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Attendees packed Bornstein Amphitheater to hear from Betsy Nabel.
BWHers crowded Bornstein Amphitheater and joined via webcast on Tuesday morning to hear the latest hospital news from BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD, at Town Meeting. Topics ranged from the status of the budget and 15 Francis St. construction to a detailed update on the proposed merger between Partners HealthCare, South Shore Hospital, Harbor Medical Associates and Hallmark Health System.
Nabel informed attendees that an agreement in principle has been reached between Attorney General Martha Coakley and Partners, allowing Partners to move ahead with the merger, pending court approval, which is expected next month.
"This is great news for us," Nabel said.
If the agreement, which includes a handful of stipulations, is approved, Partners can move forward with its plan to offer the highest-quality care closer to the homes of patients and their families in a lower-cost, community-based setting, addressing the key issues of access and affordability.
BWH President Betsy Nabel
Nabel also opened the meeting to questions from employees on any topic on their minds. Janet Guptill, of the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, voiced her concerns about patient flow and efficiency, particularly related to Tower elevator wait times, a problem Nabel says has existed since her days in residency. Nabel said she and the leadership team will look for solutions.
With Epic and Partners eCare coming, Gordon Schiff, MD, asked about the possibility of creating a 24/7 help line that clinicians can call to have their questions answered in real time.
"We are committed to making sure we have the right resources to help you prepare for Epic," said Mairead Hickey, PhD, RN, executive vice president and chief operating officer, in response to Schiff's question. "We are looking at the support model to make sure we have the resources here to support you through the process, both during the initial go-live and in the long term."
Answering a question from Bonnie Wheeler, MBA, of Sleep Medicine, about the future of research, Nabel said she sees tremendous opportunities at BWH. As a result of the hospital's strategic plan, a new role is envisioned, and a search will be conducted for a chief academic officer, who will lead research and education efforts at BWH.
"Going forward, I see tremendous growth opportunities to do even more partnering with the life sciences community here in Boston and with the pharmaceutical industry," Nabel said.
To learn more about this year's Town Meeting, read the Q&A.