Projects with South Shore Hospital Take Shape
Since August when BWH entered into a clinical affiliation agreement with Weymouth-based South Shore Hospital (SSH), the two hospitals have been planning and implementing growth strategies to benefit both hospitals and their patients.
The strategic goal of the affiliation is to assist SSH in becoming a regionally recognized medical center by giving it access to the enormous array of clinical, research and administrative resources at BWH.
The clinical affiliation is in five service lines: primary care, women’s health, cancer, surgery and cardiovascular health. The alliance has helped make it possible for SSH to become the first in its area to offer 24-hour access to primary angioplasty. BWH interventional cardiologists are taking call at SSH every third night and are part of the staff for emergency angioplasties at SSH. This fall, SSH will open a $13.5 million Cardiovascular Center developed with input from BWH cardiologists.
BWH and SSH are building upon a relationship that has already brought advanced surgical and breast care to the South Shore, as well as physician experts in reproductive medicine, urogynecology and gynecologic oncology. The two hospitals also have jointly established a general surgery practice called Brigham and Women’s Surgical Associates at South Shore Hospital, as well as a Harvard Medical School-affiliated surgical residency program at SSH.
Physicians from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BWH and SSH also are involved in the early stages of planning an integrated cancer center to be located at SSH. The center will deliver primary, specialty and selected ancillary and outpatient oncology care.
“Through this affiliation, BWH is extending its brand, reach and expertise into an area where a lot of its patients live,” said Elena Sierra, the first shared administrator for BWH and SSH, who reports to vice presidents of both institutions. She facilitates all pieces of the clinical affiliation agreement while considering additional opportunities for growth to benefit both hospitals.
Leadership support is crucial to this affiliation, Sierra said. Every other week, President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, SSH President Richard Aubut and respective networks vice presidents meet to check on the progress.