The month of July brought us news of BWH’s inclusion for the eighth consecutive year on the U.S. News and World Report Honor Roll of the nation’s best hospitals. This is a remarkable honor given the fact that our patient tower opened only 20 years ago. While we have benefited greatly from the reputation and achievements of our predecessor institutions, our collective reputation as a first rate medical center continues to strengthen. Special congratulations go out to Dr. Barry Brenner and his colleagues within the nephrology division as BWH was ranked as the top program in the nation.
As we enjoy the accolades, we also accept the amazing responsibility associated with winning the public’s trust. The summer of 2000 has presented us with an ongoing series of patient care challenges, directly related to our success. Patient volume and acuity levels remain exceptionally high and caregivers from the hospital are under constant pressure to ensure the highest levels of care.
Despite our best efforts to meet patient demands, there have been times over the course of the last several weeks where the situation has mandated the closing down patient beds to ensure that appropriate levels of staffing were being met.
That is why the recruitment of patient care specialists continues to be an important priority for this hospital. Since the beginning of the fiscal year we have recruited nearly 200 new nurses to fill vacancies and to grow to meet the demand for our services. We have additionally offered financial incentives to nurses who voluntarily pick up additional weekend shifts.
I want to thank each of you for your ongoing commitment to this organization. This is a special place dedicated to improvement and top-notch health care. We are all privileged and challenged to be associated with one of the nation’s best hospitals and stand ready to accept the enormous responsibilities that accompany such prestige.
Sincerely,
Andy Whittemore
Chief Medical Officer