It pays to take the T
In response to last summer’s staff survey, BWH will begin offering MBTA passes
at a significantly reduced rate starting July 1. Until now, BWH sold T passes between 8 and 20 percent off, depending on the type of pass. The new pricing structure offers 45 percent of any type of MBTA pass.
For example, the combination bus and subway pass is $46. BWH paid $9 of that cost under the old structure. It will now pay $20.70.
“By reducing the cost of taking public transportation, we hope to encourage employees to leave their cars at home and help maximize patient and family parking in the Longwood Medical Area,” said Art Mombourquette, vice president, Support Services.
As part of that plan, employee on-site parking rates are also increasing. However, this 20 percent increase will be more than offset by the fact that deductions will now be pre-tax, rather than post-tax. For someone earning $35,000 a year who parks on site, the 20 percent increase means this person will see almost $10 more in her weekly paycheck. (See chart below.)
increase taken pretax
Current 20 percent Gross pay $ 673.20 $ 673.20
(per week)*
Federal tax 97.00 83.00
FICA 51.50 48.10
State tax 26.75 26.75
Parking 37.08 44.50
Net pay 460.87 470.85
Impact The employee sees a $9.98 increase in weekly net pay.
*For someone earning $35,000 per year.
Opening of Mammography Screening Center on L1
In response to the growing demand for mammography services, the Department of Radiology opened a new Mammography Screening Center on April 17, 2000, located on L1 across from the Amory elevators. The Mammography Screening center provides routine mammograms for asymptomatic women while the Breast Imaging and Diagnostic Center on the Pike serves patients requiring diagnostic evaluation, short term follow up or interventional procedures.
By separating these mammography services, radiology is able to accommodate
both diagnostic and screening patients more efficiently. Screening patients are given a report within 30-45 minutes of arriving in the center. The Breast Imaging and Diagnostic Center focuses on the comprehensive evaluation of breast symptoms utilizing special mammographic views, breast ultrasound, galactography, aspiration, needle localization and core biopsy.
Mammography is one of the only radiology studies that cannot be acquired and viewed without film. Most other studies are viewed on workstations, and film based comparisons are increasingly uncommon. Mammography is the primary examination for which traditional, analog (or non-digital) technology will remain the standard over the next several years. The film library will begin dividing mammography studies into separate master folders and keep them on site for easier retrieval, since comparison with prior exams is an important part of the interpretation.
The Mammography Screening Center shares its reception and waiting area with the Radiology Outpatient Diagnostic Division. So if you see a patient wandering the halls for a hysterosalpynogram, fluoroscopy, upper GI or an IVP exam please direct them to the Diagnostic Outpatient reception, located within the Mammography Screening Center.
An open house is scheduled for the newly constructed Screening Center on June 29, 2000. Please join us in celebrating the opening of our new center and meet the people who serve our patients.
“Cellular Aging and Apoptosis”
is the subject of a day-long conference on June 22 in the Carl W. Walter Amphitheater at HMS. For more information, contact Amada Pullen, PhD, at 535-6506.