October marks the beginning of the new fiscal year for Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Over the course of the last 12 months we have been able to work hard to sustain an environment that treats our patients and caregivers with respect while recognizing the challenges of the future. The healthcare industry has been caught up in a tide of change. But, due to our organizational strengths, vision and partnerships, we have been able to navigate that tide with precision.
However, we are not insulated from the many challenges that face other hospitals in Boston and throughout the nation. The same influences that have shocked our industry – declining managed care reimbursements, Medicare cuts from the Balanced Budget Act, and inadequate Medicaid payments – are real and present at BWH.
Yet, in the face of these challenges, we have been uniquely successful. Our patient volume continues to grow and our need for talented nurses will continue to be an essential part of our future success. I am pleased to report that over the course of the last fiscal year, we aggressively recruited new nurses to BWH in the midst of a burgeoning nursing shortage. Since last October we have been able to welcome 230 new nurses to the hospital. Even with our apparent success, we must continue to seek the best and brightest staff who will thrive in the compassionate health care environment we enjoy at BWH.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and support for those nurses and managers who were engaged in the most recent round of negotiations between the hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Thanks in great measure to our ability to find solutions to our mutual concerns, we have been able to forge an agreement that will allow us to recognize our nurses and support the hospital’s dedication to high quality care.
As we continue to move forward to take on the challenges of this new world of health care, it is heartening to know that we have a remarkable team of caregivers, united in the pursuit of what is in the best interests of our patients.
Sincerely,
Nancy Kruger, DNSc, RN
Vice President, Patient Care Services
Chief Nursing Officer