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Obituary
BWH mourns the loss of Phyllis Jen, MD, 60, a loving wife and mother, beloved colleague, gifted clinician and brilliant mentor. She passed away April 21 in a tragic accident.
“Phyllis cared for her patients and so many of us in the broadest sense of the word,” said Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medicine. “Her absence is already painfully obvious to our community.”
Dr. Jen was unwavering in her dedication to Brigham Internal Medicine Associates (BIMA), where she began as a primary care physician in 1976 and became medical director in 1982. She was active in many initiatives to enhance and maintain care for underserved populations throughout her career.
“Whether you worked here for 25 years or three months, she knew who you were, what job you did and took the time to make you feel special,” said Janice Dolan, practice administrator for BIMA, who worked with Dr. Jen for 20 years. “She was an amazing leader, a brilliant doctor and your best friend. She truly was the heart and soul of BIMA.”
When BIMA achieved excellent scores on patient satisfaction and quality measures, Dr. Jen praised her staff. “She was so proud of them and how hard they worked,” said Thomas Lee, MD, CEO of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc., and a physician who worked with Dr. Jen for nearly 30 years. “She was relentless in her commitment to making BIMA better, and she succeeded in making it a great place with extraordinary care for every patient.”
Dr. Jen also improved care for patients thousands of miles away from BWH by helping establish an outreach program for physicians to volunteer with Indian Health Service hospitals in New Mexico.
“Phyllis always knew that medicine could not and should not be bound inside the four walls of a building; she knew we all had a responsibility to reach out to the community to try to touch and improve the lives of our neighbors,” said BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA.
Howard Hiatt, MD, co-chief of the Division of Global Health Equity, traveled to New Mexico with Dr. Jen and noticed how she related at once to Navajo patients, physicians, nurses and others. “She was so humble, always eager to hear others’ points of view and a marvelous person,” he said. “My relationship with her was pure joy, and it was a privilege to be her colleague.”
A gifted teacher dedicated to the next generation of physicians, Dr. Jen also was a trusted advisor to many colleagues from across the hospital who sought her guidance and opinion, receiving honest and thoughtful answers almost immediately. “Everyone wanted to talk to Phyllis,” Lee said.
There was nothing she wouldn’t do to help any patient with her unique ability to make each feel like her only patient with quick responses to ease every concern. “She made all the time in the world for you when you were with her,” patient Cynthia Thomas told The Boston Globe.
With her warmth, optimism and constant smile, Dr. Jen was the kind of person people gravitated to. “She was always positive, always constructive and always solving problems,” Lee said. “She was one of the most fun people in the world.”
During her career, Dr. Jen was honored with many awards for her leadership, teaching and community outreach, including the BWPO’s Community Service Award in 2004 and the PCHI Samuel Thier, MD, Physician Leadership Award in 2006. She served as a member of the Partners Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2006.
In addition to her roles at BWH, she served as editor in-chief of the online version of the Harvard University Family Health Guide, a health Web site for the public, since 1999.
Born in Cambridge, Dr. Jen grew up in Maryland and attended Brown University. She earned her medical degree at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, interned at Stanford University Medical Center and completed her residency and a fellowship in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Jen lived in Needham. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Robert Schlauch, and their children, Michael, Daniel and Amy. A service was held over the weekend at the family’s home in Needham. A memorial service is being planned for a later date at BWH.
A fund has been established in Dr. Jen’s name. Visit https://giving.brighamandwomens.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=356 and in the “memorial” section of the form, direct the gift to honor Dr. Phyllis Jen. Checks may be sent to the BWH Development Office, 116 Huntington Ave., 5th floor, Boston, MA 02116. Checks should be made payable to Brigham and Women’s Hospital and include Dr. Jen’s name in the memo section. Staff also may contribute through payroll deduction, via Peoplesoft Self Service. From there, click Employee, then Tasks, then Voluntary Deductions and Add Voluntary Deductions. Then select “Fund for BWH” as the deduction type and complete the details before e-mailing Joan Senior at jsenior@partners.org so she can ensure your donation is entered correctly.
18 Comments
I'll be keeping Dr. Jen's family members in my thoughts. Thank you for this informative and inspiring write-up.
The first time i met Dr.phyllis Jen was very uplifting to me. I couldn't believe that a Medical Director was so nice and friendly to me,we had several discussions about Africa and other countries that she had travelled. She was a gem to BWH and i will personally missed her lovely smile. My prayers to her Family and May her soul rest in peace Amen.
Phyllis was an incredible mentor. I had been told prior to taking the Primary Care Chief job that getting to know Phyllis was one of the best things about the position. How right they were. We all miss her very much and her loss will be felt for years to come. Thank you to her family for sharing her with us.
I saw one of my patients last week whose mother had been one of Dr. Jen's patients for 20 years. Both mother and daughter were stunned and saddened. They thought of Dr. Jen as everything a physician should be for a patient and her family.
Phyllis was many things to many people. She was a doctor, a teacher, an administrator, a neighbor, wife, mother, sister and friend, especially a friend. To all she touched she brought a smile. She found the good in everybody and made people feel good about themselves. We should all try to emulate this quality in our daily lives. BIMA will never be the same without her.
I felt so much respect for Dr. Jen that calling her by her first name it was so hard. She uses to tell me to call her by Phyllis, but it was different. The love that I had for her it was different. Once I got to Bima she made me feel that you could be happy and working with different kind of people. I felt like she was my step mother. I would go to her and ask for her opinion and she had a time for me. Every morning I herd a good morning coming from her. I learn that no matter how you feeling a good morning will bring a happy day for you. She was a Beautiful person. God bless her!!!
Seeing all the photos displayed at this weekend's service was such a moving experience. Phyllis Jen was a warm and loving person, beautiful inside and out. The photos show a woman who clearly adored her family and friends as much as they loved her. It goes without saying how much she will be missed by her Brigham family and patients as well.
Before I came to work in BIMA, Dr. Francine Jacobson exclaimed, "you're going to work with Phyllis...you are going to love her!!" And guess what!? I did! She had a way about her that is truly to be emulated and made you feel that any contribution you made, no matter how small, mattered in a very big way to BIMA and to her. Her spirit will be forever in BIMA! The Brigham community was given the great gift of Dr. Phyllis Jen! My life is richer in knowing her.
Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you wake in the morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft starlight at night. Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die! WE ALL WILL DEEPLY MISS YOU DR. JEN...YOU WERE A FANTASTIC IRREPLACEABLE HUMAN BEING, YOU COMPLETED YOUR MISSION HERE ON EARTH,AS AN ANGEL THAT YOU ALWAYS WERE NOW YOUR WINGS GREW, AND YOUR NAME WAS CALL, TO BE WATCHING OVER THE ONES THAT ALWAYS WILL LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!! R.I.P
You will be missed..Keeping the family in prayers With Deepest Sympathy...
I never met Dr Phyllis Jen, but for a loved one to died without any sickness is very painful.My sympathy goes out to her three wonderful children and her husband. May God give you the strength to bear the loss.
I feel so honored and blessed to have the opportunity to know and work with Dr. Jen. I relocated here from South Carolina for fellowship--a little homesick, a little insecure fresh out of residency. Dr. Jen was welcoming, supportive, and accomodating--providing a little dose of what I would have normally called Southern Hospitality!! Even in the brief time I was blessed to know her, I think it is safe to say that we will not only miss who Dr. Jen was, but also how she made us feel--cared for, welcomed, and loved. God bless you!
Phyllis was a truly wonderful women. When I came to BIMA in July, I was very intimidated and nervous. She welcomed me and was there for me whenever I needed anything. She made me feel needed and respected me. She was amazing to work with and will forever be missed.
To give you feeling about how Phyllis felt about the care we deliver... see below for Phyllis' email to me recently when I asked for help with a deaf patient with poorly controlled diabetes. She was really proud of BIMA care. (Maureen leads the training my patient received, and it really was great.) From: Jen, Phyllis,M.D. To: Lee, Thomas Henry,Jr.,M.D. Sent: Wed Mar 18 14:14:58 2009 Subject: RE: Blood Glucose Monitoring System is this a BIMA patient? Is he ambulatory? IF yes, then VNA will not go to his home to teach glucometer. But if a BIMA pt we would be glad to have him come in for a great teaching session on glucometer teaching. PJ
when Phyllis entered the room, all of the intense anxiety quickly dissapated. She calmed all of us making our care better, and our perspective healthier. I've worked with thousands of excellant physicians over the past forty years, but I can't recall one that showed more bedside warmth and comnpassion. Truman (hank)respiratory care
My old friend Tom Kloss asked me to apply for a BIMA staff nurse position in 1995, when I was actually applying for another ambulatory position. He told me that I would love Phyllis Jen and I did! I was blessed to work with her ever since, she taught me a lot. She treated all of us who worked her as colleagues and she had great pride in the care we gave to patients. She had great regard and respect for people in general. She was a wonderful role model.
When I met Dr. Jen I couldn't believe such a small woman had a BIG heart. Also with that small woman had a lot on her plate as being a director of such a big practice and more. When I think of her I see someone who was very strong. With me and I am sure everyone else she was so welcoming to everything and like everyone else said she was a good listener never judged you on anything. I remember sitting with her when I was being interviewed and talking about what I have done in the past and what I would like to do in the future she said as long as I put my mind to it I will succeed. I think of her now as a guardian angel and will always be here at BIMA watching over us. I will miss her dearly.
Dr. Jen Was like a mom to me I had so much respect for her I could never called her by her first name. She alway's said I was a swettie I am going to miss that she made you feel special.I would go to her for any thing and she would be the best listener in the world! I worked around her for many years and I alway's remember her smiles every single day. I will truly miss her my Symphathy goes to her and her Family may her rest in peace.
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