Quality
Hospitals Recognized for Quality of Care
In 2017, we earned national recognition including awards and distinctions from U.S. News & World Report, Watson Health, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the American Stroke Association.
Baystate Noble Hospital Improved Facility and Patient Care
Baystate Noble Hospital improved patient care with three facility projects: a renovated oncology unit, a new and contemporary pharmacy, and, finishing in early 2018, a new front entrance giving patients easier access to the facility and a more modern appeal.
Baystate Brightwood Health Center Helped Patients Struggling with Substance Abuse
The Baystate Brightwood Health Center in Springfield created a treatment program for patients struggling to recover from opioid use and other addictive substances with the assistance from a Massachusetts Department of Public Health grant. Since its inception, the program has screened over 300 patients and currently serves about 130 participants.
Surgical Rib Fixation Program Reduced Mortality and Length of Hospital Stay
Surgeons in the Department of Surgery- Surgical Rib Fixation Program created an interdisciplinary chest wall reconstruction program in collaboration with the Divisions of Plastic Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, and Trauma Surgery to meet the need for complex reconstruction of chest wall defects. The program has received national recognition.
Baystate Wing Hospital Broke Ground on New Emergency Department
A groundbreaking ceremony for Baystate Wing Hospital's new 17,800 square foot Emergency Department was held in May. The project, slated to be completed September 2018, will more than triple the size of the Emergency Department to better accommodate the annual patient volume. The new ED will have 18 private single-bed bays with some designed for specialty care, such as behavioral health, trauma, and bariatric treatment.
Safety
Baystate Medical Center Provided a Safe Way to Dispose of Unwanted Medications and Sharps
Community members now have a resource for safely and confidentially throwing away household sharps (needles and other sharp or glass medical tools), thanks to collection receptacles now installed in the Daly lobby at Baystate Medical Center. These secure kiosks are available to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the first six months of the program, 300 pounds of medications and 330 pounds of sharps were deposited and sent for safe disposal.
Program Kept Moms and Babies Together During Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
With the help of Baystate Franklin Medical Center's EMPOWER (Engaging Mothers for Positive Outcomes With Early Referrals) program, a team of nurses and doctors at Baystate Medical Center implemented an innovative program called "rooming-in" where babies at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (a condition where babies need treatment for symptoms of withdrawal after birth) stay in a private hospital room with their mothers after birth. The program allows mothers to care for their babies while receiving specialized nursing support. Results of the program show that babies are requiring less to no medication to treat withdrawal symptoms and their hospital lengths of stay are shorter. This was a wonderful example of collaboration between the two hospitals, utilizing Baystate Franklin's expertise and working together to address the Opioid crisis in our communities.
To learn more about EMPOWER and one patient’s experience:
Community Hospitals Recognized Nationally for Safety
Baystate Franklin Medical Center and Baystate Noble Hospital were recognized nationally for patient safety receiving an "A" rating from The Leapfrog Group for their commitment to reducing errors, infections, and accidents.
Patient Experience
Interpreters and Translators Helped Bridge the Language Gap
In 2017, over 199,000 language interpreter sessions helped patients and families better understand their care. Staff interpreted about 59 languages in person, over the phone, and via video, and translated 3,293 pages of patient-related information.
Specialty Pharmacy Liaisons Saved Patients Millions in Medication Expenses
In 2017, Baystate Health certified Specialty Pharmacy liaisons saved patients an estimated $5 million dollars in out-of-pocket medication expenses. Liaisons are located in multiple outpatient practices including the Children's Specialty Center, the D'Amour Center for Cancer Care, and Baystate Franklin Medical Center to help ensure patients have access to critically needed and often expensive medications.
New Pediatric Procedure Unit Provided Comfort to Patients
A new state-of-the-art Pediatric Procedure Unit was completed on the third floor of the South Wing at Baystate Medical Center, creating a smoother transition between units and improving continuity of care. The unit features colorful childlike décor, enhanced privacy options for families, new waiting areas, and features to keep kids comfortable and occupied. The spaces were designed with input from patients, families, and caregivers.
Value
Springfield Medical Associates and Baystate Health Partnered to Improve Patient Care
A new partnership between Springfield Medical Associates and Baystate Health gives patients more options. Patients of Springfield Medical Associates now have quick access to Baystate Health's vast resources and specialized clinical support, while patients of Baystate Health have greater access to Springfield Medical Associates' specialty and primary care. Springfield Medical Associates is a multi-specialty practice in Springfield, MA, and Enfield, CT, specializing in gastroenterology, endocrinology, osteopathic medicine, and rheumatology.
TechSpring Collaboration Improved Cost Visibility
The Baystate Orthopedic Surgery Center partnered with TechSpring, the Baystate Health Technology Innovation Center, to improve its process for surgical implant inventory, tracking, and billing. The collaboration's ultimate goal is to make surgery costs more visible. To accomplish that goal, TechSpring partnered with Kordova to implement a web-based analytics and billing tool that helps nurses record use of surgical implants in the operating room.
Baystate Medical Center Received Drug Abuse Grant
Baystate Medical Center received a $663,202 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and NIDA's Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Program to fund the study "Drug Injection Surveillance and Care Enhancement for Rural Northern New England." The first phase of the project will look at infection and service accessibility in 11 rural counties near Interstate-91 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The second phase will help local clinicians address opioid use disorder and overdose using integrated telemedicine.
Baystate Medical Center’s New Power Plant Will Save Energy and Provide Disaster Backup
Work continued in 2017 on the new Combined Heat and Power Plant at Baystate Medical Center, anticipated to be operational in the beginning of 2018. The plant is expected to reduce Baystate Medical Center’s carbon footprint. It will also provide non-grid energy to critical facilities in the event of a power loss during a disaster and will save $2.2 million in energy costs annually.
Academic Innovation
UMASS Medical School-Baystate Welcomed its Inaugural Class
In partnership with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Baystate Health is now the regional campus for an innovative new curriculum track called PURCH (Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health). The PURCH track focuses on addressing the social determinants of health for our patients. Twenty-one students enrolled in the first year (2017), fifteen of whom are Massachusetts residents. The PURCH track is designed to prepare students to care for Baystate's diverse patient populations by providing classroom and clinical experiences in a variety of clinical settings, led by faculty who have expertise in population health and clinical effectiveness research.
Baystate Health Welcomed 140 Nurse Residents
Baystate's Nurse Residency Program is a one-year program for newly graduated registered nurses, offering hands-on clinical experience, in-depth learning through monthly seminars, participation in evidence-based projects, and ongoing professional development. Baystate Health has hired 366 new graduate nurse residents from the program to-date.
BSEP Helped Students from the Community Pursue their Education
Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership (BSEP) ran courses for 251 students, primarily residents of Springfield. During the summer, BSEP provided theme-based workshops for 78 students, coordinated 21 summer internships at Baystate Medical Center, and placed 16 students in work experiences as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program and the YouthWorks program, both sponsored by the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. To 29 alumni of its program, BSEP awarded a total of $54,500 in scholarships for undergraduate and graduate education. The seven-year total of scholarships awarded now exceeds $650,000.
Research at Baystate Improved Care
Baystate Medical Practices faculty published 138 peer-reviewed articles in 2017, acquiring and disseminating new knowledge to a broad audience. These original research findings will improve the care we deliver to patients.
Midwifery Education Program Graduates Exceled
100 percent of Baystate Medical Center's Midwifery Education Program graduates passed the American Midwifery Certification Board examination on their first try. Baystate is one of 39 midwifery education programs in the country and the only program in Massachusetts.
Baystate Awarded Research Grants
In 2017, Baystate received research grants from the National Institute of Health including: $2.55 million to study the use of pulmonary rehabilitation by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following hospital discharge, $1.2 million to study the epidemiology and service accessibility for people who use opioids in rural northern New England. Total grant funding has increased by more than 50% over the past five years.
Best Place to Work
Forgivable Loans Supported Nursing Education
In 2017, Baystate Health provided 70 nurses with forgivable nursing loans towards earning their BSN, masters, DNP, or PhD in nursing. The program was established in 2002 and to-date has supported approximately 530 students providing more than $2,000,000 in forgivable loans.
Baystate Home Buying Program Helped Employees Purchase their First Homes
In 2017, 25 employees were awarded forgivable loans to purchase their first home through the Mark R. Tolosky Baystate Neighbors Program. This Baystate Health benefit provides forgivable loans to employees purchasing their first homes in the communities surrounding Baystate Health hospitals. To-date, the program has provided more than $1.7 million in forgivable home loans.
Caring for Colleagues Offered Emergency Assistance to Employees
More than 42 employees received assistance in 2017 through the Baystate Health Foundation Caring for Colleagues Fund which offers emergency assistance to employees who have experienced a sudden loss of income, family crisis, or other unforeseen financial circumstances.
Employees Donated Time Off to Colleagues in Need
Baystate Health employees donated 196 hours of their paid time off to help colleagues in need of additional time off. Baystate Health's Paid Time-Off Leave Sharing Program allows team members to donate unused time to create a bank of time available to co-workers in need of additional time-off for medical or other reasons.
Friends of Puerto Rico Initiative Helped Those Displaced by Hurricane Maria
When Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September and many sought refuge in the Springfield area, Baystate Health pitched in to help. The Baystate Health community health centers in Springfield cared for over 200 patients from Puerto Rico and the Talent Acquisition team extended interview hours and hired several new community members in need of employment. Several Baystate Health employees took in loved ones, and colleagues helped by sharing warm clothing and donating more than $6,000 to a special Caring for Colleagues Friends of Puerto Rico fund to help with unanticipated expenses.
Baystate Health Organizational Resource Groups Focused on Diversity and Inclusion
Baystate Health Organizational Resource Groups (ORGs) connect employees with shared identities, creating an inclusive environment for employees and patients. There are ORGs for women, employees with disabilities, veterans, African Americans, LGBTQ individuals, young professionals, veterans, and employees of Latino heritage.
Volunteers Enhanced Baystate Health's Work
Volunteers enhance the work of our employees and interactions with our patients and families every day. In 2017, than 900 volunteers donated over 90,000 hours providing significant support of the care we provide to our community.