Organization: BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS DEPARTMENT OF
Mission: SUPPORT THE PATIENT CARE, RESEARCH AND TEACHING MISSIONS OF BIDMC AND HMFP AS WELL AS TO SUPPORT TEACHING AND RESEARCH AT HMS.
Activities: BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE FOUNDATION, INC. (BIDDM) PLANS AND ADMINISTERS CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) COURSES AND SEMINARS HELD AT BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER (BIDMC) AND HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL (HMS). THE MAJORITY OF THE COURSES ARE PRESENTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH HMS. BIDDM ALSO PARTICIPATES IN AN ANNUAL INTERNAL MEDICINE CME COURSE HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO-SANTA FE, AND IN MARCH OF 2019 HELD AN INTERNAL MEDICINE CME COURSE IN THE COUNTRY OF KUWAIT. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICIANS BOTH FROM WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE BOSTON AREA AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY. BIDDM OFFERS NUMEROUS ANNUAL CME COURSES ON A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES, SUCH AS CARDIOLOGY, GASTROENTEROLOGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, NEPHROLOGY, GERONTOLOGY, AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE WHICH PROVIDE ATTENDING PRACTITIONERS WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE QUALITY MEDICAL CARE FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. PHYSICIANS ATTENDING THESE COURSES RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS FOR MAINTENANCE OF THEIR LICENSURE.
DURING THE FISCAL PERIOD COVERED BY THIS FILING, BIDDM PROVIDED SUPPORT TO PATIENT CARE, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS: FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO NEPHROLOGY, HEPATOLOGY, GASTROENTEROLOGY, ENDOCRINOLOGY, PULMONARY, AND CARDIOLOGY PROGRAMS WITHIN THE BIDMC AND HMFP DEPARTMENTS OF MEDICINE; ONGOING SUPPORT TO ALLERGY RELATED RESEARCH; SPONSORSHIP OF NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL GRAND ROUNDS FOR THE BIDMC AND HMFP DEPARTMENTS OF MEDICINE; ONGOING SALARY SUPPORT TO BIDMC FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS; AND THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO COVER EXPENSES INCURRED AND/OR SALARY SUPPORT TO PHYSICIANS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL PROVIDING CARE TO BIDMC AND HMFP PATIENTS. BIDDM FURTHER SUPPORTS THE EDUCATIONAL MISSIONS OF BIDMC AND HMFP BY BRINGING DISTINGUISHED PHYSICIANS TO BIDMC AND HMFP TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL LECTURES IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. THESE LECTURES SERVE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EDUCATING MEDICAL TRAINEES (INTERNS, RESIDENTS, AND FELLOWS) AND PHYSICIANS. ADDITIONALLY, BIDDM HELPS FUND THE COST OF TRAVEL FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT HMFP PHYSICIANS AND BIDMC CLINICAL FELLOWS IN TRAINING CAN ATTEND NATIONAL CONFERENCES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.BILH'S COVID-19 RESPONSE IN FY 2020BETH ISRAEL LAHEY HEALTH ("BILH") QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY MARSHALLED ITS RESOURCES TO MOUNT A COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC (THROUGH JUNE OF 2021), BILH HAS TREATED OVER 8,500 HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 AND PERFORMED MORE THAN 700,000 COVID-19 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SYSTEM'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE IN FY 2020 INCLUDE: BILH QUICKLY ESTABLISHED AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ("EOC") TO ALIGN SYSTEM EFFORTS ACROSS ITS HOSPITALS AND OTHER BUSINESS UNITS AND WITH EXTERNAL ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THE EOC HELD REGULAR MEETINGS WITH INCIDENT COMMANDERS, EMERGENCY MANAGERS, AND SENIOR LEADERS FROM BILH HOSPITALS, PRIMARY CARE, AND OTHER SYSTEM ENTITIES TO COORDINATE PLANS, POLICIES, AND COMMUNICATIONS. IT PARTICIPATED IN WEEKLY CONFERENCE OF BOSTON TEACHING HOSPITALS ("COBTH") CALLS AND MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH COMMAND CENTER CALLS. A KEY ROLE OF THE EOC INVOLVED MANAGING THE FLOW OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INFORMATION TO ENSURE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND ALIGNMENT OF RESPONSES TO THE PANDEMIC. FINALLY, THE EOC WORKED WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO CENTRALIZE COVID-19 RELATED DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING FOR THE SYSTEM, COMMONWEALTH, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IN MARCH 2020, BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER ("BIDMC") BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST HOSPITAL LABORATORIES IN THE STATE TO BEGIN IN-HOUSE HIGH-THROUGHPUT POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ("PCR") COVID-19 TESTING FOR PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS. BIDMC'S LABORATORY PROVIDED THIS TEST TO BILH HOSPITALS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SUCH AS HEALTH CENTERS AND CORRECTIONS FACILITIES, AT A TIME OF CRITICAL SUPPLY SHORTAGE. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, BILH WORKED TOWARD ADDITIONAL IN-HOUSE TESTING CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING HIGH-THROUGHPUT THERMO FISHER INSTRUMENTS AT LAHEY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER ("LHMC"). THE SYSTEM OPERATIONALIZED MULTIPLE DRIVE-THROUGH COVID-19 TESTING SITES TO ENABLE EASY ACCESS FOR PATIENTS AND STAFF. IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, TO EXPAND HOSPITAL AND CLINIC-BASED COVID-19 TESTING SITES, BILH OPENED AN ADDITIONAL HIGH-CAPACITY DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING SITE IN WOBURN. TO ENSURE CONTINUED ACCESS TO CARE FOR ITS PATIENTS, BILH PRIMARY CARE RAPIDLY DEPLOYED A TELEHEALTH STRATEGY, QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO COHORT CLINICS TO CARE FOR SICK PATIENTS, AND SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED A PHASED REOPENING BY JULY 2020. BILH ESTABLISHED A TEMPORARY COMMUNITY CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT AT NEW ENGLAND BAPTIST HOSPITAL TO MANAGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENT VOLUME DURING THE PANDEMIC. BILH ESTABLISHED A DAILY HUDDLE CONSISTING OF BILH ED AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEADERS TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE PATIENT TRANSFERS TO THE UNIT. BILH'S VIRTUAL TRANSFER CENTER WAS FORMED IN SEPTEMBER 2019 TO OPTIMIZE SYSTEM-WIDE BED CAPACITY USING REAL-TIME INFORMATION EXCHANGE AMONG THE THREE EXISTING TRANSFER CENTERS AT BIDMC, LHMC AND MOUNT AUBURN HOSPITAL ("MAH"). THE TRANSFER TEAM PERSONNEL AT THESE CENTERS WORK TOGETHER AS A SINGLE "VIRTUAL" CENTER TO ACCOMMODATE INCOMING TRANSFER REQUESTS BY MAKING ALL BEDS AVAILABLE IN THE SYSTEM BASED ON FACILITY CAPACITY AND LEVEL OF CARE REQUIRED. THE TRANSFER CENTER ENHANCED PATIENT QUALITY, SAFETY, AND ACCESS BY LOAD BALANCING COVID PATIENTS ACROSS ALL OF ITS HOSPITALS SO THAT THESE PATIENTS RECEIVED TIMELY ACCESS TO THE TYPE OF BED AND LEVEL OF CARE NEEDED. BILH COLLABORATED WITH EXTERNAL ENTITIES TO STAND UP A 1,000-BED FIELD HOSPITAL, THE BOSTON HOPE HOSPITAL, AND OPEN AND STAFF A COVID HOTEL FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. BILH LAUNCHED A WEBSITE TITLED THE CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER TO PROVIDE ITS PATIENT COMMUNITY WITH UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE SYSTEM'S RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, AVAILABLE RESOURCES SUCH AS TESTING SITES, AND INNOVATION EFFORTS UNDERWAY THROUGHOUT BILH (E.G., VAPORIZED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE STERILIZATION FOR N95 RESPIRATORS). BILH LAUNCHED AN INTERNAL WEBSITE WITH RESOURCES FOR ITS STAFF AS WELL. BILH CREATED SYSTEM-WIDE GUIDELINES FOR INFECTION PREVENTION ACROSS MANY DOMAINS, INCLUDING PATIENT AND VISITOR SCREENING AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF AMBULATORY CLINIC SPACES TO ALLOW FOR RECOMMENDED PHYSICAL DISTANCING. BILH'S HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM DEVELOPED AND PROVIDED SYSTEM-WIDE PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND TOOLS TO ENSURE ITS HOSPITALS WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF ITS STAFF WHILE DELIVERING SAFE, EFFECTIVE CARE TO ITS PATIENTS. EXAMPLES OF THESE RESOURCES INCLUDE AN ENHANCED SUPPLEMENTAL LEAVE POLICY; AN EASY-TO-USE, AUTOMATED EMPLOYEE COVID-19 SYMPTOM ATTESTATION TOOL; AN ONLINE, COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR MANAGING ANXIETY; AND TELECOMMUTING GUIDELINES. IN LATE MARCH 2020 BILH CREATED HOUSING FOR QUARANTINE OF STAFF EXPOSED TO COVID-19. HOUSING WAS SET UP AT A LOCAL UNIVERSITY AND HOTELS COVERING THE NETWORK'S SERVICE AREA. APPROXIMATELY 300 STAFF MEMBERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE HOUSING FROM MARCH TO JULY 2020. IN ADDITION TO HOUSING, FOOD AND SUPPLY DELIVERY SERVICES WERE CREATED TO MINIMIZE PUBLIC CONTACT. BILH COLLABORATED REGULARLY WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER ("CHC") AFFILIATES ON COVID-RELATED CARE, TESTING, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ("PPE"), AND PATIENT OUTREACH. BILH SHARED REAL-TIME ACCESS TO BILH COVID-19-RELATED OPERATIONAL POLICIES, PROCESSES, AND GUIDELINES IN ADDITION TO TRANSLATED PATIENT HANDOUTS, FLYERS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS AROUND THE "STOP THE SPREAD" CAMPAIGN. AS HEALTH CENTERS WORKED TO ESTABLISH STABLE SUPPLY CHAINS OF PPE, BILH DONATED GLOVES, N95S, ISOLATION GOWNS, DISINFECTANT WIPES, EYE PROTECTION, HAND SANITIZER, AND SURGICAL MASKS. BILH DEPLOYED STAFF AT COMMUNITY TESTING SITES SUCH AS AT THE DIMOCK CENTER. CHC STAFF WERE INCLUDED IN THE AFOREMENTIONED BILH-FUNDED TEMPORARY HOUSING PROGRAM FOR STAFF. BILH ALSO SUPPORTED SAFETY NET AFFILIATE HOSPITALS WITH REAL-TIME BILH COVID-19 PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES, MED/SURG AND ICU BED LOAD-BALANCING EFFORTS, ICU STAFFING, AND PPE NEEDS. IN FY 2021, BILH CONTINUED TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH'S RESPONSE TO THIS UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, MOST NOTABLY THROUGH ITS PATIENT VACCINATION EFFORTS. BILH WILL PROVIDE DETAIL ON THESE EFFORTS IN ITS FY 2021 TAX RETURN FILING.
NTEE category: Health Care
Secondary category: Medical Research