Skip to contents
In This Issue:
Pamela and Cecil Kane, who come from a small town in Maine four hours from Boston, have called Tower 8 their home since February, save a few weeks at home in Madison.
“I can’t say enough about how great the staff here is,” Cecil Kane said of the providers caring for his wife, who is on a ventricular assist device, or a VAD. “They’re part of the family, all the doctors, the nurses, everyone.”
With Linda Forte, RN, and patient care assistant Ana Lora at Pamela’s side—along with staff from Respiratory Therapy, Patient Transport, Security, Patient Care Services and several others—the Kanes had no worries about making the July 14 move from the Tower to the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center.
They departed Tower 8D at 8:15 a.m., and Pamela was settled safely in her new room on Shapiro 6 at 8:24 a.m. That same process held true between 8 a.m. and 4:44 p.m., as teams of BWH staff safely moved 80 patients. Kane was one of 50 bedded patients transported under Francis Street via L2, and 30 patients crossed the Shapiro Bridge in wheelchairs.
This massive operation, which was years in the making and intensely refined during the last several months, called on hundreds of hospital staff to follow intricate plans detailed down to the minute. Nursing leaders, managers, educators and clinical staff along with physicians, house staff and other care providers began assessing each patient and tabulating specific patient needs months ago. Patient Family Relations, Chaplaincy and Nursing staff reached out to the patients and their families in the weeks and days leading to the move to make sure they understood every facet of the transition.
Meanwhile, Biomedical Engineering, Engineering, Environmental Services, Information Systems, Admitting and Patient Transport worked with the patient care teams to ensure all the moving parts necessary to receive and care for patients in the Shapiro Center were ready to go. On Move Day, additional teams staffed with personnel from IS, Biomed and Environmental Affairs were ready to assist if needed, but everything went smoothly and according to plan.
Hospital leadership conducted this awesome orchestration from the Duncan Reid Conference Room, which was in full swing as the emergency operations command center. Arthur Mombourquette, vice president of Support Services, managed the move as incident commander with lieutenants leading operations, security, safety, planning and logistics. Every detail, like Tower room departure times, getting on and off elevators and arrival times, were recorded.
“I can’t help but marvel at the extraordinary amount of careful planning, the exceptional attention to detail and unparalleled commitment to teamwork that the entire hospital demonstrated during this massive move,” said COO Kate Walsh. “Thank you to everyone who remained so dedicated to patient safety and compassionate care every step of the way.”
While patients and staff raved about their new rooms and all the amenities of the Shapiro Center, there was a little sadness in the Tower among some staff.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Forte, the nurse who cares for the Kanes now on Shapiro 6. “I came here (Tower 8D) from the Peter Bent Brigham. It’s been home for a long time.”
David Baugher, another long-time patient who made the move from Tower 8A to Shapiro 7, raved about his new, private and spacious room. “Everything is so beautiful, modern and squeaky clean,” said Baugher, who walked across the Shapiro Bridge with his portable VAD in tow.
As much as Baugher appreciates his care providers and new accommodations, he is not planning on staying in Shapiro long. “I don’t want to settle in comfortably for too long. Any minute, they’ll get to me on the transplant list,” he said.
“I want to go home, but until then, I am comfortable.”
See more photos.