Message from the Chair
Dear colleagues,
November is a time for reflection and giving thanks. For me personally, in the two months since I’ve joined BIDMC, there is already so much for me to reflect on.
What’s most apparent in my everyday work is the outstanding people who are members of this Department. Individuals like Karen Perry, Martina Dahill, and Renata Vicari, who glue together many aspects of our mission, have also made my personal transition to BIDMC much smoother, and I could not be more thankful.
I have watched some of our residents and fellows recently present at national conferences, including Cory French, Ann Korkidakis and Riwa Sabbagh. Seeing these young physicians share their work on a national stage brings me great pride, for their accomplishments, as well as gratitude for the people in Research and Medical Education who are housed right here in our Department.
As you scroll through this newsletter, you will read about many well-deserved promotions, awards and accolades of our team. Just this weekend, I had the honor of attending a March of Dimes event, where Neel Shah was honored with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award. It was very meaningful to be there, and also to hear him thank Riki MacKillop for her support of his team, making many initiatives possible.
It goes without saying that the sense of community at BIDMC and among our affiliates is something very special. I’ve witnessed this on many levels, from morning conversations over coffee, to filling board rooms with providers at Fenway Health, to The Dimock Center’s annual Steppin’ Out fundraiser. Steppin’ Out was one of my first opportunities to see diverse leaders from throughout the BILH system together in support of equitable access to healthcare, mental health services, COVID-19 testing and vaccines, and more. I left the event feeling inspired and proud to be part of such a special place, truly dedicated to the best possible care for all.
This month, I also took some time to drive around Boston at night, through some of the neighborhoods we serve. I was reminded that some in our community are not able to relax when they go home at night, as unhealthy and unsafe conditions are part of their reality. While the challenges and needs are great, I am grateful that people in our Department and larger organization are dedicated to working with communities on addressing these challenges together.
I know many of you will be working over the holidays and I know how much this means to our community, as I’m told often through letters of gratitude I receive from patients, as well as through members of the community who donate their time and resources to help us advance our mission. I hope you all know how meaningful this is for those entrusting us with their care. The work you do daily makes a lasting impact on so many.
We are incredibly fortunate to work in a special community and a wonderful organization. Being thankful, even for the little things, can make you happier and lower stress levels. Practicing gratitude is good for your personal health. As we begin this new month, I hope you all will find some quiet moments to reflect and give thanks.
Warmly,
Jeanne-Marie Guise, MD, MPH, MBA
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November 2022
COVID-19 Resources
Upcoming Events
All early career faculty, senior residents and fellows are invited to join an in-person event on Nov. 3, 4:30-7:30 p.m. to develop fundamental teaching skills at the bedside, feedback and working with struggling learners, and teaching on the fly. Use link above to register.
The GME Wellness Committee invites faculty and families (children 5 years and older) to join in a volunteer opportunity at Cradles to Crayons in Newton on Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to noon. Email Margaret Lie for more details.
Join Huma Farid, MD, and the BIDMC Academy on Nov. 9 to gain concrete tips and a toolkit of practical resources to help reach your career goals. Use the link above to register.
Join Carolyn Clancy, MD, MACP, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN), on Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. to hear about Learning Health Systems Research now and in the future. Email Lindsey Watson to register.
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Reproductive Health Op-Ed
Sara Neill, MD, MPH, Academic Specialist in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Family Planning, recently published a perspective piece about abortion care and reproductive rights in the U.S. The piece, called "Disjointed states of America: The medical is political," is available now to read on MD Edge. Use this link to read more.
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Support Our Team BILH Marathon Runners
Michelle DelMonico, Revenue Cycle Manager in OBGYN, has been accepted to run as part of Team BILH for the 127th Boston Marathon next April. An avid runner, Michelle is an ambassador for Every Mother Counts and has run many races globally to raise funds and awareness for all birthing people to have critical access to maternal care.
She's thrilled to be training for her first ever Boston Marathon in support of BIDMC’s research and innovation fund. This fund, overseen by Dr. Gyongyi Szabo, supports pilot grants to support early-stage collaborative research projects. Visit Michelle's fundraising page to follow her training and support her fundraising efforts. Go, Michelle!
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Nancy Eaton, RN, Labor and Delivery, is also gearing up for what will be her eighth Boston Marathon. Since 2016, Nancy has been running in memory of her colleague and dear friend, Amanda Russell, who passed away tragically after getting hit by a car while training for the Boston Marathon.
Nancy is lacing up once again in support of BIDMC’s research and innovation fund, which supports pilot grants for early-stage collaborative research projects that cover the spectrum of BIDMC’s research strengths. Visit Nancy's fundraising page to follow her training and support her fundraising efforts. Go, Nancy!
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BIDMC was recently named to Money Magazine Group's list of Best Maternity Hospitals. This recognition comes from data from The Leapfrog Group's annual survey, demonstrating great care through safe practices, which translates into shorter stays and savings.
Congrats to all! View the full list here.
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K. Meredith Atkins, MD, Academic Specialist in General Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) at BIDMC, has been named Associate Dean for Curriculum in the Program in Medical Education at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Atkins brings a wealth of experience to curricular innovation, development, and implementation. Her efforts have spanned all phases of the MD curriculum, including directing the PCE at BIDMC for nearly a decade, OBGYN clerkship leadership and creation of the HMS Clinical Capstone course – a novel, required clinical readiness experience that all HMS students take prior to starting internship. Additional curricular innovations have focused on the learning environment, longitudinal clerkship experiences and clinical coaching.
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Leslie Garrett, MD, Division Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, was recently promoted to Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School. In addition to her role as a gynecologic cancer surgeon, Dr. Garrett helped launch our nurse navigation program to ensure compassionate, personalized care for every patient. She is a graduate of BIDMC’s Physician Leadership Program and mentors medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty.
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Rose Molina, MD, MPH, Division of Global and Community Health, has been named the Dr. Mark and Karen Lawrence Director of Professionalism, Humanism and Health Equity in Medicine and head of the health equity curricular theme at Harvard Medical School.
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Tracy Byrne, MD, Academic Specialist in General Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been accepted into the next cycle of the highly sought after APGO Academic Scholars and Leaders Program, an initiative of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO). Its purpose is to enhance education in obstetrics and gynecology by preparing physician faculty through a rigorous 15-month curriculum, to possess the skills and knowledge necessary to be outstanding teachers and educational administrators.
Dr. Byrne was also recently named Associate Clerkship Director for HMS students at BIDMC. She will share responsibilities and support Celeste Royce, MD, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education.
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Neel Shah, MD, Academic Specialist in General Obstetrics and Gynecology, was recently honored by March of Dimes with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award. Dr. Shah works tirelessly to address the maternal health crisis and has a long history of service, including establishing Costs of Care, an NGO that curates insights from clinicians and patients to help delivery systems provide better care, and co-founding the March for Moms Association, a coalition of more than 20 leading organizations, to increase public and private investment in the wellbeing of mothers. |
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Ashley Appiagyei Cole, MD, MFM Fellow, has received the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's Queenan Global Health Award. Through this award, Dr. Cole will work in partnership with the World Health Organization to participate in the development of systematic evidence-based reviews and the formulation of maternal and perinatal health recommendations. Content areas will include antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care for pregnant persons with cardiac and endocrine disorders, as well as hemoglobinopathies. The program will also support coursework through Cochrane to expand knowledge and skills in systemic review.
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Jenny Longval, MSN, RN, CBC, Dedham OBGYN, recently passed her certification exam to be a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. Jenny has been hard at work for the past several months, studying for this exam in her free time. This was a huge undertaking and really highlights Jenny's dedication to continued learning and professional growth.
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Megan Mellon, DNP, WHNP-BC, OBGYN Nursing, recently passed her boards and obtained her NP certification. She is a graduate of Boston College Connell School of Nursing for both undergraduate and doctorate nursing degrees. Congratulations, Megan! |
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Happy Patients, Exceptional Care
We received the following recent comments in patient surveys:
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"Dr. Kobelin was very thorough and showed signs of listening and responding to my concerns as well as my medical literacy."
"Abby is the best."
"Dr. Anand is exceptionally responsive and sympathetic, as well as knowledgeable and competent. I never felt rushed through the appointment. She took a lot of time with me and listened and explained things very well."
"I think that Dr. Lin is great!"
"Dr. Porter is great!"
"Kate Nolan is a "keeper" - so kind and thoughtful."
"Easily the best doctor's office experience I have ever had. No issues any of the times I visited the clinic."
"Dr. Joseph Dottino is an example that others should learn by. His expertise and quality of care is exceptional and appreciated."
"Jennifer in Kate Nolan's office is amazing. Knows her stuff and very efficient. Give her a gold star."
"Amy Harding and staff are friendly, caring and personable."
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"I really like seeing Alicia Lock. She explains everything very clearly and goes through any options that are available. I feel like she listens to and hears my questions and concerns."
"Dr. Mason showed professionalism and concern. She put me at ease with my concerns and I had a lot. All my questions were answered and test procedures were recommended."
"Dr. McKinney is the best specialist I have seen for GYN or any other issues. She is extremely attentive, caring, empathetic and easy to talk to and get in touch with."
"NP Marybeth Meservey made the typically uncomfortable discussions so much easier. She has a style that put me at ease right away and left me feeling confident that everything was going to be fine if I followed her treatment plan."
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Inaugural Bootcamp for Clinical Teachers
Are you new to a teaching role? Interested in medical education? Looking to establish a career that includes clinical teaching or pondering a career pivot?
Join us for the Inaugural Bootcamp for Clinical Teachers, a Center for Education-sponsored event representing a collaboration between the BIDMC Academy and the offices of GME and UME. We are calling all early career faculty and senior residents and fellow to join us for an in-person event on Thursday, Nov. 3, 4:30-7:30 p.m. to develop fundamental teaching skills at the bedside, feedback and working with struggling learners, and teaching on the fly. You will also have an opportunity to build community, network, meet with educational leaders at BIDMC, enjoy comfort foods, and gain a perspective about the inner workings of education at BIDMC and HMS. Use this link to register. |
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Fellowship Program Director Updates
Congratulations to the following who have taken on new leadership positions:
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Kate Esselen, MD, MBA, Program Director, Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship
(John Dalrymple, MD, will assume the role of Associate Program Director)
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Melissa Spiel, DO, Associate Program Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship |
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Will Winkelman, MD, Associate Program Director, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, BIDMC/Mount Auburn Hospital |
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Residency Updates
The residents had a didactic simulation for GYN office procedures, led by Caryn Dutton, MD, and Sara Neill, MD, MPH.
This year, didactics have focused on small group learning and hands-on simulation for OB, GYN and Ambulatory teaching. Thanks to all of our great educators for our didactics and simulations.
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Our residents also recently gathered for pumpkin carving and a Halloween treat outing as part of their community-building and wellness efforts. A great time was had by all! |
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Last but not least, application season is officially underway. We received over 900 applications for our six spots for the Class of 2027. Invited applicants will interview on Nov. 16 or Dec. 15. Thank you to our Chief Residents, Physicians Assistant team and faculty for clinical coverage during these two interview days.
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Equity, Quality, Improvement and Safety (EQuIS) |
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Department Statistics
Two important parts in providing safe, high-quality care are transparency and knowing how we are doing as a Department. We have recently updated the OBGYN Portal EQuIS Patient Safety Dashboards with our Departmental Statistics, which illustrates our practice trends in several key areas of both obstetrical and gynecologic care.
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PNQIN AIM Maternal Equity Bundle
In partnership with the Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Improvement Network of Massachusetts (PNQIN), we are beginning the implementation of the AIM Maternity Equity Bundle, which strives to improve birth outcomes and identify and improve ways in which systemic racism and implicit bias can influence these outcomes.
If you are interested in becoming a part of our multidisciplinary implementation team, please email Chloe Zera or Martina Dahill.
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EQuIS Updates
The EQuIS Division continues to be busy and productive with some of the following projects underway:
Current Projects
- AIM Patient Safety Bundle Implementation (Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy, Obstetric Hemorrhage, Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy, Maternal Health Equity, Equitable COVID Vaccination in Pregnancy)
- Patient Engagement
- ERAS in GYN Surgery – Process and outcomes measures dashboard coming soon!
- Quality Assurance Case Review Redesign with an Equity Lens
Future Projects
- Lengths of Stay
- Sepsis Taskforce
- Severe Maternal Morbidity
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Emily Parent, DO, FACOG, has joined our Division of Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Parent majored in Biology and French at Bucknell University before attending the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed residency training at Abington Jefferson Health. Prior to joining BIDMC, Dr. Parent was at Atrius Health. Her clinical interests include minimally invasive gyn surgery, specifically for endometriosis and fibroids. She also performs robotic surgery using the DaVinci robotic platform. Welcome, Dr. Parent!
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Ryan Graue
Director, Business Operations
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Sheila Leaden
Perinatal Ultrasonographer, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
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Elizabeth Otovic
Perinatal Ultrasonographer, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
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Executive Assistant to the Chief
Req ID: JR2276
Job Summary: Provide complex administrative support and oversee projects in support of the OB/GYN Department Chief. Independently initiate, organize, and implement systems and procedures to efficiently manage the administrative processes for the office of the Chief.
Responsibilities include:
- Represent Department Chief to high level internal and external constituents. Answer policy questions and determine appropriate course of action for sensitive issues and matters of significance that have organization-wide visibility and potential cost or organizational repercussions.
- Effectively manage and balance individual, management, and organizational needs when determining appropriate solutions to often complex problems.
- On behalf of the Department Chief, gather information, research matters and write memos, letters, and reports which are often complex in nature, utilizing independent judgment. Provide administrative support as directed by the Chief for internal and external matters that may include sensitive and confidential information.
- Serves as a resource on faculty matters and is involved in confidential salary issues. Interactions require utilizing independent judgment in complex and sensitive matters.
- Generate reports determining appropriate data inclusion and output criteria; review for validity and accuracy of information and data.
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Policies, Procedures, Guidelines and Directives
Below is a list of PPGD updates from the past month. As revisions may reflect significant changes, please review carefully. These documents were developed and are maintained by our Obstetrics or Gynecology Leadership (Quality Improvement) Committees, which are multidisciplinary committees that include membership from nursing, faculty, house staff, practice assistants, scrub technicians, and Anesthesiology. PPGDs are reviewed and updated regularly based on hospital guidelines.
Antepartum
Intrapartum
Obstetrics
Postpartum
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Recent Presentations and Publications |
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Presentations
Domar AD, Korkidakis A, Bortoletto P, Gulrajani N, Khodakhah D, Rooney K, Gompers A, Hacker M, Grill E. The impact of an adapted SPIKES protocol versus standard of care in delivering negative pregnancy test results to IVF patients: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial. 2022. Presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine 2022 Scientific Congress and Expo Anaheim, CA.
Farid H, Farrell M, Atkins KM. Mentoring for the future: Mentoring to combat burnout and attrition in academic medicine. 2022. To be presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Harbor, MD.
French CB, Omurtag K. Authentic Patient Experiences Enhance Motivational Learning of Gender & Sexual Minority Reproductive Healthcare. 2022. Presented as a poster at the GLMA Annual Conference on LGBTQ Health, San Francisco, CA.
French CB, Omurtag K, Royce C. Honoring the Queer Experience as an Introduction to Reproductive Health and Justice. 2022. To be presented as a workshop at the Faculty Development Seminar of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Scottsdale, AZ.
Martinez S, McKinney S, Modest A, Ayodele A, Mendiola M. Pilot Study: Factors that Influence URiM Trainee Residency Recruitment in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2023. To be presented as an oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Harbor, MD.
Publications
Burris HH*, Gerson KD*, Woodward A, Redhunt A, Ledyard R, Brennan K, Baccarelli AA, Hecht JL, Collier AY, Hacker MR. Cervical microRNA expression and spontaneous preterm birth. American Journal of Obstetrics&Gynecology Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, 2022. Epub ahead of print.
Carr DN, Ward SA, Macharia A, Hacker MR, Winkelman WD. Despite recommendations, anticholinergics account for the majority of prescriptions to treat overactive bladder in the United States. Urogynecology, 2022. Epub ahead of print.
Leung M, Modest AM, Hacker MR, Wylie BJ, Wei Y, Schwartz J, Iyer HS, Hart JE, Coull BA, Laden F, Weisskopf MG, Papatheodorou S. Traffic-related air pollution and ultrasound parameters of fetal growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2022. Epub ahead of print.
Mehrotra A, Wolfberg A, Shah NT, Plough A, Weiseth A, Blaine AI, Noddin K, Nakamoto CH, Richard JV, Bradley D. Impact of an educational program and decision tool on choice of maternity hospital: the delivery decisions randomized clinical trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2022; 22(1):759.
Mendez-Figueroa H, Bell CS, Wagner SM, Pedroza C, Gupta M, Mulder I, Lee K, Blackwell SC, Bartal MF, Chauhan SP. Postpartum hemorrhage drills or simulations and adverse outcomes: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 2022. Epub ahead of print.
Ojo A, Singer MR, Morales B, Merz AA, Molina RL, Pelletier A, Carmen A, Moreno MA, Lopez-Carmen VA, Ye SY, Starosta A, Rowley J, Yin SH, Amanuel H, Radford CC, Schwartz LN, Wijangco I, Jowell AR, Schaefer KM, Potter J, Mateo CM, Bartz D. Reproductive Justice: A Case-Based, Interactive Curriculum. MedEdPORTAL. 2022;18:11275.
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