” with the Brigham community for our annual year-end issue. Email your proudest moment of 2017, along with a related photo of yourself or the team involved, to BWHBulletin@partners.org by Monday, Dec. 18. A selection of Shining Moments will appear in the Dec. 22 issue of Bulletin.

Winter Food Drive Kicks off Dec. 18
BWH will host a winter-themed food drive in the 75 Francis St. lobby to benefit the Parker Hill/ABCD Emergency Food Pantry in Mission Hill, Dec. 18-12. Beans, rice, cereal, pasta, soups, peanut butter, jelly and canned goods are most needed. Cash or check donations are also accepted. Contact Luzvinda Melo at 617-264-8747 or ldmelo@bwh.harvard.edu with questions.

Partners EAP Eldercare Discussion Group, Dec. 20
Caring for an aging loved one can be challenging on many levels. The Partners Employee Assistance Program (EAP) hosts monthly meetings to discuss care coordination, family issues associated with caring for an elder adult, legal, estate and medical issues, grieving loss and self-care. No registration required. Wednesday, Dec. 20, noon-1 p.m., at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Dana Building, Room 1635.

Save the Date: Osher Center Town Hall, Jan. 2
Join the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine for a town hall meeting to start off the new year with an opportunity to learn from each other. Attendees are encouraged to bring their ideas and questions to discuss with Osher Center leadership. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 8-9 a.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater.

Norovirus and flu Prevention, Response
The Boston area is experiencing an increase in cases of gastrointestinal illness (nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea) consistent with norovirus infection. Norovirus can be highly contagious. To prevent infection, wash your hands with soap and water before eating, and avoid sharing food. Staff who develop norovirus symptoms must stay out of work for at least 72 hours after their symptoms are gone and notify BWH Occupational Health Services (OHS) at 617-732-6034. Flu season is also here. Any personnel with flu-like symptoms must inform OHS and stay out of work until their fever is gone for at least 24 hours. Learn more.

The Security and Parking main office will move from the Neville House to its new location on the Lower Pike in the Surgery Building, Room SR-170, on Monday, Dec. 18.

All Security and Parking services – including MBTA pass pickups, parking passes and ID badges – will be provided at this new location. The office’s hours and phone numbers are unchanged. The move will take place primarily over the weekend, Dec. 16-17. The office will reopen at approximately noon on Dec. 18 at on the Lower Pike.

The new location is closest to the G elevators at 45 Francis St.:

• Take the G elevator to the first floor (Lower Pike).
• Turn left as you exit the elevator, and take an immediate left down the first hallway. This hallway will be identified by a series of orange and blue lockers, as well as a sign that reads “Security” and “Asthma Research Center.”
• Continue down the hallway to the end, where you will see the Security office on your left.

BWH Holiday Auction, Now Through Dec. 12

The holiday season is here and with it comes some gift-giving opportunities through the BWH Holiday Auction. Auction items include passes to the Masters Golf Tournament, tickets to the NCAA Final Four, flowers delivered every month for a year from Winston Flowers and more. The auction ends Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 5 p.m. To view a full list of items and learn how to bid, visit accelevents.com/events/BWH.

Sale at BWH Shop on the Pike, Dec. 14-15

The BWH Shop on the Pike is celebrating its eighth birthday by offering 20 percent off most items, including select BWH apparel, during a holiday sale on Thursday, Dec. 14, and Friday, Dec. 15. The discount does not apply to flowers/plants, balloons, candy, food, magazines, greeting cards, website orders, phone cards and gift cards. Visit the Shop on the Pike or call 617-732-7878 for more details.

Tell Us Your ‘One Shining Moment’ from 2017, Deadline Is Dec. 18

As you reflect on 2017, is there one memory that makes you especially proud to call yourself a BWHer? Maybe you recall a touching moment with a patient or family member, or perhaps you witnessed a colleague do something that made you proud. BWH Bulletin encourages you to share your “One Shining Moment” with the Brigham community for our annual year-end issue. Email your proudest moment of 2017, along with a related photo of yourself or the team involved, to BWHBulletin@partners.org by Monday, Dec. 18. A selection of Shining Moments will appear in the Dec. 22 issue of Bulletin.

BWH Holiday-Related Policies

The Brigham has several holiday-related policies in place, including those related to decorations, personal packages and accepting holiday gifts and invitations from vendors. If you would like to learn more about these policies, visit BWHPikeNotes.org. As a reminder, all hospital policies are available by visiting hospitalpolicies.ellucid.com/home.

Jeremy Faust

For Jeremy Faust, MD, an attending physician in Emergency Medicine at the Brigham, having the opportunity to join the newly formed Longwood Chorus and sing with his colleagues is the best gift he could ask for this holiday season.

Faust, who holds a master’s degree in music composition in addition to a medical degree and master’s in biomedical sciences, has been singing all his life. He said being able to combine his two passions, medicine and music, is deeply rewarding.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Faust said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to sing with colleagues who have the same vision. It’s really a great combination of forces.”

For more than 30 years, the Longwood Symphony Orchestra has served as an expressive outlet for many in the Longwood Medical Area (LMA), but there has not been an equivalent musical group for singers. The Longwood Chorus fills that gap, according to Abra Shen, a medical student at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Earlier this year, Shen and a fellow HMS classmate, Pamela Chen, founded the Longwood Chorus.

Singers in the Longwood Chorus rehearse for their upcoming winter concerts.

The chorus’ debut performance will be held at the Brigham on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Bornstein Amphitheater. This will be the group’s first of three winter-themed concerts.

The chorus, an ensemble of students and professionals in health care and science, seeks to reduce burnout and promote creativity and emotional wellness.
“The chorus is a way to meet people in the Longwood community and create high-quality, beautiful music together,” Shen said.

Faust, who will become the Longwood Chorus’ associate conductor this coming spring, said even though his schedule is consistently busy due to his work responsibilities, he always makes time for music.

In addition, Faust said he’s incorporated much of his experiences with music to the bedside in the Emergency Department. He recalled one example of his musical and medical lives intersecting: a patient who was having difficulty speaking due to a stroke. Knowing that a singer’s mouth placement is critical to ensuring the vocals sound right, Faust taught the patient how to move their mouth in a way that made it easier to communicate.

Hoping to see both familiar and new faces at the upcoming concert in Bornstein and other LMA venues, Faust said attendees will enjoy the fun and lively music chosen for the performance. The chorus also knows its audience: The concert is about a half hour, making it appealing to medical professionals with crammed schedules.

“In a short amount of time, I think many people will have a new perspective on music, life and their colleagues,” he said. “It’s quite an efficient source of happiness.”

To learn more about the Longwood Chorus and to see the full schedule of upcoming concerts, click here or email thelongwoodchorus@gmail.com.

The deadline to receive a flu vaccination (or receive approval for a valid exemption) was Dec. 1. For those who have still not been vaccinated, Occupational Health Services (OHS) is offering additional flu shot clinics. Tuberculosis (TB) tests are also available during these times for clinical staff who must be screened annually.

Appointments and walk-in hours are also available at the OHS Neville House and Lower Pike clinics. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to view hours and contact information. Peer-to-Peer nurses are also available to administer flu shots to all personnel on many inpatient units
and at some ambulatory clinics.

Personnel with a documented medical contraindication or those with sincerely held religious beliefs that prevent them from receiving the flu shot may qualify for an exemption. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to download the exemption forms and view submission requirements.

Toys for Tots Drive at BWH, Dec. 5-7
The BWH community is invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for our BWH Toys for Tots collection for children up to 12 years of age. Toys should be nonviolent in nature. Visit the 75 Francis St. lobby anytime between Tuesday, Dec. 5, and Thursday Dec. 7, to drop off your donation. Look for the red sleigh when making your donation.

Brigham Health LGBT Holiday Party, Dec. 14
All staff are invited to attend the 2017 Brigham Health LGBT & Allies Holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 14, 5:30-8 p.m., at Hyatt Regency Boston, 1 Avenue de Lafayette. Enjoy complimentary appetizers, the chance to win a raffle prize (one-night stay at Hyatt Regency) and networking opportunities with LGBT colleagues & allies from Brigham Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and other Partners HealthCare institutions. RSVP by Sunday, Dec. 10, at surveymonkey.com/r/LGBTHolidays.

Sock Donations Needed Through Dec. 15
The BWH Clinical Documentation Program and the Department of Quality and Safety are hosting a sock donation event to benefit the Friends of Boston’s Homeless. The BWH community is invited to donate new men’s or women’s socks at the Brigham, now through Friday, Dec. 15.

Holiday Decoration Policy Reminder
No natural trees, wreaths or laurel decorations are permitted in the hospital due to fire safety concerns. In addition, decorations cannot be applied to any passageway doors. Electric lights are allowed if they are labeled by a recognized testing agency. View the full policy on BWHPikeNotes.org.

Center: Niraj Sharma reflects on Darryl Powell Jr.’s life and legacy.

On Nov. 17, colleagues, friends and family of the late Darryl Powell Jr., MD, gathered for a service dedicating a new outdoor bench at the Brigham in his name.

The brief ceremony was held in the Healing Garden at the Brigham, located between the 15 and 45 Francis St. entrances, where Powell’s colleagues delivered readings and shared their personal reflections on his legacy. The event also included a musical interlude performed by Minister Michael Bradley of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston.

Powell, chief resident in the Harvard Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Boston Children’s Hospital Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Training Program, passed away in April at the age of 30 after a brief illness.

“I hope this area can serve as one small reminder, one small place to come that will evoke memories of Darryl,” said Brian Hasselfeld, MD, a Medicine-Pediatrics resident. “And, maybe, it can match that feeling of missing and longing with one of remembrance.”

Niraj Sharma, MD, MPH, director of the Medicine-Pediatrics program, said he hopes people will visit the bench to find some peace and remember Powell.

“In so many respects, the beauty of this garden perfectly symbolizes Darryl,” Sharma said. “He took head-on the challenges we face in our lives and in the world, but he did it all with that gorgeous smile on his face and that beautiful, warm chuckle. He did all that work while making time for me, for you and for all of us. As I sit on this bench to rest, I will think of Darryl. I will remember the way he led his life by example and everything he taught me.”

Town Meeting, Dec. 1
Join Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD, at our next Town Meeting: An Open Forum for BWHers on Friday, Dec. 1, noon-1 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. The event 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. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org for more information, including a link to the webcast and how to share what topics you would like to hear about at Town Meeting.

Register for the December Vacation Club
Registration for the December Vacation Club at the BWH Backup Childcare Center opens Monday, Nov. 27, at noon. December Vacation Club runs for one week: Dec. 26-29. Children ages 5-12 of BWH, BWFH and DFCI employees are eligible to participate. Call 617-732-9543 to register. Cost is $80 per day or $300 for the week. Limited spaces are also available for children ages 2-4. All reservations are prepaid and nonrefundable. For more information, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.

BWH Toys for Tots Drive, Dec. 5-7
The Brigham community is invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for our BWH Toys for Tots collection for children up to 12 years of age. Toys should be nonviolent in nature. The drive runs Dec. 5-7, in the 75 Francis St. lobby.

Holiday Gifts and Invitations from Vendors
If you receive a gift from a vendor who either does business with Partners HealthCare or would like to do business with Partners, please return the gift or donate it to charity. At the same time, send a note to the vendor acknowledging the gift and explain that gifts can no longer be accepted. Partners Office for Interactions with Industry has a “thanks, but no thanks” sample letter that employees can use in these situations. If you have questions, contact James Bryant, JD, vice president and chief compliance officer, at jbryant3@bwh.harvard.edu, or the Office for Interactions with Industry at PHSOII@partners.org.

Brigham Research Institute staff celebrate innovation in science, medicine and technology at BWH during Discover Brigham.

If you want to see the face of genetic disease, Wendy Borsari says to look no further than her family tree.

Borsari, 51, has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – an incurable genetic condition that causes heart muscles to abnormally thicken – as do both of her children. Her 14-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed as an infant, has experienced sudden cardiac arrest four times and underwent a surgical procedure to remove part of her heart muscle to relieve some of her symptoms. There have been eight heart transplants across their extended family.

Despite these hardships, Borsari is optimistic about the future. Participating in a panel discussion on genetics at Discover Brigham on Nov. 9, she told a packed room of attendees that her hope springs from the promise of gene editing and advancements that have been made in understanding her and her family’s disease.

“I would love to think that this disease will stop with my kids – that they are the last ones in this long family history to whom this devastating disease was passed on,” said Borsari, who was joined on the panel by BWH experts, including her physician, Christine Seidman, MD, director of the Cardiovascular Genetics Center.

Borsari was one of several patients who participated in sessions at Discover Brigham, an annual event showcasing innovative science, technology and medicine at BWH. This marked the first year that the event featured patients as speakers, underscoring the powerful possibilities that arise when discoveries advance from the bench to the bedside.

Other BWH patients who spoke included Mary Chum, a panelist in the session on immunotherapy – a treatment that uses components of a person’s immune system to fight disease. Chum, diagnosed with nephrotic kidney disease as a child, shared how a pioneering immunotherapy treatment put her in remission and made her daily life easier.

Drawing approximately 600 attendees, Discover Brigham kicked off with a digital poster session that included hands-on demonstrations with virtual reality, zebrafish and more. The event concluded with an awards ceremony that announced the winners of the BRIght Futures Prize and Brigham Research Institute (BRI) Director’s Transformative Award (see related story below).

“Discover Brigham has become the BRI’s signature annual event. Thanks to the hard work of the BRI team and numerous volunteers, the day was an incredible success,” said Jacqueline Slavik, PhD, MSc, executive director of the BRI. “One of the most striking features of this event is that it brings together scientists, clinicians, patients, donors, industry collaborators and the public around so many exciting topics.”

Discover Brigham showcased BWHers’ expertise in artificial intelligence, genetics, immunotherapy, the microbiome, nursing research, population science, trauma research, and wellness and alternative medicine.

During the wellness and alternative medicine panel, BWH clinicians and researchers provided myth-busting insights about nutrition, sleep, exercise and mind/body practices. JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine, noted that nearly all micronutrients – apart from folic acid in pregnant women – are absorbed better by the body through food than supplements.

“There is very little evidence that a dietary supplement will lower your risk for any disease if you’re a healthy adult with a balanced diet,” Manson said. “A healthful diet is tremendously important, and it’s really clear from all the randomized trials that have been done that no supplement is a magic bullet.”

From left: Ean Corduff, Abby Argaw and William Thomson promote the Brigham’s 2017 United Way campaign, posing with a cutout of Star Wars characters R2-D2 and C-3PO in the spirit of this year’s theme encouraging donors to “be a force for change.” BWH partners with United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley for the annual hospital-wide fundraising event, which will continue through Wednesday, Nov. 22. Proceeds from the campaign will support programs in the region that offer after-school opportunities for children and teens, as well as financial guidance and housing stability for families.

All BWH personnel are required to receive an annual flu shot and complete their attestation in PeopleSoft by Friday, Dec. 1.

Haven’t gotten your flu shot yet? Visit an upcoming clinic:

Wednesday, Nov. 29 – Friday, Dec. 1
6:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Miller Atrium (second floor)

Personnel with a documented medical contraindication or those with sincerely held religious beliefs that prevent them from receiving the flu shot may qualify for an exemption. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to download the exemption forms and view submission requirements.