Epic Implementation Leadership Team

As BILH moves forward with the implementation of Epic, our Department has made great strides with the initial work on a multitude of fronts, including but not limited to: Labor and Delivery (including Antepartum and Postpartum), Ambulatory (including ALL specialties and sites), Inpatient, Peri-Op, Research, Education, and Financial/Billing/Operations. As we progress toward the go-live date next year, we want to provide you with regular updates and to broaden engagement. Please be on the lookout for Epic updates in this newsletter.

It is important to coordinate all efforts and recognize the hard work that is already going into this implementation across the Department. If you have been asked to attend any Epic-led or other Epic-related meetings, please contact our EPIC OBGYN Leadership Team, who will be offering centralized support to all OBGYN representatives on Epic efforts. 

BIDMC Epic OBGYN Leadership Team

• Scott Shainker, DO – Clinical
• Eric Ganz, MD – Clinical
• Lily Talesnick - Administrative

Introducing Mike Severo, Interim CAO

Michael Severo (Mike), has joined our Department as Interim Chief Administrative Officer. With over 34 years of experience as a clinician, senior administrator, educator, and innovator, he brings a wealth of experience to our team. Mike has been with HMFP for over three years working on various strategic initiatives and projects. He has previously served as an interim Co-CAO for Dermatology and is winding down serving as Co-CAO for the Department of Surgery. He is also embedded in BIDMC's Epic transition as Co-Chair of the HMFP Operational Readiness Workgroup, and is serving as a member on various BIDMC Epic Workgroups. 

Mike is a fellowship trained physical therapist and prior to joining HMFP, he helped lead the growth of a successful outpatient New England-based physical therapy practice as COO and later as a Regional VP.  He also has six years prior experience as a Senior Administrative Director of Orthopedics at both St. Elizabeth’s and CHA.  

Welcome, Mike!  

Call and Response: A Narrative of Reverence to Our Foremothers in Gynecology

Earlier this week, we had the incredible honor of hosting a panel of passionate leaders who were involved in the creation of "Call and Response: A Narrative of Reverence to Our Foremothers in Gynecology," an art exhibit currently on display at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. If you were unable to attend the event, please watch the abbreviated exhibit tour using this video link.

It doesn’t stop here. While calling attention to the historical medical malfeasance around women’s reproductive health and rights, this exhibit stimulated an interactive discussion among us all and put forth a call to action around what we can do to have a positive impact. We are going to plan a debrief for early September to gather your ideas and talk about opportunities for individual and collective responses. Please be on the lookout for an invitation in the coming weeks. 

National Breastfeeding Month

August is designated as National Breastfeeding Month, a time dedicated to advancing advocacy, protection, and promotion of breastfeeding to ensure all families have the opportunity to breastfeed.

Did you know? The lactation team at BIDMC has a resource page on the Portal with handouts that you can share with patients. There is also a list of educational opportunities happening this month, and an archive of past Lactation Newsletters that share tips and best practices for staff supporting new parents. Check it out here.

#BabySox and $5 Tickets!

As the Official Hospital of the Boston Red Sox, BIDMC supports our Red Sox Baby program, which brings newborn hats and a free Fenway Park tour (on their 5th birthday) to those born at BIDMC.

A new video featuring the latest "Rookies of the Year" just launched on the jumbotron at Fenway and on BIDMC's social media. Watch it here.

If you or someone you know recently had a baby at BIDMC, tag @BIDMChealth with #BabySox to be featured on BIDMC's Instagram.

Don't forget! All BIDMC staff have the opportunity to purchase two tickets to Red Sox home games for just $5 each. Read more about this employee benefit on the Portal.

Go Red Sox!

New POE Admission Order Changes

On July 27, a new regulatory requirement was put into place specifying that admission orders to inpatient level of care must be either signed or countersigned by a physician with hospital admitting privileges who is involved in the patient's care. This means all inpatient admission orders placed by non-attendings (house officers, PA/NP) will need a countersignature by the inpatient attending to admit the patient.

Details:

• POE/Team Census enhancements have been developed to help meet this requirement with minimal disruption of existing workflow for most attendings.
• If admitting orders have been directly entered by an attending with admitting privileges (e.g., as occurs on direct care hospitalist service) then no additional signature/countersignature is required, and no prompt will appear.
• If a patient has been admitted to inpatient level of care by a house officer or NP/PA, or via ED MD "bridging order," then a countersignature prompt will appear when any MD with admitting privileges subsequently accesses the patient's POE record, with "Click to Sign" feature if in agreement with inpatient level of care.
• Team Census rosters will provide summary view of any patients awaiting signature/countersignature, with "Click to Sign" functionality embedded within the application.
• Regulatory requirements specify that attending signature/countersignature can be completed at any time prior to discharge; if incomplete the discharging provider will be prompted to list the reason. Lack of attending signature/countersignature should not delay discharge; submitted reasons will be reviewed to facilitate future completion rates.
• If the MD with admitting privileges determines that inpatient level of care is not warranted, the case should be reviewed with case management for potential revision to observation status.

The attending of record will continue to be the outpatient primary physician or the accepting physician for transfers. The countersignature will need to be placed by the attending providing inpatient care on the day of admission. Please log into POE prior to leaving your inpatient shifts to ensure all countersignatures are performed timely.

Please email Julius Yang with any questions or concerns regarding this new POE functionality.

New Postpartum Mental Health Resource

The Postpartum Mental Health handout that is given to all OB patients upon discharge was recently updated by our social work and nursing colleagues. Please find the latest version of this resource under the Obstetric and MFM Patient and Caregiver Education page on the Portal. 

Eliminating Surgical Smoke: Vendor Trials Starting this Week

BIDMC has made a commitment to support the Massachusetts Hospital Association's (MHA) initiative to eliminate surgical smoke from the operating room by 2024. This commitment supports the recommendation by the MHA Workgroup on Surgical Smoke Evacuation to protect all surgical team members and patients from the hazards of surgical smoke. At the end of April 2023, this guidance was passed by the OR Executive Committee and placed into the PSM manual. We are now exploring options available to eliminate smoke and are partnering with vendors to trial several products over the coming months.

It's important to remember surgical smoke is the vaporous and gaseous by-product of burning organic material created as a result of the destruction of tissue by lasers, electrosurgical units, ultrasonic devices, powered instruments, and other heat-producing surgical tools. Surgical smoke contains toxic gases and vapors such as benzene, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, and bio aerosols; dead and live cellular material including blood fragments; and viruses.

Starting next week, we will be trialing products by Stryker; a smoke evacuation pencil, their smoke evacuation systems, and the Neptune smoke/suction system. In September, a second trial with Medtronic products will occur. We are excited to launch these trials to ensure our operating rooms are safe for staff and patients.

Upcoming Vendor Trial Dates

Stryker Trial

• East Campus: July 31-Aug. 11
• West Campus: Aug. 14-25

Medtronic Trial

• East Campus: Sept. 11-22
• West Campus: Sept. 25-Oct. 6

If you have questions about these products or the trial dates, please contact Jeffrey Keane, BSN, RN, in Perioperative Services.

U.S. News and World Report Rankings

U.S. News and World Report recently released top hospital and specialty rankings for 2023. We are pleased to share that BIDMC was recognized as "High Performing" in the three OBGYN specialty areas that are ranked: Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy), Ovarian Cancer Surgery, and Uterine Cancer Surgery. This recognition is a testament to all who contribute to our high-quality, patient-centered care. Congratulations! You can view the full OBGYN scorecard here.

Congratulations! Recent HMS Promotions

Promotion at Harvard Medical School is not easy. It requires extraordinary accomplishments, demonstrating national and international scholarship, leadership, and recognition, and is a major accomplishment. We are pleased to share news of two recent promotions in our Department:

Cassandra Duffy, MD, MPH, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, has been promoted to Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Duffy completed her MPH at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and received her medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. She completed both her residency training and maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Columbia University, and joined the faculty at BIDMC in 2019. She serves as the Clinical Lead for the BILH MFM and Boston Children’s Hospital Maternal Fetal Care Center, and was the first BIDMC MFM to perform consultations at Boston Children’s Hospital, improving care for patients with pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies by standardizing our referral process and coordination of interdisciplinary care.

Scott Shainker, DO, MS, the Annie and Chase Koch Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the New England Center for Placental Disorders, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. Dr. Shainker received his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency training at Boston Medical Center. He joined the faculty at BIDMC in 2013 and completed his maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at BIDMC. A national leader in the diagnosis and treatment of placental disorders, Dr. Shainker has held and continues to hold leadership positions at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, New England Perinatal Society and Pan-American Society for Placenta Accreta Spectrum. His current research is focused on the biology and unique imaging characteristics of placenta accreta spectrum. 

HMS Committee Appointments

Congratulations to the following faculty who were recently appointed to standing committees at Harvard Medical School:

John Dalrymple, MD, Associate Chair and Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Faculty Affairs, has been appointed to the Longer Service Committee of the Promotions, Reappointments, and Appointments Committee at HMS, which makes recommendations to the Dean regarding promotions to the rank of Assistant Professor for eligible faculty who have dedicated at least 10 years of continuous service as clinicians and teachers at HMS/HSDM. 

Toni Golen, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Mount Auburn Hospital and BIDMC faculty member, has been appointed to the Global and Community Health Appointments Committee. This committee assists the Dean with deliberations pertaining to faculty who require their academic work or a portion of their academic work be in settings outside of HMS.

Jeanne-Marie Guise, MD, MPH, MBA, Chair of OBGYN, has been appointed to the Standing Committee on Promotions, Reappointments, and Appointments. This committee reviews promotions to the Assistant and Associate Professor Ranks.

NAACP's NextGen Conference

Yinka Oyelese, MD, Director of Obstetric Imaging, was recently invited to be part of a panel event hosted by the NAACP's NextGen Young Professionals Leadership Progarm to talk about disparities in Black maternal health. Other panelists included MA Senator Liz Miranda and Dr. Linda Hudson Director of Integrating Underrepresented Populations in Research (IUPR) at Tufts University School of Medicine. Other participants in the session were Juan Fernando Lopera, BILH's Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Bethany Serota, Esq, the Executive Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for BILH, and Adeline Ntatin, Vice President for Health Equity at BILH. 

Thank you, Dr. Oyelese for representing our Department at this important event!

Welcome, New Fellows!

Daniela Febres- Cordero, MD,

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Residency: BIDMC

Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine 

Ethan Litman, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Residency: George Washington University 

Medical School: Albany Medical College

Alexandra Huttler, MD, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Residency: University of Pennsylvania 

Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry 

Ravi Patel, MD, Urogynecology/FPMRS

Residency: Loyola University Medical Center

Medical School: St. Louis University School of Medicine

Devon Abt Harris, MD, Gynecologic Oncology

Residency: BIDMC

Medical School: UMASS Medical School

Michelle Wang, MD, MFM Genetics 

Residency: Boston University 

Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine 

Promotions and New Staff

Kratagya Singhal has been promoted to Sr. Business and Operations Analyst, Finance

Brenda Alvarez has joined BID-Chelsea as a Medical Assistant

Janine Fennell, RN, has joined Ambulatory/Shapiro 8 from the Antepartum/Postpartum Units

Veronica Mitchell has joined BID-Chestnut Hill as an Administrative Assistant

Jeannette Myrick has joined the Research Division as a Data Coordinator

Annabella Polanco has joined BID-Chelsea as a Practice Assistant

Raj Rajan has joined the ASGOG Division as a Co-Op Student

Not pictured: Kathleen Wei has joined BID-Chestnut Hill as a Practice Assistant

How to Become an Email Ninja

Tips for how to manage email:

• Flag emails that are important or that you need to act on
• Every other day go through flagged folder
• If there is anything urgent: take care of it!
• If there are patient concerns, schedule an in person visit

Reduce email distraction:

1. Minimize email intrusions
2. Silence phone notifications
3. Close your inbox when you are focusing on important tasks
4. Process your email in batches, not one by one

Do you need to respond right away:

• Would a meeting be better?
• Will it take <2 minutes?
• Are you the right person to respond?

*If YES to these 3 questions --> carve out designated time in your day to respond

Check out more tips for easing your workload and work-life balance under the Faculty Development section of the Portal.

Presentations

Heyward Q, Vaughan D, Dodge L, Duvall Jr. D, Sakkas D, Sabbagh R, Korkidakis A, Penzias A. Intrauterine insemination (IUI): more is not always better. 2023. To be presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, New Orleans, LA.

Heyward Q, Vaughan D, Dodge L, Hillis N, Duvall Jr. D, Sakkas D, Sabbagh R, Korkidakis A, Penzias A. Reproductive outcomes of in intro fertilization (IVF) following a large-scale merger: is bigger always better? 2023. To be presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, New Orleans, LA.

Heyward Q, Vaughan D, Dodge L, Hillis N, Duvall Jr. D, Sakkas D, Sabbagh R, Korkidakis A, Penzias A. Evaluating the impact of a large-scale merger on patient satisfaction. 2023. To be presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, New Orleans, LA.

Dodge LE, Martinez S, Ndousse-Fetter S, Dutton C, Neill S. Time to resolution of early pregnancy loss according to initial management plan. 2023. To be presented as a poster at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society of Family Planning, Seattle, WA.

Neill S, Farrell A, Roselle A, Schneider L, Dodge L, Dutton C, Larson E. Contraceptive chosen among patients with elevated cardiovascular and thromboembolism risk profile. 2023. To be presented as a poster at the annual meeting of the Society of Family Planning, Seattle, WA.

Publications

Baecher-Lind L, Sutton JM, Bhargava R, Chen KT, Fleming A, Morgan HK, Morosky CM, Schaffir J, Sonn T, Royce CS, Stephenson-Famy A, Madani Sims S; Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee. Strategies to Create a More Gender Identity Inclusive Learning Environment in Preclinical and Clinical Medical Education. Academic Medicine, 2023; [Epub ahead of print]

Bahr, N., Ivankovic, J., Meckler, G. Hansen M, Eriksson C, Guise JM. Measuring cognitively demanding activities in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Advances in Simulation. 2023; 8 (15).

Ditter KC, Crowe EH, Mendez-Figueroa H, Wagner S, Gupta M, Chauhan SP, Blackwell SC. Accuracy of baseline prevalence estimates for sample size calculations in obstetrical randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2022;106(6):40-41.

Hansen M, Walker-Stevenson G, Bahr N, Harrod T, Meckler G, Eriksson C, Guise JM. Comparison of Resuscitation Quality in Simulated Pediatric and Adult Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(5):e2313969.

Ivankovic J, Bahr N, Meckler G, Hansen M, Eriksson C, Guise JM. Identifying high cognitive load activities during simulated pediatric cardiac arrest using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Resuscitation Plus, 2023 Volume 14.

Neill, S, Hoe, E, Fortin, J, Goldberg, AB, Janiak, E. (2023). Management of early pregnancy loss among obstetrician-gynecologists in Massachusetts and barriers to mifepristone use. Contraception, 2023; 110108

Neill, S, Mokashi, M, Goldberg, AB, Fortin, J, Janiak, E. Mifepristone use for early pregnancy loss: A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators among OB/GYNS in Massachusetts, USA. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 2023; [Epub ahead of print]

Patell R, Miller E, Einstein D, Dodge LE, Halleck J, Buss MK. Does Use of Information Sources Outside the Treating Oncologist Influence Patient Decision-Making in Patients Receiving Non-Curative Intent Therapy for Advanced Cancer. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 2023; 40(8):900-906

Redhunt AM, Ledyard R, Collier AY, Hacker MR, Burris HH. Resilience as a potential modifier of racial inequities in preterm birth. Annals of Epidemiology, 2023;83:54-59.

Schmidt DR, Roper J, Gramatikov I, Sheen A, Williams CL, Hurwitz M, Dodge LE, Holupka E, Kiger WS, Cornwall-Brady MR, Huang W, Mak HH, Cormier K, Condon C, Wittrup KD, Yilmaz OH, Stevenson M, Down JD, Floyd SR, Vander Heiden MG. Ablative radiotherapy improves survival but does not cure autochthonous cancer mouse models of prostate and colorectal cancer. Communications Medicine, 2023; [Epub ahead of print]

Ward SA, Mendiola M, Royce CS, Anand M, Hacker MR, Winkelman WD. Cross-sectional Study of Resident-Reported Surgical Experience in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. Urogynecology, 2022; 29(7):597-600.

Woods N, Coslov N, Richardson M. Anticipated age of perimenopausal experiences, stress, satisfaction, and health and well-being: observations from the Women Living Better survey. Menopause, 2023 Jun 6. Online ahead of print.