As part of an ongoing commitment to communicate with the BWH community about hospital safety and security, BWH Bulletin will feature regular updates on issues and answers to frequently asked questions. This week’s Q&As focus on safety throughout the distributed campus and what to do if you have a concern.

Q. Will the external security consultant include the distributed campus in its assessment?

A. Yes. The distributed campus will be included in the security evaluation, with visits to 850 Boylston St., Foxboro, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital and Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center. The consultant will also provide a framework of security for all distributed campus locations, with best practices for each type of building, such as a stand-alone practice, an office building and a health center. Leadership will then determine how best to implement the findings of the evaluation to all sites throughout the distributed campus.

Q. What should I do if I have a concern about security in my work area?

A. Please start with your local leadership—your manager or supervisor—and have an open conversation about your concern. Directors and supervisors can bring the concern to senior leadership when appropriate. You may also email BWHSafety@partners.org with non-urgent questions, concerns and suggestions. For urgent or emergent matters, call Security at 617-732-6565.

Annual TB Screening, May 11-15

BWH Occupational Health’s annual employee TB screening sessions will be held May 11-15, from 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and May 16, from 6:30-10 a.m. in the Tower 2 mezzanine lobby, across from the Shop on the Pike. As a reminder, only staff who are expected to have contact with TB patients or who handle TB specimens in the laboratory are required to complete annual TB screening. BWH Occupational Health Neville Clinic also has walk-in immunization/TB screening hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, from 7-9 a.m., and Wednesdays, from 2-3 p.m. Appointments may also be scheduled during the usual clinic hours from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information, call 617-732-6034.

May is National Bike Month

Whether you bicycle for commuting or recreation, CommuteWorks | MASCO encourages you to join in this month’s bike festivities around the Longwood Medical Area. Learn more.

Fenwood Road Closure, Shuttle Change

From now through May 15, Fenwood Road will be fully closed between Vining and Binney streets, as underground utility work is being conducted for the Brigham Building for the Future. Partners shuttle riders can continue to use the shuttle stop in front of the Shapiro Center at 70 Francis St. but should expect some route delays due to the closure. MASCO Fenway and M-6 shuttle riders need to use a temporary shuttle stop, located at the corner of Francis and Binney streets. The Ruggles, JFK and Crosstown MASCO shuttle stop will remain at 70 Francis St. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Support March of Dimes March for Babies

For the 10th year, the BWH Strollers team will participate in the March of Dimes March for Babies on May 9, at 9 a.m., at Fenway Park. The team has set a goal of fundraising $100,000 to support the March of Dimes in its efforts to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Cashier’s Office Hours Changing June 1

Due to the May 30 implementation of Partners eCare, our new EPIC-based electronic health record system, the Cashier’s Office hours will be closing a half-hour early to accommodate different workflows that need to be established in the new system, as well as timing of payments. Effective Monday, June 1, the Cashier’s Office will be open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

In an effort to ensure BWH has the safest possible environment for its staff, patients and their families, the hospital conducted a detailed review of the tragic shooting  and loss of Michael J. Davidson, MD, that took place on Jan. 20 to determine what additional security and safety measures could be enforced.

“I commit to you that we will continue to share information about safety and security,” said BWHC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ron M. Walls, MD, who, along with other leaders, has been meeting with groups throughout the hospital to listen to concerns.  “We must work together to achieve our common goal of providing our patients, families and each other a welcoming place of caring and community while making sure that we are safe and secure.”
The comprehensive action report provides recommendations in the areas of communication, training, psychological support, incident management and security. Recommendations are currently being implemented by leaders made responsible for each task.

One of the major actions affirmed by the review was the decision to hire a nationally-recognized health care security consultant, Healthcare Security Consultants, Inc., (HSC) to perform a focused review of BWH’s existing security and safety programs. The agency has begun its external review process and will arrive on campus June 8. More information about what you can expect from HSC will be forthcoming.

As part of the pre-work for the HSC review, BWH is now gathering data regarding the area from the Mission Park Garage to the 75 Francis St. entrance, including all exterior entrances to the Shapiro building. A security officer has been assigned to patrol the area, monitoring activity at the back door—and other entrances—of Shapiro, as well as the pathway to and from the Mission Park Garage and the sidewalk area extending up to 75 Francis St., for a period of 30 days.

Security and safety is everyone’s responsibility, and all staff are asked to be mindful of the following:

• Propping open doors or allowing those without appropriate credentials to enter the hospital off hours is considered a security breach. (See the FAQ below for more information.)
• Locked doors are alarmed, and any door held open for 15 seconds sends an alarm to Security. Going forward, Security will respond immediately to all door alarms.
• Employees are required to wear identification badges on their lapel or on a lanyard, clearly visible, and above the waist.
• Employees can request a Security escort to and from the Mission Park Garage by calling 617-732-6565, or stopping at the Security booth inside the garage.

Wheelchairs for Patient Transport

As a reminder, please do not use wheelchairs for transporting boxes or other supplies. Central Transport and Valet Services rely on wheelchairs to transport patients comfortably and efficiently, and frequently face a shortage of wheelchairs. If there are unused wheelchairs in your area, call Central Transport and Environmental Services at 617-732-7114.

Fenwood Road Closure, Shuttle Change

From now through May 15, Fenwood Road will be fully closed between Vining and Binney streets, as underground utility work is being conducted for the Brigham Building for the Future. Partners shuttle riders can continue to use the shuttle stop in front of the Shapiro Center at 70 Francis St. but should expect some route delays due to the closure. MASCO Fenway and M-6 shuttle riders need to use a temporary shuttle stop, located at the corner of Francis and Binney streets. The Ruggles, JFK and Crosstown MASCO shuttle stop will remain at 70 Francis St. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Costs of Care Essay Contest

Costs of Care, a nonprofit organization, is seeking real stories (700 words or less) from patients, clinicians and students of the health professions that illustrate opportunities to make care more affordable. Submissions for the fifth annual essay contest must be sent to contest@costsofcare.org by Sunday, May 31. Prizes will be awarded. More information is available at costsofcare.org/advocacy/essay.

First-Time Home Buyers Course

RTN Federal Credit Union and Partners Employee Assistance Program will offer a free 10-hour, first-time home buyers course at BWH. The four-part series, presented by the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance, will be held on Tuesdays, May 5, 12, 19 and 26, 5:30–8 p.m., with the first three classes at One Brigham Circle in room 4-002B, and the last class in the BWH Shapiro Board Room. To register, email kmclaughlin@rtn.org, or call 781-736-9962.

Keeping up with the cleanliness of 92 public restrooms is a daunting challenge. In an effort to keep public restrooms at BWH consistently clean, functional and stocked with supplies, BWH Environmental Services is piloting a new restroom management system called Restroom Alert.

For 90 days, beginning the week of May 4, public restroom users at BWH will be able to alert Environmental Services about maintenance or cleaning issues by texting a five-digit number and bathroom code, both of which will be posted inside the bathrooms. For example, you can text “6500 needs soap” or “3500 needs paper towels” to the number provided.

These texts go directly to Environmental Services supervisors, who will then assign a team member to address the issue. In total, 92 public restrooms at BWH will be involved in the pilot. All feedback is anonymous; phone numbers will not be stored or used in any way.

Luis Soto, director of Environmental and Central Transport Services, said he’s looking forward to testing the new system and gathering feedback from the BWH community about the pilot.

“It is a priority of ours to achieve a high standard of cleanliness at all times,” Soto said. “We want to take care of any issues that may arise. I know this pilot will be very beneficial to the entire hospital.”

A rendering of BWH’s new coffee kiosk, coming to Cabot Atrium in August

Water infused with fruits, vegetables and herbs, smoothies made with the freshest ingredients and barista-style coffee drinks like lattes, cappuccino and espresso. These are just a few of the new options you can expect from BWH Food Services over the next year.

The Cafeteria and other Food Services facilities haven’t received updates in many years, and aging facilities and equipment are in need of replacement. With a comprehensive plan of drastically improving dining services for BWH employees, patients and visitors, Food Services is focused on providing healthy selections in an environment that promotes wellness and healing. The updated Cafeteria will strive to provide a variety of options for menu selection and value. The first phase of the plan will be completed this month with the installation of a new coffee kiosk in the Cabot Atrium at 45 Francis St. Later this spring, a much larger project will commence—a renovated Cafeteria with brand new offerings.

“The goal is for dining services at BWH to be integrated with the hospital’s mission of overall health and well-being,” said Chef Peter Lamb, who recently joined BWH as director of Food Services. “We will introduce mindful recipes that use lots of fresh ingredients and offer meals that celebrate cultural diversity.”

Lamb and the Food Services team are looking into farm shares as a means of bringing in a variety of locally-grown fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The Cafeteria will also feature an exhibition station where patrons can watch chefs prepare meals, as well as a way to scan menu items with a smart phone to see complete nutritional information. New and enhanced offerings will include a salad bar and a Red Mango counter for smoothies and juices, among other options.

The menu isn’t the only thing getting an upgrade; the Cafeteria will undergo construction that transforms the physical space with more windows, creating a light-filled respite for guests.

“People use the Cafeteria as a place to take a break and relax,” said Ken Coder, operations manager for Food Services. “We want it to be a calming environment for our staff, patients and visitors.”

Preliminary construction will begin in June, with 6 to 8 feet in the A and B pods blocked off along the outer wall facing Shattuck Street. About 70 to 80 seats will be lost during this time as the outside curved wall is reconstructed to feature floor-to-ceiling windows. To supplement the shortage of seating, Food Services will provide tables and chairs on the mezzanine near the Shop on the Pike.

Construction is scheduled to begin in full around Labor Day, and the Cafeteria will close for several months with an anticipated re-opening just after New Year’s in 2016. During the temporary closure, Food Services will offer “pop-up” locations in several areas around the hospital with prepared meals, including hot entrees, sandwiches, soups, salads and more. Food trucks will park near the hospital to provide additional choices during the construction period.

Employees will have an updated place to get their caffeine fix and small bites later this month, when the new coffee cart is installed in Cabot Atrium.

“We are looking forward to a menu that includes Starbucks coffee and drinks, such as lattes, espresso and cappuccino,” said Lamb. “We also plan to have premade salads and sandwiches, along with other ‘grab-and-go’ items like yogurt and fruit cups.”

More details and information about the Cafeteria renovation will be forthcoming.

Lotus Awards Ceremony, April 29

The departments of Nursing and Patient Care Services will host the second annual Lotus Awards ceremony, Wednesday, April 29, 2–3 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. The Lotus Awards honor staff who go above and beyond to create an environment where all employees, patients and families of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, ages, lifestyles, religion and physical ability feel welcome and cared for. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Fenwood Road Closure, Shuttle change

From now through May 15, Fenwood Road will be fully closed between Vining and Binney streets, as underground utility work is being conducted for the Brigham Building for the Future. Partners shuttle riders can continue to use the shuttle stop in front of the Shapiro Center at 70 Francis St. but should expect some route delays due to the closure. MASCO Fenway and M-6 shuttle riders will need to use a temporary shuttle stop, located at the corner of Francis and Binney streets. The Ruggles, JFK and Crosstown MASCO shuttle stop will remain at 70 Francis St. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Mother’s Day Walk for Peace, May 10

Join BWH’s Center for Community Health and Health Equity to walk for peace, justice and renewal of spirit on Sunday, May 10, at the Town Field Park in Dorchester. Visit mothersdaywalkforpeace.org for more information, including how to join BWH’s team.

Medicine and the Muse, May 11

BWH’s Internal Medicine Residency Program will host the 14th annual “Medicine and the Muse” event on Monday, May 11, beginning at 5 p.m., in Cabot Atrium, 45 Francis St. lobby. The evening of music and art will also include a raffle and silent auction, which will benefit Physicians for Haiti/EqualHealth. If you have artwork you’d like to share, are interested in performing or willing to donate an item, email lpandolfi@partners.org.

Join BWH’s Walk from Obesity Team

Join members of Brigham and Women’s Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as they participate in the “Walk from Obesity” on Saturday, June 13, at BWFH. The funds raised will support the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation. All are welcome to join the BWH team. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more and register.

Pierre Adelson, of Food Services, receives a free month of parking as part of the survey raffle. Pictured with supervisor Corliss Hazel (at left) and HR’s Ellen Gilmore.

More than 6,500 BWHers completed the hospital’s recent Employee Pulse Survey, providing helpful and insightful feedback to BWH leaders.

Human Resources staff are reviewing responses, identifying themes and beginning to put together action plans to address some of the opportunities for improvement that respondents highlighted in their answers. More information on next steps will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, a few results from the survey are shared here.

“We are incredibly proud of the work BWH employees do each and every day,” said Julie Celano, vice president of Human Resources. “Although the answers were overwhelmingly positive, we hope to make some changes that will help all staff feel proud to work here.”

Are you proud to tell people where you work? This was the first question on the survey, and 67 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed.

A little more than half of respondents feel they receive recognition for the work they do, while about 42 percent do not. Human Resources is taking the lead on developing a plan to enrich the hospital’s recognition programs.

Though the survey asked for feedback on eight topics, leaders learned a great deal from written comments regarding other issues that are top-of-mind.

“Several important themes emerged that we are taking to heart, including hospital safety, management issues and communication,” said Celano.

Leaders are committed to sharing action plans with employees via an email update next month.

Fenwood Road Closure, Shuttle change

From now through May 15, Fenwood Road will be fully closed between Vining and Binney streets, as underground utility work is being conducted for the Brigham Building for the Future. Partners shuttle riders can continue to use the shuttle stop in front of the Shapiro Center at 70 Francis St., but should expect some route delays due to the closure. MASCO Fenway and M-6 shuttle riders will need to use a temporary shuttle stop, located at the corner of Francis and Binney streets. The Ruggles, JFK and Crosstown MASCO shuttle stop will remain at 70 Francis St. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Genetics, Health Care Symposium, April 23

The Brigham Research Institute (BRI) will host a symposium called “The Future of Genetics in Healthcare: From Sequencing to Treatment,” highlighting science from the Brigham community in areas such as DNA sequencing, genome editing and chronic disease on Thursday, April 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Shapiro Breakout Room. This event will coincide with the Cambridge Science Festival. Register here.

Diversity and Inclusiveness Dialogues

This workshop aims to foster education and discussion around understanding the intersection of race and health with a goal of creating a work environment where everyone feels welcome and cared for. The workshop is facilitated by the Nursing and Patient Care Services Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee. Spring 2015 sessions will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, April 23, May 28 and June 25 in the Patient Care Services Conference Room on Tower 1. Email mgreenwald@partners.org or call 617-732-8590 to register.

Financial Counseling Sessions

Schedule a personal retirement consultation with a financial consultant from Fidelity and TIAA-CREF. These sessions, held at BWH, are by appointment only. Upcoming Fidelity sessions will be held Wednesday, April 22, Friday, May 1, and Monday, May 4. Upcoming TIAA-CREF sessions include Monday, April 20, Monday, May 11, and Monday, June 8. Learn more and view all upcoming session dates and times.

Donald Rattan

BWH and Food Services mourn the loss of Donald Rattan, who worked at BWH for more than 30 years. He died April 3 at the age of 68.

Former Food Services’ Catering manager Patricia Gleason-Claydon, a longtime friend and colleague of Mr. Rattan, said he was a hard worker who always looked out for others.

“Donald was an all-around great person,” Gleason-Claydon said. “You could always depend on him. He was a great friend.”

Mr. Rattan, of Quincy, was born in Trinidad. He began working at BWH in 1982. Most recently, Mr. Rattan served hot foods and sliced deli meat in the Cafeteria. He previously worked for BWH Catering.

Maria Terron, who worked with Mr. Rattan for the past 26 years, said she’ll miss taking lunch breaks with her good friend. She described him as a friendly person who was always smiling.

“He loved his job and took his responsibilities very seriously,” she said. “I’ll miss seeing him every day.”

Terron said if Mr. Rattan’s co-workers were ever feeling under the weather, he tried to cheer them up.

“He always offered natural remedies or recipes that could help make someone feel better,” Terron said. “He would check up on his co-workers and ask how we were doing.”

Friend and Food Services colleague Chantal Lucien, who worked with Mr. Rattan since 1989, also spoke of his kindness and compassion for others.

“He was always there for me,” Lucien said. “He cared about his co-workers. We miss him very much.”

When Mr. Rattan wasn’t working, he loved cheering on Boston’s sports teams and cooking.

He is survived by many friends, relatives and colleagues.

Hope & Healing Flag Ceremony, April 15

BWH will mark the second anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15, with the raising of our Hope & Healing flag at the 15 Francis St. flagpole. The Hope & Healing flag will fly until the last runner crosses the Marathon finish line on April 20. BWH will continue this tradition each year. All are welcome to join for a brief ceremony as the flag is raised.

Harley A. Haynes Lectureship, Symposium

The Harley A. Haynes, MD, Lectureship and Symposium will be held Monday, April 27, and Tuesday, April 28, at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. All physicians, medical students, nurse practitioners and researchers are invited to attend. For more information, including a list of speakers and topics, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.

World Medical Innovation Forum

Join international innovation decision makers and hear about state-of-the-art neuroscience technology, care and research during the inaugural World Medical Innovation Forum, hosted by Partners HealthCare April 27–29, in Boston. A special Partners employee rate of $499 is being offered. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Lotus Awards Ceremony, April 29

The departments of Nursing and Patient Care Services will host the second annual Lotus Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 29, 1:30–2:30 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. The Lotus Award honors staff who go above and beyond to create an environment where all employees, patients and families of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, ages, lifestyles, religion and physical ability feel welcome and cared for. Learn more about the award by visiting BWHPikeNotes.org.

Simmons Health Care MBA

Simmons College School of Management is accepting applications for September 2015 admission into its Health Care MBA program, designed for working women and men who aspire to leadership positions in the health care industry. Informational sessions will be held Wednesday, April 15, at 10 a.m., and Wednesday, April 29, at 1 p.m., at One Brigham Circle, in Room BC-009, on the 4th Floor. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more and register.

BWH mourns the loss of Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CCU) nurse Amy McDonough Vaughan, RN, who died on March 31 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 41.

Vaughan, of Salem, was a graduate of Nazareth Catholic High School in Wakefield and Northeastern University.

“Amy had friends all over the hospital,” said staff nurse Melanie Nedder, RN, a colleague and close friend. “During her 15 years at the Brigham, she worked on the 14th floor, in the intermediate float pool, on intermediate cardiology stepdown and finally in the CCU. She made friends everywhere she went, with her smile, her  easy laugh and her sense of humor. And her patients loved her just as much as her colleagues.”

After being diagnosed, Vaughan became a strong advocate for pancreatic cancer and spoke at many events, including the Jimmy Fund Telethon.

“Her dedication to advocacy of pancreatic cancer coupled with her effervescent spirit and courage made her an inspiration to many others who are battling the disease,” said Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston, MS, RN, assistant nurse director of Medical Cardiology, who worked closely with Vaughan. “Amy never asked ‘why me?’ Instead she chose to work with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to raise awareness of the disease and provide support to others, always maintaining her sense of humor.”

Vaughan loved spending time on the beach and being with her dog, Dutchie.

“Amy was the kind of person who made you feel like you had been friends for decades after just meeting her,” said friend and colleague Christine Cameron, RN. “She was smart, funny and beautiful inside and out.”

She is survived by her husband, Jeffrey Vaughan; mother, Sarah McDonough; mother- and father-in-law, Linda and Bob Vaughan; and many aunts, uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A funeral was held earlier this week in Stoneham.

Those wishing to honor Vaughan’s memory may do so by making a donation in her name to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90226, or Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.

Calvin Brown III

After a 20-year break, Emergency Medicine attending physician Calvin A. Brown III, MD, recently began competing in track and field again, and he has already made his mark.

Last month, Brown, director of Urgent Care Services and Physician Compliance and Credentialing, won three gold medals in his age group at the USATF masters national track and field championship in Winston-Salem, NC. He is also now ranked first in the U.S. and third in the world in the triple jump as a result of his success.

Brown, who completed his residency at BWH and joined the staff in 2005, ran track in high school and college and has continued to be an active runner. However, the long hours of medical school, residency, training and his early career did not allow him to keep competing on the track—something he loved to do.

More recently, Brown decided to join the Mass Velocity Track Club based in Boston to gradually get back into the sport. He began training with the club last September and registered for the national competition in the 400-meter dash, the triple jump and two relays with fellow club members.

“My first goal was to get back into track and field and share this interest with others who enjoy it,” said Brown. “My second goal was making it through the indoor season without getting injured. And I was hoping to get back to my age-adjusted college distances and times. It turned out I was not too far away.”

Brown says his recent training has taught him to listen to his body and pace himself on the track, more so than during his school days.

“I realized that I’m sore more often than when I was 19 years old,” he said, laughing. “I had to start slowly and gradually build to more intense sprint workouts. It’s all about taking one step at a time. When my body says it’s time to take a day or two off, I have to listen to that.”

Brown fits practice into his busy clinical and administrative schedule in the early morning or later in the evening, as well as on weekends.

“I’ve been happy with the fact that you can be competitive at something if you work at it,” he said. “I can still have fun, even if I’m sore every day. I really enjoyed competing at the national level. For me, it’s about the discovery of what you can do and the joy of competition.”

World Voice Day Concert, April 14

Enjoy an afternoon concert in Cabot Atrium (45 Francis St.), on Tuesday, April 14, noon–12:45 p.m., in celebration of World Voice Day. Musical performances will include professional vocalists and BWH’s own laryngologists, speech pathologists and staff.

PeC Spotlight Series, April 10

To explore some of the more significant changes Partners eCare (PeC) will bring, the PeC@BWHC team is hosting a series of interactive presentations, including a session on Friday, April 10, at 10 a.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater, with live streaming to Huvos Auditorium at BWFH. The session will explore the “In Basket” feature of Epic and how it will be used in both inpatient and ambulatory settings, and Epic personalization labs.

Always Ready for Every Patient

Joint Commission surveyors will arrive unannounced sometime between now and February 2016 for BWH’s accreditation survey. To brush up on your Joint Commission knowledge and ways to prepare, visit the Continual Readiness page via BWHPikeNotes.org.

Diversity and Inclusiveness Dialogues

This workshop aims to foster education and discussion around understanding the intersection of race and health, with a goal of creating a work environment where everyone feels welcome and cared for. The workshop is facilitated by the Nursing and Patient Care Services Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee. Spring 2015 sessions will take place on April 23, May 28 and June 25, 4–6 p.m., in the Patient Care Services Conference Room on Tower 1. Email mgreenwald@partners.org, or call 617-732-8590 to register.

PCWD Graduates, Interns Available

The Partners in Careers and Workforce Development Health Care Training and Employment Program has graduated a new class of adults who are available to begin full-time work across Partners. To host an intern, visit the PCWD Internship Program website via BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more, and fill out the online form by Wednesday, May 13. If you are considering hiring a graduate, contact klmello@partners.org. The next cycle begins Monday, May 4.

BWH has updated its elevator and overhead signage on the Pike and in Shapiro to make getting around the hospital easier.

As part of BWH’s ongoing efforts to improve the experience of patients, families and visitors, the hospital recently began upgrading its way-finding signage. Overhead directional and elevator identification signs at BWH are being replaced on the main and lower Pike and in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center. The installation of new wall directories, maps, directional signs and exterior signage will follow.

The elevators are now identified with letters, and elevator locations are clearly identified on overhead signage when walking down the Pike. New maps and visitor passes, which are available at reception desks, will show the elevator lettering system. During the transition, former elevator names will be displayed on signs next to elevator cabs.
With the new simplified system, patients only need to remember one letter (the elevator letter) and one number (the desired floor).

Updated elevator signage

Before the upgrade, the old numbering system began at Shapiro and ended at the 15 Francis St. lobby and could not accommodate new and future buildings. The new system allows for expansion of way-finding into the hospital’s new facilities.

Employees are asked to assist patients, families and visitors in adjusting to the new system and finding their way. The signs are temporary but will be made permanent in about a year. Comments and feedback are welcome and will be helpful in making improvements and adjustments.

Email your feedback or questions to BWHwayfinding@partners.org.

Harley A. Haynes Lectureship, Symposium

The Harley A. Haynes, MD, Lectureship and Symposium will be held Monday, April 27, and Tuesday, April 28, at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. All physicians, medical students, nurse practitioners and researchers are invited to attend. For more information, including a list of speakers and topics, visit BWHPikeNotes.org.

Second Annual Lectureship Honoring Veronica A. Ravnikar

The Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will host the second annual lectureship in honor and memory of the late BWH physician Veronica A. Ravnikar, MD, on Wednesday, April 29, at 6 p.m., in the Ramzi Cotran Conference Center, on the third floor of BWH’s Amory Building. JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, FACP, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine, will present “Making Sense of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Findings: Hormone Therapy in the Post WHI Era.” A reception will follow in the 15 Francis St. lobby.

PeC Spotlight Series, April 10

To explore some of the more significant changes Partners eCare (PeC) will bring to how we perform our daily tasks, the PeC@BWHC team is hosting a series of interactive presentations. The third session in the series is Friday, April 10, at 10 a.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater, with live streaming to Huvos Auditorium at BWFH. This session will explore Epic personalization labs and the “In Basket” feature of Epic and how it will be used in both inpatient and ambulatory settings.

Nominate a Colleague for the Brigham Way

The Brigham Way is all about going above and beyond to make BWH 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 how you or one of your colleagues goes 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.

Take the Employee Pulse Survey Today

You Matter to Us. What Matters to You? Tell us by taking BWH’s employee pulse survey. The anonymous eight-question survey will take two to three minutes to complete. Human Resources is committed to sharing the results and quickly identifying areas for improvement in order to make BWH an even better place to work. After you complete the survey, you will be taken to a new page to enter into a raffle if you wish. Information entered for the raffle will not be tied in any way to the survey that you completed. Contact Ellen Gilmore at egilmore4@partners.org if you need paper surveys for your department. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to take the survey.

Brigham Innovation Hub Idea Lab

Co-hosted by the BRI and Brigham Innovation Hub, this session will share information about a valuable repository of big data, the Partners HealthCare BioBank, which BWH scientists and clinicians can readily access to accelerate research and innovation projects. Participants will brainstorm potential applications for research and innovative uses in small groups on Wednesday, April 15, noon–1:30 p.m., in the Shapiro Breakout Room. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to register.

Bernard Lown Award Nominations

The Bernard Lown Award for Excellence in Teaching is given annually to a member of the Harvard faculty with a principal appointment at BWH at the instructor, assistant professor or associate professor level, for achievement of outstanding clinical teaching of HMS medical students, housestaff, and/or fellows. Awardees will be selected based on nominations from their students and colleagues. Nominations are due Tuesday, March 31, and must include at least one letter of support from a trainee. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org for more information.

“STUMPED” Screening and Talk, April 21

“STUMPED,” a documentary about the survival and physical rehabilitation of Will Lautzenheiser, a filmmaker, BWH patient and bilateral arm transplant recipient, highlights the trials and triumphs of adapting to a world he never could have imagined, including his first stand-up comedy performance. Following the screening, Lautzenheiser will lead a discussion with the audience.The screening will be held Tuesday, April 21, 7–9 p.m., in the Bright Family Screening Room, 559 Washington St., in Boston. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Employee Pulse Survey Has Launched

You Matter to Us. What Matters to You? Tell us by taking BWH’s employee pulse survey. The anonymous eight-question survey will take two to three minutes to complete. Human Resources is committed to sharing the results and quickly identifying areas for improvement in order to make BWH an even better place to work. After you complete the survey, you will be taken to a new page to enter into a raffle if you wish. Information entered for the raffle will not be tied in any way to the survey that you completed. Contact Ellen Gilmore at egilmore4@partners.org if you need paper surveys for your department. Click here to take the survey.

Partners eCare Training

Partners eCare/Epic training began earlier this month, and continues through Friday, May 29. A training website has launched and provides information on classes, shuttle schedules to and from the Partners eCare Training Center and more. Parking at the training center is limited, and staff are encouraged to use shuttles from BWH and BWFH or public transportation. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Tobacco-Free Campus

As the weather gets warmer, remember that BWH is a tobacco-free campus. BWH’s mission is to provide our patients and families with the best possible care. By being tobacco-free, we offer a healthier environment for everyone who comes through our doors. Please refrain from smoking on or around campus or near homes in the area. BWH has resources available for those who would like to quit smoking. Contact Occupational Health at 617-732-6034 to learn more, or visit BWHPikeNotes.org for information about smoking cessation.

BCRISP 2.0 Final Presentations

BCRISP 2.0 final presentations are Wednesday, March 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., in Carrie Hall. The BWPO Care Redesign Incubator Startup Program (BCRISP) seeks to support and test innovative pilots for care improvement around BWHC. Sixty-seven proposals were submitted for consideration for the program, from which 10 finalist teams were selected to receive funding and project management support to implement and evaluate their ideas.

Wendy Canty

Thoracic Surgery physician assistant Wendy Canty, PA-C, is running this year’s Boston Marathon as a member of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Marathon team. Her motivation: a passion for running and the excitement and energy of the Boston Marathon.

“I look forward to the crowd because the Marathon draws so many unique people,” said Canty.

Canty’s first time running the Boston Marathon was in 2010, while she was working as an MRI technologist. That’s when she fell in love with the Marathon and the BWH team.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Canty. “We had a great group, and fundraising went really well.”

Later in 2011, while training for her second Marathon, Canty was injured and had to sit out the race, but that didn’t stop her from supporting the team. She attended every practice and cheered her team members on from the sidelines on Marathon Day.

“It was important that I showed my support to the team and continued fundraising even if I couldn’t run,” she said.

This year, Canty is running to raise awareness for cancer research, a topic close to her heart, as many of her family members have been affected by cancer.

“This race is a great way to help fund research and be a positive figure in my community,” said Canty.

The weather has proven to be a challenge for Canty and the team this year. While this winter’s heavy snowfall has made organizing team runs difficult, the runners still managed to meet every Saturday at 7:30 a.m. for their long runs.

As a veteran runner, Canty predicts the long stretch over Heartbreak Hill will be the hardest part of the race for her. That’s where she usually hits “a wall” and feels like she can’t go any further.

“At that point, I really rely on the crowd for support, and it helps knowing that my family is waiting for me at the finish line,” she said. She advises fellow runners to rely on the crowd for encouragement and remember to have fun out there on the route.

Learn more about the BWH Marathon Team.

Michelle Gagne, of the Department of Medicine, is one of many BWHers who attended last month’s Partners eCare 90-day readiness session.

On Feb. 27, approximately 300 senior leaders, department managers, practice managers, and physician and nursing champions from across BWHC came together for the Partners eCare (PeC) 90-day readiness session. The event was the second in a series of readiness sessions designed to ensure that all departments are prepared for the PeC May 30 go-live.

At the 90-day session, participants received an update on the super-user program and PeC training, which began on March 9, and heard about upcoming technical dress rehearsals, clinical decision support in Epic and an overview of the patient safety plan for our PeC implementation.     

Department and practice managers have been asked to share what was learned at the 90-day readiness session with their staff. If you have questions, please contact your department or practice manager. The next readiness session will be held March 26. For more information, visit the PeC@BWHC communications site.

BWHC Chief Information Officer Cedric Priebe gives an update on training and implementation.

From left: Steven Pieper, of BWH’s Surgical Planning Lab, and Steven Keating, with a 3-D printed model of his brain, in the AMIGO suite

Steven Keating had no idea that a brain scan he volunteered for in 2007 would end up saving his life.

Interested in seeing images of his brain, the now graduate student at the MIT Media Lab, who is studying mechanical engineering and synthetic biology, decided to participate in a research study in Canada eight years ago while he was attending school there. When he asked for the scans back, he was surprised by what he found.

“They told me I had an abnormality near the smell center in my brain, but that lots of people have abnormalities and I shouldn’t be alarmed,” he said. When asked what he should do, Keating was told to get his brain rescanned in a few years to see if there were any changes.

After brain scans in 2010 showed no changes, Keating felt some relief. But in July 2014, after he started smelling a strange vinegar scent for about 30 seconds every day, he knew something wasn’t right. He immediately had his brain scanned at MIT Medical and soon after found out that the smell was associated with small seizures. His abnormality—a glioma, which is a tumor that begins in the brain or spine—had grown to the size of a baseball.

Keating was able to connect with top researchers in the field of his cancer to hear their thoughts and advice on what he should do. He met with BWH Neurosurgery Chair Antonio “Nino” Chiocca, MD, PhD, who performed image-guided brain surgery on Keating last summer in BWH’s Advanced Multimodality Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) suite.

“It was amazing because through that connection, I had new options,” Keating said. He was able to have his surgery videotaped and his genome sequenced, and he used his data to develop 3-D printed models of his brain and tumor. With his background in biology, he could review his own data, which has allowed him to understand how his specific cancer pathways function and explain his situation to others.

Since his surgery, Keating has gone through rounds of proton radiation and chemotherapy. He began another round of chemotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) last month. Keating says he is extremely grateful for his care team, including Chiocca, Patrick Wen, MD, director of the Center for Neuro-Oncology at DFCI, Keith Ligon, MD, associate pathologist and neuropathologist at BWH, and Helen Alice Shih, MD, associate medical director of the Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center at MGH.

In addition to his treatments, Keating has been working with Chiocca and others on 3-D printing research. He has also given various talks and presentations about his work and his patient experience, and most recently was invited to the White House for discussions on the importance of allowing patients to have access to their health data.

“I have a strong respect for personal privacy and the idea that patients should be in complete control of their data, both to learn from and to share if desired,” he said. “For me, this has resulted in a few public talks and posting my own data to my website. So far, I’ve found support and encouragement from doctors, scientists, but most of all, from patients.”

Chiocca said it has been wonderful working with Keating, both as a patient and researcher. While it’s pretty rare that patients ask for their surgery to be filmed, he said it is valuable for them to participate in the research side of their care when possible.

“It is very easy for a patient to become depressed by their disease,” Chiocca said. “But Steven’s approach of being actively involved to raise consciousness and funding for more research for this type of tumor is remarkable. I’m just so proud to have been involved in his care.”

The team working on multimaterial biomedical 3-D printing, taken in Antonio Chiocca’s office. From left: Chiocca, Steve Pieper, Steven Keating, James Weaver, of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Mohamad Abolfotoh and Ahmed Hosny.

Young Professionals “Coffee with…” Series

Join the BWH Young Professionals on Thursday, March 19, noon–1 p.m., in the Deland Board Room, for an informal conversation with Jeff Karp, PhD, associate professor at BWH and Harvard Medical School, principal faculty at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and affiliate faculty at MIT. Learn about Karp’s biomimicry work and hear more about his career path. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to register.

ICD-10 HealthStream Provider Training

As of January 2015, mandatory online ICD-10 training courses were assigned in HealthStream to all BWHC providers. Please complete these required courses for your department before Wednesday, April 1. Any questions regarding your ICD-10 course assignments on HealthStream should be directed to BWHCICD10@partners.org.

Lotus Awards Nominations Due March 26

The departments of Nursing and Patient Care Services are accepting nominations for this year’s Lotus Awards. The award honors staff who go above and beyond to create an environment where all employees, patients and families of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, ages, lifestyles, religion and physical ability feel welcomed and cared for. Nominations are being accepted in four categories: clinicians, leaders, clinical support staff and non-clinical support staff. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to download the nomination form, which is due by Thursday, March 26.

Spring Professional Development Series

Learn new professional skills and improve existing ones with Professional Development Series classes. Take courses in communication, time management, interpersonal effectiveness, email writing and etiquette, running effective meetings and more. Sign up via PeopleSoft Self-Service. See the complete list of available courses at is.partners.org/hr/training/pds/bwh.

David Torchiana

David Torchiana, MD, former Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO) chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), began as Partners HealthCare president and CEO on March 2.

As president, Torchiana will continue Partners’ efforts of making health care more affordable. He is the fifth CEO since the founding of Partners in 1994 and succeeds Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, who is joining Partners In Health as its CEO.

“We are delighted that Dr. Torchiana has accepted the board’s offer to serve and carry forward the mission of Partners,” said Edward Lawrence, chairman of the board. “Not only does he have strong roots in our community, but he has a deep understanding and appreciation of the value that our system brings to all of our patients.”   

As chairman and CEO of the MGPO, Torchiana oversaw the largest physician practice in New England, representing more than 2,000 physicians. Under his leadership, the MGPO launched the Medicare High Risk demonstration project—the cornerstone of Partners’ population health management initiative to improve care coordination for patients with a focus on high quality, affordability and accessibility. Torchiana is also an advocate for research, teaching and mentorship.

“Partners’ institutions are vital members of the community, and we want to be constructive participants in the ongoing public conversation about the future of health care, including quality, cost and access,” said Torchiana. “Patients will always be at the center of these discussions; improving patient care is the reason our institutions exist.”

Torchiana graduated from Yale College and Harvard Medical School (HMS). He completed residencies in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at MGH before joining its Department of Surgery. He became the chief of Cardiac Surgery at MGH in 1998 and CEO of the MGPO in 2003. Torchiana is also an associate professor of surgery at HMS and sits on a panel of Boston-area business executives called Jobs for Massachusetts, which meets monthly with the governor and top legislative leaders to discuss public issues.

BWH is introducing a new kind of employee survey next week, with the promise of quick attention to areas of concern identified by employees’ responses.

“The opinions of our employees really matter to us,” said Human Resources Vice President Julie Celano. “With this survey, we can easily take the pulse of the organization and use the feedback we receive to make the Brigham an even better place to work.”

The survey, which will be distributed twice a year, is themed: “You Matter to Us. What Matters to You?” The surveys provide an ongoing way for employees’ voices to be heard and for leadership to ensure a healthy, thriving environment in which employees have the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to the hospital’s mission.

The first survey covers eight topics, including wellness, manager feedback and recognition programs. Shortly after the two-week survey period, Celano and her team will report back on the survey results and share plans for addressing areas that may need improvement.

This kind of employee survey, called a “pulse” survey, is a departure from previous employee surveys administered at BWH, which were lengthy and distributed every two years.

“We know that staff do not have a lot of time to fill out a long questionnaire,” said Ellen Gilmore, director of Organizational Effectiveness in Human Resources. “Our goal was to keep it short, but to ask meaningful questions that will give us important insights about how our employees view working at the Brigham.”

Starting on March 12, employees will be able to fill out the survey online in just two to three minutes. The link will be shared via broadcast emails and at BWHPikeNotes.org for two weeks. Contact Gilmore at egilmore4@partners.org if you need paper surveys for your department.

Human Resources will also host a kick-off event to provide employees with more information on March 12, noon to 2 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., on the Tower Mezzanine, with raffle prizes and snacks.

Register for PeC Training by March 6 

All physicians and staff should sign up for Partners eCare training classes by Friday, March 6. Training begins Monday, March 9, and continues through Friday, May 29. Training classes are held at Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, in Boston’s Financial District, and shuttle buses will be provided from BWH and BWFH. Register and view shuttle schedules.

Lotus Award Nominations Due March 26

The departments of Nursing and Patient Care Services are accepting nominations for this year’s Lotus Awards. The awards honor and celebrate staff who show extraordinary talent and commitment to fostering and advancing a culture of diversity and inclusion at BWH. Nominations are due by Thursday, March 26. Download the nomination form and learn more.

National Nutrition Month

To celebrate National Nutrition Month, BWH’s Department of Nutrition challenges you to join a nutrition scavenger hunt. Each week in March, there will be a different nutrition theme. Take a photograph showcasing how your food plate reflects each week’s theme and post your photo on Instagram, using hashtag #BWHealthy for a chance to win a healthy eating gift bag. Learn more.

Carin Bennett-Rizzo

Carin Bennett-Rizzo, MS, ANP-BC, COHN-S, returned to BWH as director of Occupational Health in February.

As director, Bennett-Rizzo oversees the clinical and administrative leadership of Occupational Health at BWH, among other responsibilities.

Prior to this role, she was the manager of Lahey Hospital’s Employee Health Center, where she oversaw clinical and administrative staff and managed daily operations of the center.

Bennett-Rizzo also served as BWH’s interim director of Occupational Health and worked as a nurse practitioner and clinical staff nurse at BWH.

She earned her BS in clinical exercise physiology and MSN as an adult nurse practitioner from Northeastern University. She is enrolled in a part-time doctorate of nursing practice degree program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Her research focuses on safe patient handling.

Betsy Nabel and Ron Walls present at Town Meeting.

Updates on South Shore Hospital, Partners eCare and hospital safety and construction were the topics of a lively discussion during Town Meeting on Feb. 24. BWHers gathered in Bornstein Amphitheater and joined via webcast to hear about top-of-mind issues from BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, and other hospital leaders. Here are some highlights from the meeting. You can also view the webcast and attendees can fill out a Town Meeting survey.

South Shore Hospital

Nabel shared that a previous agreement for Partners to acquire South Shore Hospital has been rejected by a Superior Court judge. “We’re not proceeding with the acquisition, but it’s not the end of our relationship with South Shore Hospital,” said Nabel. “We have a 10-year history, and we are working to figure out the best way to deliver care on the South Shore and continue our tight-knit, long-lasting relationship.”

Hospital safety

Nabel and Medical Director of Emergency Preparedness Eric Goralnick, MD, MS, Emergency Management Director Barry Wante and BWH Security Director Bob Chicarello discussed the importance of ensuring the safety of everyone at the Brigham while also continuing to be a welcoming place for patients and families.

Goralnick described how BWH’s preparedness group is conducting an extensive review of the events related to the January 20 shooting on the BWH campus, as is done after every major event. This review is designed to identify both strengths and opportunities for improvement in areas such as security, access, personnel, facilities, training and response. The first recommendation of the group is to commission an external security expert to conduct a comprehensive assessment of BWH’s safety and security procedures and personnel. The review will be conducted in the coming months.

This meeting is a welcome communication and fosters engagement, trust of leadership and an empowered workforce.”

– survey respondent

Wante and Chicarello urged BWHers to watch the hospital’s active shooter video (via HealthStream), sign up for the Employee Alert System and always wear their hospital ID badges correctly when on campus. BWHC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ron M. Walls, MD, encouraged BWHers to be aware of their surroundings, help those who seem lost in their travels and call BWH Security at extension 2-6565 to report any suspicious behavior.

From left: Ron Walls, Bob Chicarello and Eric Goralnick

“We have been national leaders in preparedness and response, and we are very confident in our security systems and people,” said Walls. “We are committed to taking every opportunity to improve. It will take all of us working together to get there, but we are starting from a very solid foundation.”

Partners eCare

Nabel also shared an update on Partners eCare, which launches at BWHC on May 30. “Let’s not be afraid to ask questions,” she said. “There are a lot of super users, and they will be at our elbow to help. I think this is a matter of pride for us; I know we’ll be leaders in this area.”

Construction, Cafeteria upgrades

Vinnie McDermott, vice president of Finance and Real Estate, Steve Dempsey, director of Planning and Construction, and George Player, Engineering director, detailed BWH’s coming construction upgrades. In addition to replacing doors on the service elevator cars and improving signage that directs people to other elevator banks and stairs, BWH is looking into other improvement options for the Tower elevators.

From left: Vinnie McDermott, Steve Dempsey and George Player

Dempsey shared that all overhead signage along the Pike will be updated in March. Additionally, he said that BWH has almost completed the design and development stages for a Cafeteria renovation, which will feature upgrades to the food preparation and serving areas and will expand and improve the seating area, incorporating natural light and greenery. Phased construction is expected to begin in May.

Members of the BWH Heart & Vascular Center pose for a group photo during National Wear Red Day.

BWHers from departments across the distributed campus donned all shades of red on Feb. 6, National Wear Red Day, to raise awareness of women’s heart health. Since the American Heart Association launched the “Go Red for Women” campaign in 2004, the first Friday each February is meant to bring attention to heart disease, the number one killer of women in the U.S. Photos of BWHers wearing red were posted on the hospital’s digital screens and on PikeNotes throughout the day. View the full photo gallery.

A major challenge for BWHC over the next three to five years will be the redesign of health care delivery to maintain and improve quality and safety with lower cost, while preserving our missions of scientific discovery, education and service to our community, locally and globally.

After careful planning and consultation, BWHC has reorganized its senior hospital leadership to help achieve these goals.

“We are gifted with an exceptionally skilled and creative senior leadership team, and these expanded roles and responsibilities position BWHC for continued leadership and success,” said BWHC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ron M. Walls, MD.

The following individuals are taking on additional responsibilities or transitioning to new roles:

Jessica Dudley, MD, chief medical officer of the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization, will now also serve as BWHC vice president of Care Redesign, building on her leadership and track record in this area. In this role, Dudley will partner with BWHC academic departments, divisions and clinical services to innovate new delivery models to deliver high-value service, including population health management.

David Bates, MD, MSc, has left his role as chief quality officer to take on a new leadership role as chief innovation officer. Bates, an internationally renowned expert in innovation science and using information technology to improve care, will identify opportunities to drive transformative change at BWHC. The goal is to help translate the inventions, discoveries and new ideas of BWH staff into services and products that benefit patients and improve the delivery of care. He will also serve as executive sponsor of the Brigham Innovation Hub (iHub), which catalyzes innovation at BWHC. Bates will continue as chief of the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care.

Allen Kachalia, MD, JD, has been promoted to chief quality officer and vice president of Quality and Safety at BWHC, succeeding Bates. Kachalia has extensive experience in leading quality and safety programs through his former roles as associate chief quality officer and co-director of the Center for Clinical Excellence. He will work with the BWHC board and leadership to develop quality and safety goals and lead the development, implementation and measurement of these programs at BWHC. He will also direct the implementation of Partners-wide programs at BWHC and oversee performance related to state and national measures.

Tom Walsh, MBA, who has served as co-director of the Center for Clinical Excellence and administrative director of Business Planning and Analysis, has been promoted to vice president of Analytics, Planning and Performance Improvement. His strong experience in these key areas will be an asset to senior leaders and BWHC.

Dr. Davidson Family Website, Moment of Silence, Feb. 20

In response to the outpouring of support for the family of Dr. Michael Davidson, the website www.davidsoncaringcommunity.com has been set up to provide ongoing assistance with the family’s needs. Those who are interested may make a donation, assist with meals and help in other ways. Additionally, on Friday, Feb. 20, BWH will pause to honor Dr. Davidson, a month after his passing. All are welcome to join in an institution-wide moment of silence at 11:04 a.m. Employees are also invited to attend a brief Chaplaincy service in Bornstein Amphitheater at 10:45 a.m.

Town Meeting, Feb. 24

Join BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, for a rescheduled Town Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at noon, in Bornstein Amphitheater. The meeting will also be webcast.

PeopleSoft, Outlook, LMR Update

Please be aware of system access changes, effective Tuesday, March 3.  All users who access PeopleSoft, Outlook or LMR Update from off-site will have to take an additional step to verify their identity to gain access. Learn more.

Read to a Child Information Session

Employees at BWH are invited to sign up to participate in the Read to a Child program at the Tobin Elementary School in Mission Hill. Join the BWH Young Professionals at an upcoming information and training session on Friday, Feb. 20, noon–1 p.m., in Carrie Hall. Register at BWHPikeNotes.org.

Are You Wearing Your BWH ID Correctly?

Whether you’re an employee, contractor, volunteer or student, you must wear your hospital-issued ID badge at all times when you’re on hospital property. Properly wearing an ID badge enables patients and visitors to easily identify staff. Badges are also critical for maintaining hospital security. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Town Meeting Now Feb. 24

Join BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, for a rescheduled Town Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at noon, in Bornstein Amphitheater.

BWH Employee Alert System

BWH offers an alert system that enables employees to receive important emergency-related messages from BWH by text message, email and/or phone call. The system is subscriber-based, so you must opt in and select how you would like to receive messages. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more and sign up.

“Being Mortal” Film Premiere, feb. 10

“Being Mortal,” a PBS FRONTLINE documentary, follows BWH’s Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, renowned surgeon, researcher and author of “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End,” as he explores the relationships doctors have with patients who are nearing the end of life. The documentary premieres Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 10 p.m., on PBS. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org for more information.

Partners eCare Spotlight Series, Feb. 13

Partners eCare, our new Epic-based electronic medical record system, will bring many changes to how we perform our daily tasks. To explore some of the more significant changes, the PeC@BWHC team is hosting a series of interactive presentations called “PeC Spotlight: Changes to How We Work.” The monthly series launches Friday, Feb. 13, at 10 a.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater, with live-streaming to Huvos Auditorium at BWFH. Topics will include PeC and Percipio and meaningful patient interaction while documenting at the bedside.

BWH ID Protocol

Whether you’re an employee, contractor, volunteer or student, you must wear your hospital-issued ID badge at all times when you’re on hospital property. Properly wearing an ID badge enables patients and visitors to easily identify BWH staff. Badges are also critical for maintaining hospital security. They must be worn either pinned or clipped to an outer garment, picture side out, right side up, above the waist. Lanyards are acceptable as well. Visit BWHPikeNotes.org to learn more.

Thomas Graboys

BWH and the Lown Cardiovascular Center mourn the loss of cardiologist Thomas Graboys, MD, who died on Jan. 5 from complications of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He was 70.

Dr. Graboys, of Chestnut Hill, Mass., was a clinical professor at Harvard Medical School and president emeritus of the Lown Institute. He was on the advisory board of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Outside of work, Dr. Graboys was the drummer in a rock band of fellow Brigham cardiologists called the Dysrhythmics.

“He was a jewel in the crown of medicine,” said Bernard Lown, MD, who founded the Lown Cardiovascular Center and Lown Cardiovascular Research Foundation (now the Lown Institute), and cofounded International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. “He realized that the art of medicine was far more difficult to master than the science.”

Born in Fall River, Mass., Dr. Graboys earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed training at Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center) and a cardiovascular fellowship at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Dr. Graboys was also a research associate at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, where he studied the cardiovascular effects of high gravitational stress.

In addition to his clinical and research responsibilities, Dr. Graboys served on the editorial board of the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Noninvasive Cardiology. He was a member of the well-known “dream team” of physicians who diagnosed Celtics star Reggie Lewis with a heart defect.

Dr. Graboys published his autobiography, “Life in the Balance: A Physician’s Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss With Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia,” in 2008, writing honestly and movingly about his struggle with Parkinson’s and dementia.

In memory of his first wife and his sister, both of whom died from cancer, Dr. Graboys made a significant gift to BWH in 2000, supporting the Pain and Palliative Care Program, a joint venture between BWH and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dr. Graboys is survived by his wife, Victoria Tenney Graboys; daughters Penelope Graboys Blair and Dr. Sarah Graboys Valeo; stepchildren, Jennifer Hinton, Carson Baker and Olivia Baker; brother, George Graboys; 11 grandchildren; and additional family and friends.

Michael Gustafson

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital Chief Operating Officer (COO) Michael Gustafson, MD, MBA, has accepted the role of president of BWFH.

As president,  Gustafson will continue to work closely with BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, and the leadership team, including Ron Walls, MD, BWHC executive vice president and chief operating officer; Peggy Duggan, MD, BWFH chief medical officer; and Judy Hayes, RN, BWFH chief nursing officer, as well as BWFH Vice Presidents Susan Dempsey, Edward Liston-Kraft, PhD, and Vinnie McDermott.

“Since Dr. Gustafson joined BWFH as chief operating officer in 2011, the institution has undergone a remarkable transformation of key clinical programs, with tremendous growth in inpatient and outpatient volumes and improved financial stability,” said Nabel. “He has also demonstrated an intense commitment and passion for improving staff engagement, the environment of care, patient safety and quality outcomes, and the overall experience for patients and families. With these enhancements and an acceleration of clinical and administrative integration with the BWH campus, BWFH has been able to offer an impressive array of new and expanded programs for the community.”

Prior to becoming COO in 2011, Gustafson, a trained surgeon, served in senior leadership roles at BWH for more than a decade, most recently as senior vice president for clinical excellence. He founded and directed the BWHC Center for Clinical Excellence, which has been heralded as a national best practice for how to effectively organize and support improvement activities within a large academic center. He and his team also developed the BWHC Balance Scorecard in 2002, a hospital-wide performance management system that helps staff better understand variance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Gustafson is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, with prior research interests including the relationships between volume and quality, measurement of risk-adjusted surgical outcomes and the application of human factors and systems engineering concepts in the operating room.

He completed his MD at West Virginia University, general surgery residency at BWH and a surgical research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He later received his MBA from Harvard Business School, one of the first surgeons ever to do so.

Paul Anderson

Paul J. Anderson, MD, PhD, has accepted the position of chief academic officer and senior vice president of Research for BWHC. Anderson, a senior physician in the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy and the K. Frank Austen professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, had been serving in this role on an interim basis since June.

“To continue to build for the future, our key institutional priorities are to further develop and implement an innovative, creative and state-of-the art research and education strategic plan; build strong, proactive and collaborative relationships within Brigham and across Partners, as well as with industry leaders; and facilitate and strengthen working relationships with both private and public research funding entities,” said BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD. “Dr. Anderson will also recast the importance of research and training to a much broader community, branding BWH as the national leader in bringing the science of medicine to patient care.”

Anderson will continue to serve on the Brigham Research Institute (BRI) Executive Committee, which oversees the activities of the BRI’s 10 centers and three programs. He will also serve as executive leader as BWHC develops the Brigham Education Institute, an organization that will facilitate and coordinate best practices in undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate medical education.

“Dr. Anderson brings a depth and breadth of experience and remarkable devotion to BWH that will enable us to thrive in these areas,” said Nabel.

Anderson received his BS from SUNY Stony Brook and his MD and PhD degrees from New York University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in rheumatology at BWH.

In 1990, he started his own research laboratory at BWH focusing on the role that post-transcriptional control of gene expression plays in the regulation of inflammatory and stress response programs. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and various foundations and industry collaborations, his lab has hosted more than 30 MD and/or PhD research fellows. He has authored or co-authored more than 180 publications and is on the editorial boards of a number of journals, including Cellular Immunology, The FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Journal and Modern Rheumatology.

As a senior physician, Anderson sees patients in the Brigham Arthritis Center ambulatory clinic and attends on the Rheumatology Consult Service.

For the past 10 years, he has been a member of the Rheumatology Division Fellowship Selection Committee, which interviews all applicants for the Rheumatology Fellowship Program and makes recommendations for ranking these candidates. Anderson is also a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee at the American College of Rheumatology.

“Dedicated doesn’t even begin to describe it,” wrote BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Walls, MD, in an email to all staff following last week’s Storm Juno. “The efforts of staff to get to BWH, care for our patients and ensure that operations ran as smoothly as possible during Storm Juno were nothing short of extraordinary.”

Staff volunteered to come in early, stay overnight and work in BWH’s Labor Pool during the storm that dropped two feet of snow on Boston and as many as 30 inches of snow in other locations on Jan. 27. Some employees arrived on skis and snowshoes, in hiking gear or with the help of Boston Police officers. Others walked for several miles in order to make their shifts, with many arriving the night before to beat the storm. A record 375 employees stayed overnight at BWH and 123 at BWFH on Jan. 26, in addition to 53 at BWH and 77 at BWFH the next evening. Despite the circumstances, the spirit of collaboration was palpable.

BWH’s facilities were warm, clean and as accessible as possible amid several feet of snow. The labs were running, hot meals were prepared for patients and critical surgeries and procedures were performed. A group of staff, relieved of their regular responsibilities, volunteered to perform any tasks that were needed, such as delivering lunch and dinner to patients and answering phones.

When BWH was concerned that it would not have enough milk on hand, BWH Security worked with BWFH staff to obtain and deliver crates of milk. Many other employees worked remotely, doing their best to support those who were at the hospital throughout the storm.

“Every day, BWH employees willingly and compassionately go above and beyond to contribute to the exceptional patient care, research, education and community service that we are known for,” wrote Nabel. “This commitment is especially evident during challenging times, and Storm Juno was no exception.”

The Brigham community is mourning the loss of Dr. Michael J. Davidson and remembering him as an exceptionally talented surgeon, brilliant thinker, consummate caregiver, and perhaps most of all, as a man who deeply cared for his family, his patients and his colleagues.

“Mike was almost always the smartest man in the room,” said Andrew Eisenhauer, MD, interventional cardiologist and a mentor and close friend of Dr. Davidson. “He was also one of the kindest and best physicians and men to ever walk on this earth.”

Dr. Davidson, a cardiac surgeon and director of BWH Endovascular Surgery, passed away on Jan. 20 following a shooting in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center. The loss of this visionary, talented and caring physician is felt deeply in Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, throughout the entire Brigham community and broader health care community, and by countless patients and families who received remarkable care and experienced his unwavering compassion.

“He would demonstrate to his patients how much he cared about them; there was never a perfunctory visit,” said Eisenhauer. “He didn’t leave the room until he was satisfied that the patient was well-served.”

Dr. Davidson was unique in his field; he sought training in interventional cardiology after completing his training in cardiac surgery.

“These are two very different skill sets. It embodies who he was—a visionary who saw what was coming down the pike,” said his colleague and close friend Pinak Shah, MD. “He had to make a lot of personal sacrifices and cross a lot of barriers, all to build a program that he knew was the way we’d be taking care of patients in the future. He had incredible brilliance. It’s rare that you find someone who has all that and can still be a human being. I can’t imagine a combination of talent and humanism that any institution will have the opportunity to work with in the future.”

Dr. Davidson was part of the remarkable team that performed the hospital’s first tricuspid “valve-in-valve” procedure and was involved in establishing BWH’s Cardiac Hybrid OR, one of the most advanced operating rooms in the country. The OR houses superior equipment to allow for combinations of surgical and interventional procedures for patients who need both as part of their care—just as Dr. Davidson envisioned. The OR will be named The Dr. Michael J. Davidson Cardiac Hybrid Operating Room in his honor, as he was instrumental in the planning of these rooms.

Dr. Davidson graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and then trained at Duke University and BWH. He joined the BWH staff as an associate surgeon in 2006. He was a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and a 2008 fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Associate Director of Primary Care Charles Morris, MD, MPH, a friend since college, talked about how generous Dr. Davidson was with his time, both personally and professionally. Thoracic surgeon Daniel Wiener, MD, detailed the hobbies they shared, including playing guitar together in the band “Off Label” in their spare time.

“Mike was an incredible friend, father and husband, and an amazing lead guitarist,” said Wiener. “I will miss him.”

Dr. Davidson is survived by his wife, Dr. Terri Halperin, who is pregnant with their fourth child; children Kate, Liv and Graham; parents, Susan B. and Robert M. Davidson; sister, Hillary Davidson, and brother-in-law, Jordan Goldstein; mother- and father-in-law, Gunilla and Sheldon Halperin; and other family members and friends.

In 2010, Dr. Davidson ran the Boston Marathon with Team Brigham to celebrate his 40th birthday, commenting at the time that there was “no better way to commemorate a birthday, run the Marathon to achieve a personal goal and, in the process, support Team Brigham and its mission to help so many people.”

“The world is a better place because of Dr. Davidson,” said BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD. “Let us honor our dear colleague’s memory and legacy by treating each other with kindness and providing the best possible care to those who come to us in need.”

More information about a BWH memorial service for Dr. Davidson will be forthcoming. View a video tribute to Dr. Davidson online at BWHPikeNotes.org.

“I had the opportunity to bring Michael on the faculty at BWH, and to watch him grow as a person and physician and lead the division in new directions in heart surgery and integration with cardiology. His career was on a meteoric rise, and his family and personal life were in a wonderful place as well. Mike was totally devoted to his wife, Terri, and their children. He was a person who had a genuine passion for life and love for his family, his patients and his colleagues. Perhaps the highest tribute I can pay him is that Mike left the world a better place than he found it.”

– Chip Bolman, MD, BWH Cardiac Surgery

“Dr. Davidson saved my mom’s life three years ago. He was the epitome of kindness and compassion and my heart aches over this. A tragedy that such a senseless and cowardly act took a wonderful person. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

– Debbie D’Alessando

“This was a man that chose to help people in dire need. He saved the life of my wife. We will mourn the loss of such a wonderful surgeon. He had a bedside manner that should be part of every physician’s education.”

– Henry Ouellette

“Mike was my last resident trainee before I stepped down as chief of Cardiac Surgery. The best words to describe Mike were: bright, hardworking and innovative in patient care, operating and education. He was a true triple threat academically: teacher, clinician and investigator. He did it all and did it all well. He will be sorely missed.”

Lawrence Cohn, MD, BWH Cardiac Surgery

“I remember meeting Dr. Davidson during my residency at BWH one night while on-call. I was paged to the Shapiro building to provide support to two sons and to the young physician who had tried to save their mother’s life. When I arrived, Dr. Davidson, still wearing his surgical cap, was sitting with the family. I was struck by his compassionate presence, attentive listening and his own feelings of loss. I remember looking at his ID because I wanted to capture this man, this doctor, this healer’s face and his name in my memory. What a tremendous loss for the Brigham, his patients and their families, his colleagues, and his family. Yet, this one memory I have of him speaks to what an incredible legacy he leaves for us.”

Sarah H.

“Years ago, Dr. Davidson sought my permission to train in coronary arteriography in our catheterization laboratory, a procedure usually performed only by cardiologists. We welcomed him into our laboratory, and his collaborative spirit set the stage for ever deepening cooperation between cardiac surgeons and cardiologists that laid the foundation for our successful Heart Team and joint valve clinic. I believe that Dr. Davidson was a pioneer in our institution’s joint approach to provide the best patient care. His engaging personality and balanced approach to patient care certainly fostered the collegial spirit which now prevails between our specialties.”

Peter Libby, MD, BWH Cardiovascular Division

“I first met Mike when he came to CIMIT more than ten years ago to seek support for the fellowships which enabled his cross-training in Minimally Invasive Cardiology. I recall asking why, as a ‘fully trained surgeon,’ would he go through more years of schooling? He said simply, ‘It will make me a better doctor; I will have more ways to help my patients.’”

Kirby Vosburgh, PhD, BWH Radiology

“Mike was a superb human being, caring physician and wonderful colleague. Mike cared so much for every patient he cared for. His presence will truly be missed across the medical community. I will miss his smile and the friendly greeting he gave as he passed you along the Shapiro Bridge. Rest in peace, Mike. May all of your family and friends find solace during this difficult time. I am sure that you will be watching over them from wherever you may be.”

Fidencio Saldana, MD, BWH Cardiovascular Division

On Jan. 20, the Brigham community was changed forever when it lost a beloved friend and surgeon.

Following Tuesday’s tragic events, Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans shared that BWH staff did exactly what they were supposed to do—exactly as they had trained to do. He said he was grateful for the response of all staff under these difficult circumstances.

During the past week, the BWH community has come together to reflect on Dr. Michael Davidson’s lasting legacy, including at an event in which the BWH flag at 45 Francis St. was lowered in his honor and at services hosted by BWH Chaplaincy. Hundreds of friends, colleagues and strangers from across the country have extended their support and messages of hope in an online guestbook. Others have taped handwritten notes on a wall in the 75 Francis St. lobby, or left flowers, stuffed animals, cards and other gifts in Dr. Davidson’s honor.

Since the tragedy, the Dr. Michael J. Davidson Family Fund has been established to benefit Dr. Davidson’s young children. You can learn more at www.rtn.org/davidsonfund.

Additionally, the BWH community is invited to write a note in the online guestbook.

If you or a colleague needs support during this difficult time, Employee Assistance Program staff are available and can be reached at 617-732-6017 or online at eap.partners.org. The Center for Professionalism and Peer Support is also available to provide one-on-one peer support to clinicians dealing with stress. Call 617-525-9797, or after hours, call 617-968-0799.

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