Baystate Health

Happy National Community Health Center Week! This week, we celebrate the incredible impact that community health centers have on improving health and well-being across our communities. They provide essential services, promote health equity, and ensure that everyone has access to quality care. We are immensely proud of our dedicated team who work tirelessly to make a difference every single day. Thank you for everything you do to support our mission and care for our community. Let's take this opportunity to recognize and appreciate the vital role of community health centers in shaping a healthier future for all! A special thank you to our teams at Baystate Brightwood Health Center, Baystate High Street Health Center, Baystate General Pediatrics, and Baystate Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center. #NationalCommunityHealthCenterWeek #CommunityHealth

“Memory care is about helping families create an environment where their loved ones can live with dignity, grace, and comfort," shared Michele Megas-Ditomassi. Now she, along with Susan and T. John Megas, Jr., have helped advanced this important area of healthcare through the Michele Megas-Ditomassi and Susan and T. John Megas, Jr. Endowment in memory of George Ditomassi, local business leader and philanthropist. Discover how the Michele Megas-Ditomassi and Susan and T. John Megas, Jr. Endowment is making a difference in memory care for western Massachusetts: https://bit.ly/4fxyR2j

Recently our Baystate Wellness on Wheels (WOW) bus were a two of a dozen local organizations that participated the Mason Square branch of the Springfield City Library’s first-ever Community Health Fair. Thank you to the WOW bus team and the other Baystate employee volunteers who helped staff our table. The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Journey, a nationwide tour to educate and recruit people for a million-person medical data set with the goal of increasing inclusion of underrepresented populations in biomedical research is currently in Springfield. The community health fair was a way to complement this interactive, outdoor exhibit. The program uses the data they receive to research people of different colors or backgrounds to look for ways to improve medical treatments, outcomes, and even prevention. The All of Us truck will continue traveling around the country.

We are honored to share that Baystate Medical Center (BMC) has been honored by Practice Greenhealth with the 2024 Partners for Change Award. This prestigious award recognizes BMC's ongoing commitment to improving environmental performance and its efforts to embed sustainability and resiliency into the operations and culture of our institution. “We are pleased with the designation made by Practice Greenhealth for last years’ efforts and we look forward to continuing to innovate and create a more sustainable healthcare system within western Massachusetts,” says Ariana Walker, sustainability coordinator. “It is the help from folks across many departments, spearheading programs for waste reduction, leading with purpose and being passionate on the issue of planetary health that drives sustainable success across Baystate Heath.” As a partner with Practice Greenhealth, BMC has self-reported its data and programming results surrounding sustainability efforts. Based on this data, as well as program highlights that aren’t directly quantifiable, Practice Greenhealth benchmarked BMC accomplishments among peer institutions and awarded BMC with the Partners for Change Award. Additionally, Practice Greenhealth invited Ariana to present at CleanMed 2024, a sustainability conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Known as the “premier conference on environmental sustainability in the health care sector,” CleanMed connects those at the forefront of sustainable healthcare innovations. Ariana presented “Building Effective Sustainability Governance: A Tale of 3 Hospitals” with co-presenters Avery Palardy of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Michael Arsnow of Maine Health. The talk shared their journeys of sustainability at their respective hospitals and health systems and offered ways for the audience to make their own sustainability strategies highly visible, align initiatives with system goals, and pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of a program for continued growth. “This presentation allowed two of my fellow sustainability professionals and I to bring awareness to the varying stages of the healthcare sustainability program,” adds Ariana. “This included program size, points of emphasis, leadership buy-in and more; we wanted to provide a candid look at our successes and failures in an attempt to inspire those in the audience regardless of where they are on their journey.”

Nurses are the difference,” says Chief Nursing Officer Joanne Mille. Our nursing team’s dedication is evident every day, building on a history dating back to 1892. We're honored to share the investment in nursing with a generous $20,000 donation from Baystate School of Nursing alumnae, Gail LeClair (Class of ’64), Ann Tompkins (Class of ’53), Marty Pilon (Class of ’57), and Barbara Gurka (Class of ’64) - to support the Center for Nursing Excellence and Innovation project. This gift, one of many during their 13 years of support, is the final one for the group, as they begin to close the chapter on the alumni association. The Center for Nursing Excellence and Innovation will create a centralized facility within Baystate Medical Center to support the education and training of current nurses and the next generation of nursing talent who will care for our patients. This comprehensive investment will create an invaluable asset for our already excellent nurses, enabling them to stay current on the most effective practices. Additionally, the investment will play a critical role in recruiting and retaining future generations of nursing talent. Though much has changed since Gail, Ann, Marty, and Barbara received their nursing pins, one thing remains the same—the dedication of our nurses to providing high-quality care. After all, nurses were—and still are—the difference. Read more about their generosity: https://bit.ly/4d1XUJd

"The DAISY Team Award concept recognizes that, while an idea to achieve better patient and family outcomes may start with one individual, it often takes the entire team to implement successfully.," shares Karli Barrett, Chief Nursing Officer & Chief Administrative Officer of Baystate Wing Hospital. Recently, we had the honor of presenting our first DAISY Team Award at Baystate Wing Hospital as our Outpatient Infusion Suite Team was nominated by a family member of a patient who shared, “My mom has been going to the infusion suite at Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer for many years. Her infusion takes two to three hours, and she goes every six to eight weeks. For years, my mom went alone to her infusion appointments, but for the last year or so, it has been necessary for me to drive her to her appointments. Now I see how Lynn, Heather, and Kelly, go above and beyond to make my mom feel comfortable. They greet her like a good friend when she arrives. They make sure she’s warm and has something to eat and drink if she needs it. They’re busy, and they’re professional, and yet they perform this task in a way that can only mean that they care about the human being. My family truly appreciates this. They are there not only for my mom but knowing that caring for my mom at home now can be difficult for my family, they offer helpful suggestions when I ask, or when they believe they have an opinion that may be of help, or just some words of reassurance. All this, again, they do while caring for several people at a time. Amazing!” Our Baystate Wing Hospital Infusion Team is known for their kind support of each other as they work to deliver quality, compassionate care that makes a difference in the lives of our patients, their families, and our community. We’re so thankful for the immensely positive impact they make each and every day!

Recently we celebrated FY2024 earmark funding received for Baystate Brightwood Health Center. Baystate Wellness on Wheels (WOW) bus received a $50,000 earmark to expand capacity in the North End of Springfield, including health screening and monitoring, preventative health services and outreach to community members, program supplies for self-care such as blood pressure cuffs, pedometers, promotional items, as well as support staff. Brightwood Clinic received a $250,000 economic development earmark for IT enhancements. In addition, funding is being used to upgrade exam room IT equipment and modify and upgrade the community room space to accommodate community/group telehealth medical visits and health education. We are very thankful to State Senator Adam Gomez and State Representative Carlos Gonzalez who assisted in securing these critical funds. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3LI1zjh

We are proud to share that Tyonne Hinson, Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Baystate Health has been recognized as one of the 2024 “111 hospital and health system chief diversity, equity and inclusion officers to know” by Becker’s Hospital Review. The recognition identifies DEI officers whose efforts support diverse populations and advance health equity within their organizations and communities. Becker’s notes when hospitals and health systems weave diversity, equity and inclusion into their foundations, patients and staff members alike reap the rewards. DEI leaders are spearheading initiatives that cultivate safe, forward-thinking healthcare environments where all individuals feel embraced, appreciated and secure. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Tyonne. Read More: https://bit.ly/3A62Jm6

Baystate Wing Hospital is preparing local high school students for their future while exploring the many career opportunities in healthcare with their first-ever Student Ambassador – Mini Medical School Program! The program is an intensive two-week “mini-medical school” where students learn just some of the many different roles. Nine local students spent two weeks in July at rotating through six different departments, attending educational sessions that were both hands-on and observation, and receiving some training like CPR, How to Stop the Bleed, and hand hygiene. Each day they experienced something new. “I heard about the Student Ambassador Mini Medical School program during morning announcements at school and decided to put in an application to attend,” said George Wheeler from Belchertown High School. “I’m interested in a career in healthcare and thought this would allow me to explore different fields of medicine. Every day was a great experience! During the two weeks at Baystate Wing, I rounded in so many different departments and enjoyed learning from everyone. I found it interesting to learn about all aspects of healthcare, from clinical to non-clinical members of the team, especially liked hearing from the finance department and the quality team; together everyone cared that all patients had a good experience. What I gained from attending Mini Medical School is that I have an interest in clinical rehab, particularly occupational health, and hope to pursue that in college after I graduate next year.” At the end of the two weeks, a graduation ceremony was held where each student had to give a 3–4-minute slide presentation about their experience and journey through the program to their family and BWH team members. As they shared the highlights of their hospital experience and journey, they also shared if they were about to determine or reaffirm a career path decision or if they wanted to delve into a particular area further. “The Student Ambassador Program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Not having had this kind of opportunity when I was in school brings me immense joy to be able to provide the first step in these students' career path,” said Michele LaPrade, volunteer coordinator for the hospital. “The launch of the Student Ambassador Program – Mini Medical School at Baystate Wing Hospital marks a significant step towards nurturing the healthcare leaders of tomorrow,” said Karli Barrett, chief nursing officer/chief administrative officer for Baystate Wing Hospital. “As the program progresses, it promises to not only enrich the educational journey of each student but also strengthen the bond between our hospital and the communities we serve.” Great job to all! We look forward to seeing where the future takes you.

Our Nursing Outcomes Improvement & Magnet® Department is thrilled to announce that Baystate Medical Center has reached a significant milestone in our Magnet journey by submitting the written document for Magnet #5, ten days ahead of the August 1st deadline! This achievement underscores our unwavering commitment to nursing excellence and patient care. The Magnet® document showcases the dedication and expertise of our nursing staff, highlighting their exceptional contributions to healthcare. The written document submission reflects a comprehensive overview of our nursing practice, emphasizing our focus on innovation, education, and evidence-based quality care. Of the 6,000-some hospitals in the United States, less than 1% have achieved five consecutive Magnet® designations. The Magnet® Document Writing team shared a total of 102 stories with 239 pieces of supporting evidence including the incredible Nursing Research taking place at BMC. Following the written submission, the document will undergo a rigorous evaluation process by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting journey towards achieving Magnet Designation for the 5th consecutive time, a prestigious accolade in the field of nursing. Thank you to our incredible nursing team for their dedication and commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients and to our talented Magnet writing team, photographed here.