Download Giving Matters fall 2016 - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

B E T H I S R A E L D E AC O N E S S M E D I C A L C E N T E R
FALL 2016
Fare Gain
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Heart-Earned Results
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BREAKING
DOWN
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TOM DELBANCO, M.D.
Risks and Rewards
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Teach Your Doctors Well
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Despite graduating from both
Harvard College and Columbia
University College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Tom Delbanco, M.D., has
only one framed diploma hanging
on his office wall at Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center. The
modest certificate marks his chief
residency at New York City’s Harlem
Hospital Center, which historically has
been a safety net to meet the health
care needs of a diverse and economically disadvantaged community.
At that time, the hospital had just
moved under the auspices of Columbia’s medical school, a transition that
was at once intense and inspiring for
Delbanco— and the experience
changed his perspective on medicine
for good. “It was the most amazing
year,” reflects the renowned internist.
“We went from six to 55 house staff
in one day. Close to half of my
colleagues were black. And on our
first day, we had 44 admissions and 11
deaths on the Department of Medicine
wards. It was an incredible year— boy,
did I learn a lot!— and everything’s
been relatively easy since.”
Delbanco has certainly made it look
easy. Since that decisive year in
Harlem, he has moved seamlessly
through a celebrated, 40-year-plus
career in primary care, or general
medicine, with an intellectual assurance that belies his passion. Along
the way, he has played a pivotal role
in transforming both primary care
practice and education; improving
the doctor–patient relationship; and
championing the underserved. From
the beginning, his goal was simple—
make health care better for everyone.
“I was always a real liberal do-gooder,”
he recalls. “I wanted to help the
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TOM DELBANCO, M.D.
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world. I think the debate for me
was whether to go back to Harlem
Hospital and just work harder, or
to try to change the delivery system
more broadly. And I thought maybe
I should start by bringing a focus on
primary care into academic medicine,
something that really didn’t exist
at the time, at a place with a lot
more resources, and then hopefully
incorporate some of our successes
with the underserved that might work
well in a wide variety of settings.”
That place ended up being Beth Israel
Hospital, one of the founding
hospitals of BIDMC. In those days,
hospital-based clinics were repositories of care for the poor, the
disenfranchised, and the elderly in
the community, says Delbanco,
existing primarily to teach young
health professionals and having far
too few resources to deliver firstclass medical treatment. Invited to
come to Boston by then—physician in
chief, Howard H. Hiatt, M.D., and
then—hospital president Mitchell T.
Rabkin, M.D., Delbanco began to build
on his vision of a one-class system of
primary care at Beth Israel, which
would serve rich and poor alike with
teams of doctors, nurses, and mental
health professionals. Reversing the
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traditional academic sequence of
starting with research and education
and then focusing on clinical care,
he kicked off his unprecedented plan
by concentrating initially on bringing
teams into the delivery system
and then grafting on educational and
research components. “And our
efforts seem to have helped, because
now there’s virtually no general
hospital in the country that doesn’t
house a primary care program,”
he notes. “It disseminated and it
metastasized. We first got foundation,
then federal, support for our ideas,
and now they are part and parcel
of the way almost all teaching
hospitals work.”
From there, Delbanco embarked on
a series of firsts in academic primary
care, from launching one of the
first primary care residency training
programs to establishing a Harvardwide research fellowship program
in primary care, which has almost
300 alumni to date. He was also one
of five founders of the Society of
General Internal Medicine, where
he served a stint as president. With
an uncanny ability to sniff out the
day-to-day health care concerns
most relevant and meaningful to his
patients, Delbanco would light upon
potential solutions that invoked
his creativity and his desire to reach
as many people as possible. He led
efforts to help doctors recognize
and intervene with patients in trouble
with alcohol. He was the major
creative force behind the Picker
Institute, which developed surveys
to solicit patients’ feedback about
their experiences in the hospital and
the doctor’s office and have become
an integral part of medical practice.
He explored the complex issue
of medical errors, even writing and
directing a documentary that explores the issue through the eyes
of patients and their families. And he
instigated the development of the
nation’s first online patient portal,
PatientSite, brought to life by
information technology gurus Ben
Littauer and John Halamka, M.D.
(now BIDMC’s chief information
officer). “I guess I’m a change agent,
and the reason I’ve stayed here is
that I’ve been able to reinvent myself
many times,” says Delbanco, who
was honored with the first Harvard
chair in primary care for his efforts
in 2000 (see photo on page 3). “But
if there’s a unifying theme, it’s that
I’ve been trying to break down walls
between those who care for people
and those who get care. And your
best bet for taking optimal care of
yourself, in my view, is when you’re
as informed as you need to be. It’s
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
awfully hard to engage actively and
productively in your care if you don’t
have all the goods at hand.”
Perhaps no project gets to the heart
of giving patients the goods like
Delbanco’s hallmark OpenNotes
initiative (www.opennotes.org), which
he launched with long-time colleague
and close friend, Jan Walker, R.N.,
M.B.A., a prominent member of the
BIDMC faculty. With the goal of
bringing more transparency to the
traditionally enigmatic, complex, and
often one-sided relationship between
patients and those who care for
them, Delbanco and Walker embarked
on a pilot study funded by the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation to evaluate the impact of offering patients
electronic access to the observations
and plans their doctors write about
them after each clinical encounter.
Since the 2012 publication of the
findings from their pioneering study
in which 100 doctors shared their
clinical notes with more than 20,000
of their patients, OpenNotes has
spread to offer more than 10 million
Americans ready online access to this
information. “And we now have a plan
to get to 50 million patients in short
order, which is basically a mandate
to make it the standard of care,” says
Delbanco. “I’m very proud of that
because it signifies a fundamental
change in practice that I’m increasingly convinced will mean better care
for patients, in terms of both processes and outcomes. Can’t prove it yet,
we need to do a lot more studies, but
this is not much ado about nothing.”
Certainly, funders have been making
much ado about the project’s ongoing promise. Last December, four
major philanthropic organizations—
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
the Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation, the Peterson Center on
Healthcare, and the Cambia Health
Foundation— gave more than $10
million in combined grant funding
to support the national expansion
and evaluation of OpenNotes based
on its encouraging results thus far.
The initiative has mounting evidence
that this kind of engagement is an
important path toward improving
the quality, efficiency, and safety of
care. Most patients report that they
feel more in control of their care,
and more than half report adhering
more effectively to their medication
regimens. Indeed, whether or not
they choose to read what their
doctors write, 99 percent want the
access to continue, and currently at
BIDMC, patients open almost two
out of three of their notes. Fears on
the part of doctors that they would
be flooded with questions outside
the visit or that it would take
longer to write up their notes have
proven unfounded; nationwide, the
OpenNotes team knows of only four
doctors who have dropped the
transparent practice after giving it
a try. And perhaps one of the most
pleasant surprises for Delbanco
personally is that OpenNotes has
not turned out to be an intervention
serving only the privileged. “We were
worried that the young professional
with her cell phone and her computer
would be the person by far the most
likely to read her notes,” he says,
“and that people with less than a
high school education or the elderly
wouldn’t go for it. We were wrong.
The elderly, the poorly educated, and
more vulnerable populations are at
least as interested as the yuppies.”
Stressing that OpenNotes is not an
app or a computer program but an
ideological movement designed to
change how we approach medicine,
Delbanco has no shortage of ideas
on where it might lead next. With
support from the Commonwealth
Primary Care Chair: Delbanco with
Florence Koplow, who with her
late husband, Richard, helped to
generously endow the Richard
and Florence Koplow–James Tullis
Professorship of General Medicine
and Primary Care at Harvard
Medical School, the first chair
dedicated to primary care and a
post Delbanco still holds.
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
p
Topping 10: Since 2012 the landmark OpenNotes initiative, led by Delbanco (right)
and Jan Walker, R.N., M.B.A. (left), has grown to offer more than 10 million Americans
ready online access to their clinicians' notes and recently garnered more than
$10 million in foundation support.
Fund, Walker is already exploring
a next step called OurNotes, where
patients will work with doctors to
co-generate notes interactively.
BIDMC’s Departments of Psychiatry
and Social Work have started OpenNotes projects with mental health
professionals, and the OpenNotes
team is exploring its applications in
adolescent medicine with Boston
Children’s Hospital. Delbanco also
sees it having important implications
for issues like alcohol abuse, pain
management, and caring for aging
parents. “We hope to introduce
totally transparent communication
throughout medicine,” he says.
“We’ve begun with office practice,
but it is also spreading onto hospital
wards and intensive care units, and
soon it will reach into the long-term
care facility, the nursing home, and
assisted living. This is just the start.”
But with entrenched biases in
the practice of medicine and an
ever-expanding number of potential
offshoots for OpenNotes, Delbanco
is fully aware he can’t do it alone.
“Doctors are very intelligent, therefore they make the highly unintelligent
assumption that they can do
everything well,” he muses. “And
I’ve always been pretty conscious
of what I do well and what I don’t do
so well, so I’ve tried to buffer that.
I never work alone; I always work
with partners.” While he can’t lavish
enough praise on Walker, who has
been his collaborator and “the
brains” of the operation for the past
25 years, he knows that the ongoing
success of the OpenNotes movement
will lie in the fresh perspectives and
creative juices of future generations.
He is thrilled that they recently
hired a new executive director for
OpenNotes, Catherine DesRoches,
Dr.P.H., to whom he and Walker plan
to pass the torch. And he recently
received a generous $3.3 million gift
from the Keane family to create a
Harvard Medical School/BIDMC
professorship whose incumbents
will be committed to the ideals
underlying the OpenNotes initiative—
engagement, transparency, and
respect for patients of all kinds— in
perpetuity. In addition, there’s a
whole new cohort of doctors and
patients who, through technological
advances and changing social
mores, are poised to work together
to transform the way medicine is
delivered. “If I had to do it all over
again,” says Delbanco, “I would
become a pediatrician and I would
work in pre-kindergarten preparing
young people, my grandchildren,
to become superb patients,
superb members of the health care
system. I think we really need a
generation shift.”
Delbanco’s legacy lies in this next
generation of change. He envisions
a day when patients don’t fear or
over-exalt their doctors. When
doctors easily embrace transparency
and partnership with patients and
their families. When patients have at
least as much control over their
records as their providers. When the
invisible walls that impede the
delivery of optimal medical care and
shared decision-making among
stakeholders crumble away. So as
someone who has not just borne
witness to the beginnings of this
revolution but who has actively made
it happen, is Delbanco optimistic?
“When I became a doctor, my mother
thought I was going to be a god,
that I would run the show,” he
reflects. “But now that dynamic’s
really changing, and it’s good that it’s
changing. We have much more to
do, I have plenty to keep me busy,
and I hope to continue being a part
of that change. It’s a lot of fun.” 
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LETTER FROM THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT
Dear Reader,
Giving Matters is published by
the Office of Development at BIDMC.
Kristine Laping
Senior VP of Development
(617) 667-7334
[email protected]
Kate Gorman
Senior Executive Director
of External Relations
(617) 667-7371
[email protected]
Alexandra Molloy
Senior Director of Development
Communications
(617) 667-7350
[email protected]
Managing Editor:
Alexandra Molloy
Writing:
Allison Knee, Alexandra Molloy
Event and Marketing Coverage:
Allison Knee, Alexandra Molloy
Photography:
Charlie Baker, BIDMC Archives, BIDMC Media
Services, Michael Blanchard Photography, Lucien
Capehart Photography, Danielle Duffey, Joel
Haskell, Theresa Johnson Herlihy, Alexa MacIsaac
Other photography courtesy of the Epstein Family,
the Smith Family, and the National Rongxiang Xu
Foundation
Design:
kor group, Boston
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is an institution with rich history in
clinical care, medical education, and innovative research. This year marks a
unique time for reflection on that history, as our community is experiencing
three landmark anniversaries: the 120th anniversary of New England Deaconess
Hospital, the 100th anniversary of Beth Israel Hospital, and the 20th anniversary
of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
This issue of Giving Matters not only reflects on our storied past—with a
look back at Beth Israel Hospital and BIDMC through the words of former
President and CEO Mitch Rabkin, M.D. (page 5)—but also envisions our
promising future. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are
improving how we communicate with patients (cover story), establishing new
avenues for outcomes research in cardiology (page 8), and solidifying training
opportunities in minimally invasive urologic surgery (page 17)—all of which
directly benefit our patients and their families.
While it is true that we have much to look back on and celebrate with pride,
I believe there are many more innovative ideas and exciting discoveries on
the horizon. And as we build on our legacy, we recognize that none of this
would be possible without your dedication and support. So thank you for all
that you have done and continue to do to make this institution great.
Sincerely,
© 2016 BIDMC
Volume 7, Issue 1
Kristine C. Laping
il
Ma t
tha ers
t
Mat
While saying thank you can come in many forms, one of our favorites is receiving letters from
our patients and their families. Many have shared uplifting and heart-warming stories of
their time at BIDMC and the staff who cared for them. We are pleased to print some of these
letters in Giving Matters and encourage you to contribute your own stories.
To share your story, e-mail us at [email protected] or write to “Mail that Matters” at the
BIDMC Office of Development, 330 Brookline Avenue (OV), Boston, MA 02215.
Dear Dr. Tabb,
Hello BIDMC,
I recently was diagnosed with a GIST tumor in my stomach at BIDMC.
From the initial ultrasonic endoscopy procedure to its subsequent
surgical removal, I was very pleased with the care I received at your
hospital. This type of tumor is often not found until it has become
malignant, and the thought of that was very scary. I live on Cape Cod,
so BIDMC is not my local hospital. However, after being diagnosed,
I felt BIDMC was the best place to have the tumor removed.
I want to give credit to the staff who
worked on the Labor and Delivery and
Postpartum units, January 29–31. From
start to finish, the care I received during
my delivery and postpartum period with
my second daughter was just as excellent
as what I fondly remember when I
delivered my first in August 2013.
From the initial call and visit with Dr. Jennifer Tseng’s office (Surgical
Oncology), I was put completely at ease with the professionalism of the
staff and Dr. Tseng’s proposed treatment plan. Dr. Tseng is not only an
extremely talented surgeon, but she also has a very calming and caring
demeanor. From the first office visit through surgery and recovery,
I always felt as if I were her most important patient. She thoroughly
explained the procedure and every step along the way. After the
procedure, Dr. Tseng herself, and not a member of her team, sought out
my wife to update her that the procedure had gone well and gave her
a warm hug. A few weeks later, I was glad to hear that there was no sign
of malignancy. Again, a warm hug concluded my visit.
It is nice to know that as a teaching hospital, BIDMC has such a model
physician leading a team of students and residents in the way to deal
with patients and family. The care I received at BIDMC was top notch.
I would highly recommend to friends and family to use your hospital
if the need arises. Dr. Tseng and her entire team were outstanding.
Sincerely,
William Culverhouse
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I especially want to express my gratitude and make you aware of the
exceptional care provided by Bonnie Lake, R.N. She was professional,
caring, and always quick to respond. Her presence and demeanor
were incredibly calming and helped me relax, even when I felt the most
tense. She made me feel like there was always a plan and kept me
distracted when I was feeling impatient. Bonnie also intervened with
complimentary therapies when I needed extra help. Second only to the
support I received from my husband, Bonnie played an integral role in
making my birthing experience efficient and positive.
As a health care clinician myself, I have high standards for other health
care providers. My hopes and expectations were so exceeded by
Bonnie! It is one thing to give her my thanks directly, but I want to give
her extra recognition by sharing with you what a great gift she is to your
staff and patients.
Gratefully,
Kendra St. Hilaire
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Rabkin (above) in the early 1970s in his
role as president and CEO of the former Beth
Israel Hospital, and today (left) at BIDMC.
This year marks three momentous anniversaries for our institution: New England
Deaconess Hospital’s 120th, Beth Israel Hospital’s 100th, and BIDMC’s 20th. In this
special Anniversary Leadership Spotlight, we asked Mitchell T. Rabkin, M.D., to reflect
on our potent history and how this foundation has put us in a position of strength
for the future. For more anniversary reflections from influential leaders at the medical
center, please visit: bidmcgiving.org/anniversary.
Mitchell T. Rabkin, M.D.
A graduate of Harvard Medical School (HMS), Rabkin became president and CEO of the former Beth Israel Hospital in 1966 at the age of 36 and
subsequently became the CEO of CareGroup, BIDMC’s nonprofit parent organization, upon its formation in 1996. Today, Rabkin serves as a professor
of medicine at HMS and as a distinguished institute scholar at the Carl J. Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at HMS and BIDMC.
2016 marks the 50th anniversary of his association with the medical center.
Look back a century ago, and two decades more. Two hospitals —
Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital— established
by their communities, each seeking the best care for all patients, generously
and warmly given. Physicians joined, and nursing schools were
started. Soon, appreciation arose that the best care called for academic
connections. This pointed to Harvard and Tufts, ultimately leading
to hospital residency and graduate specialty training. The Harvard
relationship intensified. Islands of excellence at both hospitals multiplied.
We cared for persons, not disembodied diseases. We abandoned
open wards, placed inpatients regardless of economic status or race,
established hospital-based social services, home care, and linkages with
urban community health centers. We issued the first hospital statement
on the rights of patients, now posted at every U.S. hospital. The first
with primary nursing throughout the hospital, we demonstrated the
professionalism of nursing and strengthened the partnership of nurse
and physician. We involved patients more fully in their care.
Think once again on those early years. Contrast medicine at the 20th
century’s start with today’s complexity. Each hospital’s capability grew.
Achievements included the first non-invasive study of cardiac
physiology, fundamentals in the treatment of diabetes, development
of the cardiac pacemaker, early care of cancer patients (whom many
hospitals wouldn’t admit), advances in thoracic surgery, liver and
kidney transplantation, and psychodynamic psychiatry. Moving the
historic Harvard-Thorndike Clinical Research Center from Boston City
Hospital enriched clinical studies. Beyond keeping pace with the
century’s advances, our two hospitals were among those leading the way.
With the burgeoning of knowledge, the challenge of keeping current
focused us on the teaching and learning of medicine. Emphasis on
critical thinking as a process in diagnosis led to leadership at Harvard
Medical School.
And then there are some contemporary examples. The characterization
of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) opening insight into the
nature of cancer. Identification of PI3-K (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase)
and its primary role in cancer, leading to medications for leukemia and
lymphoma. Insight into the molecular biology of malignancy, creating
a cure for acute promyelocytic leukemia and offering promise of even
wider therapy. These are advances of Nobel Prize quality. The nature
of pre-eclampsia, devastating in late pregnancy, was defined. Important
understandings in migraine and neurology emerged. Information
management, sharing medical records with patients, and easing
their communication with physicians highlight our advances in
the digital world.
In 1996, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center formed in response
to environmental forces but also to an appreciation that what
had grown from a few islands of excellence called for even further
strengthening. And we moved from “We-They” to “Us.” Our
community hospital ties make care more convenient and cost-effective
system-wide. The new organization, BIDCO (Beth Israel Deaconess
Care Organization) enables our physician groups and hospitals to
contract, share risk, and together build better care management systems.
Our growth and then merger came about through the insight and
generosity of informed governing boards, unwavering support of our
communities, affiliation with Harvard Medical School, funding
from National Institutes of Health, other agencies, donors, patients,
and families, and the steadfast dedication of the physicians, nurses,
social workers, and all staff from entry level to top management.
As medicine and patient care grow more complex, our commitment,
our ever-improving performance, and the continuing—and deeply
appreciated—support from our community offer optimism as
BIDMC moves into the decades ahead.
Mitchell T. Rabkin, M.D.
CEO Emeritus, BIDMC
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Giving Matters ||www.bidmc.org/giving
www.bidmc.org/giving
5
FARE GAIN
Major gifts nourish surgeon’s unique
work in the field of nutrition
G
eorge L. Blackburn, M.D.,
Ph.D., describes his unusual
yet illustrious 45-plus-year
career path in nutrition medicine as
one “guided by opportunity and
driven by need.” Trained initially
as a surgeon, Blackburn in the late
1960s discovered that up to 50
percent of hospitalized surgical
patients suffered from moderate to
severe malnutrition and became
intrigued with a new innovation
called intravenous (IV) feeding; he
went on to revolutionize how IV
solutions were formulated. Blackburn
was so inspired by this foray into
nutrition that he decided to pursue
his Ph.D. at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology’s Laboratory
of Nutrition and Food Science, a
small, now-defunct program that
graduated a number of leading
Harvard researchers in the field today.
“So I had a college degree and an
M.D., and then I had a Ph.D. in
nutritional biochemistry,” says the
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director of the Center for the Study
of Nutrition Medicine at Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center. “Not
many surgeons have Ph.D.s in
nutritional biochemistry but that
opened up an entire new industry
in medicine.”
While Blackburn was drawn into this
“new industry” by the problem of
undernourishment, what has kept
him engaged throughout the years is
the emerging medical crisis at the
opposite end of the spectrum—
obesity. As physicians struggled to
address the nascent epidemic in the
1980s, he was one of the first to
perform a revolutionary gastric
bypass in New England and would
later develop the first evidence-based
guidelines for weight-loss surgery.
Today, his team is partnering with
neurologists to understand the
biological underpinnings of eating
behaviors to create cognition-based
treatments, performing research
showing that lowering dietary fat
intake can improve breast cancer
survival rates, and investigating
distinctive cohorts of patients like
“lean diabetics” who exhibit many
of the detrimental symptoms of
obesity without the corresponding
weight gain. They are even working
on designing a new app that will
provide users with real-time feedback
about their food consumption and
its health implications. “We think
that food, which is the problem,
has one of the best chances of being
the solution,” says Blackburn.
“We are exposed to food 24/7, so
to manage that effectively we need
a 24/7 response.”
Blackburn’s unique perspective and
experience at the intersection of
nutrition and surgery has spurred
equally unique philanthropy to
support his leading-edge work. Feihe
International, one of the leading
producers and distributors of infant
formula, milk powder, soybean, and
walnut powder in China, recently
made a $4.5 million contribution to
create the Feihe Nutrition Laboratory
under Blackburn’s direction. This
facility conducts pioneering research
studies on the connections among
diet, nutrition, and cognition across
the lifespan and offers young
investigators in the field seed funding
to explore and advance innovative
ideas like the real-time app. The
novel efforts of Blackburn’s team
also got a major boost from a
generous $3.3 million gift from
longtime friend and collaborator
S. Daniel Abraham to endow the
George L. Blackburn, M.D.,
Professorship of Surgery at BIDMC/
Harvard Medical School (HMS) in
his honor. This gift is the second
from Abraham, the founder of the
multi-billion Slim-Fast Foods who
sought Blackburn’s nutritional advice
on one of the most successful diet
products in history. His first, in
1998, created the S. Daniel Abraham
Professorship of Surgery, the HMS
chair Blackburn holds currently.
Blackburn says that he is so
incredibly grateful for this type of
flexible, open-minded funding that
offers a viable alternative to more
rigid government grants for pursuing
out-of-the-box thinking. “This
money supports innovation,” he says.
“If it can be done with other money,
we do it with other money, because
this type of funding is so special, so
precious, so appreciated that we must
use it where it’s needed most and
where there are no other options. It
has allowed me to do a lot more than
I ever realized I could.” 
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Faces of BIDMC
Mary Buss, M.D., M.P.H., is a medical oncologist and palliative
medicine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Buss,
who founded and directs the outpatient palliative care clinic at the
medical center, received the 2015 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon
Physician Award in recognition of her leadership in promoting
patient-centered care for those near the end of life. She was also
recently the recipient of the inaugural Roger Lange Legacy Award, a
grant given to a BIDMC community member for completion of a
cancer-focused project, which was established by Robert and
Maureen Kelly to memorialize Lange, a longstanding BIDMC
oncologist who died in 2012.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a medical subspecialty
that is focused on taking care of
patients who have serious—although
not necessarily terminal—illness,
with the primary goal of maximizing
their quality of life. The critical
component is helping individuals live
well. Many people believe palliative
care is synonymous with hospice
care, but it is so much more. Hospice
care—care for people with incurable
disease at the final stage of life—is
a single component that falls under
the umbrella of palliative care. The
belief that patients must choose
between getting treated for their illness
and getting palliative care is simply
not true. This is not an either/or
approach but a simultaneous care
model that considers what’s best
for all aspects of an individual’s
well-being. And while my area of
expertise is oncology, palliative care
is equally valuable in any area of
acute illness from cardiovascular to
infectious disease.
What was your goal in founding
the outpatient palliative care
clinic at the medical center?
The vast majority of health care is
delivered in the outpatient setting.
I quickly realized that if we didn’t
start reaching patients in this setting,
then we were only going to reach
patients when they’re in crisis. Crisis
is not an ideal time for productive
decision making. There is data that
patients who have conversations early
in the course of their illness make
different decisions about care at the
end of their illness, which ends up
being more positive for patients and
their families and less of a burden
on the health care system. Right
now our outpatient clinic is open to
patients with complex decisionmaking and psychosocial needs for
two half-days each week. Expanding
this critical resource to five days a
week would be incredibly valuable
and is where philanthropy could have
a huge preemptive impact.
What are you working on now
at BIDMC?
The vast majority of patients in a
hospital have palliative care needs,
but that doesn’t mean that everybody
needs to be seen by a palliative care
specialist. It does mean, however,
that physicians need to have more
competence in palliative care. That’s
where education comes in. I have
been doing a lot of work educating
primary care docs who, because they
don’t generally encounter a large
portion of patients who are seriously
ill or at end of life, don’t have the
opportunities to get the skills they
need. We also have efforts focused on
training cardiologists and oncologists
because they deal with the two leading
causes of death in this country.
Is there anything in particular
that you focus on in educating
physicians in palliative care?
It’s safe to say that palliative care,
more than any other specialty, has
really embraced communication as
a procedural skill that needs to be
taught as such. Just like a surgeon is
trained how to do a suture, doctors
need to be taught how to handle a
family meeting with five people who
have five different understandings of
the patient, the severity of the illness,
and what to do moving forward.
There’s a skill to that, and the field is
trying to be very deliberate and
thoughtful on how these skills are
Give and Receive
A charitable gift annuity is a
win-win for you and BIDMC
Establishing a deferred annuity was a win-win
for Alice Bruce. Not only is she able to support
one of her favorite charities, but she is also
able to secure an income stream throughout
her retirement.
MARY BUSS, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical Oncologist, Palliative
Medicine Specialist
taught. Communications field
training is expensive because the
best way to do it is to make people
practice with trained actors and
with observation and feedback by
experts. As a result, it’s hard and it
feels real, and the training is much
more effective. But finding the
resources to fund this specialized
training is challenging.
What makes BIDMC special in
this area?
Historically, BIDMC has been
a place that has embraced every
patient population regardless
of background or illness. That
inclusivity and acceptance of
individuality is at the heart of
palliative care because our goal
is to help you live as well as
possible, and everyone defines
that differently based on who
they are. 
“BIDMC has been a lifesaver for my
family for so many years and in so many
ways. My annuity was created to thank
all the people at the medical center
who have worked to keep us all healthy;
we know we are in the very best hands.”
—Alice Bruce
Benefits of a charitable gift annuity include:
• Easy to establish
• An immediate income tax deduction
• Deciding when to receive the income;
the longer you wait, the higher the
annuity rate
• Knowing that your gift supports
extraordinary patient care, leading-edge
research, and exceptional medical education
For more information, please contact
Noreen Mitchell at (617) 667-1387 or
[email protected], or visit
us online at www.bidmc.org/plannedgiving.
• Annual, fixed income for life
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
7
HEART-EARNED RESULTS
Family pledges $8.3 million to establish the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center
for Outcomes Research in Cardiology
While the phrase “heart attack victim” might conjure up
an image of an overweight, middle-aged man clutching
his chest, the reality today is far different. Widespread
initiatives to reduce smoking and poor eating habits over
the last decade have actually lowered heart attack rates
in patients middle-aged and younger. Instead, the heart
attack victims rushed into emergency departments
across the country now tend to be significantly older, more
frail—and consequently more difficult to treat. The full
picture of this epidemiological change in cardiovascular
disease came from evaluating outcomes data from
hospital billing information over a 10-year period and
is critically important in determining how clinicians best
allocate health care resources and accurately evaluate
future outcomes. “We are just beginning to understand
the value of looking at large amounts of data, not just at
the institutional level, but at the national level, to guide
the best clinical decisions,” says Peter J. Zimetbaum, M.D.,
associate chief of cardiology and director of clinical
cardiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
“The field of cardiology, particularly at BIDMC, has been
a leader in this area of looking at outcomes to drive
clinical care.”
Outcomes research is fundamentally about understanding
how we treat disease in real-world practice. It requires
both valid, accurate data as well as a robust set of statistical and epidemiological methods to make inferences about
that data. As access to data becomes increasingly available and the number of different therapies offered
to patients expands, clinicians at BIDMC are actively
looking to make sense of all this new information to make
improvements in health care. “A home run in discovery
that would have a huge impact on survival when it comes
to heart disease isn’t coming in the next few years,” says
Duane Pinto, M.D., M.P.H., director of the cardiac intensive
care unit. “What we need to do is actually apply the
technologies and strategies that we already have to more
patients in a more effective way.”
8
Longtime BIDMC supporters and grateful patients of
Zimetbaum, Richard A. and the late Susan F. Smith
recognized the value of this research and pledged $8.3
million to support this work in the Division of Cardiovascular
Medicine at BIDMC. A portion of their gift established the
Richard A. and the late Susan F. Smith Center for
Outcomes Research in Cardiology. The pioneering
program, which was the brainchild of Zimetbaum and is
the first of its kind in Boston, will capitalize on clinical
observations and rigorous data analyses to evaluate
health care policy as well as treatments and devices for
patients with cardiovascular conditions. Its goal is to
ultimately produce safer and more personalized care.
Support from the Smith family’s gift has allowed the
center to purchase expensive data sets and hire leadership
and programmers with the necessary expertise to properly
evaluate that data. “They are quite visionary,” Robert Yeh,
M.D., M.Sc., says of the Smith family. A national leader in
the field of cardiology outcomes research, Yeh was
recruited as director of the Smith Center last fall. “They
see the importance of developing a better understanding
of the safety, cost effectiveness, and ethical implications
of the work that we do in trying to prevent and treat
cardiovascular disease.”
The gift will also establish an endowed Harvard Medical
School Professorship in clinical cardiology at BIDMC in
honor of Zimetbaum. A national leader in electrophysiology, Zimetbaum is highly regarded for his groundbreaking
cardiovascular research studies and personalized, expert
patient care. This rare clinical professorship will serve as a
testament to the role he has played in advancing the
discipline of cardiovascular medicine and will also provide
future generations of cardiologists with exciting opportunities to lead their field. But it is the creation of the Smith
Center that could define Zimetbaum’s legacy. “It is the
highest mark of leadership to initiate a transformational
outcomes program at a time when such information is so
critically needed and the faculty is so incredibly motivated
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
p
Richard A. and Susan F. Smith
IN MEMORIAM
t
Peter J. Zimetbaum, M.D.
p
Robert Yeh, M.D., M.Sc.
to make it work,” says Jeffrey Popma, M.D., director of
interventional cardiology. “I really have to commend
Dr. Zimetbaum for his vision in identifying an area of
unmet clinical need for the institution and recruiting
the individuals who would be able to navigate the
sustained growth of this vital program.”
While outcomes research has been conducted in silos
within the Harvard hospitals and select locations across
the country for years, the Smith Center at BIDMC will be
one of only a handful of dedicated programs across the
country and the only center created from the ground up
with a substantial financial foundation. “We have always
wanted to have a place where people interested in these
ideas could come together, cross pollinate, interact, and
become national and international leaders in developing
new ideas for this space,” says Yeh. “None of the other
centers have started with the types of resources that we
have. We can really create something unique.” The Smith
Center also places BIDMC at the nexus of a field that will
only become more critical in the years ahead as health
care reform places a greater emphasis on providing
high-quality, cost-effective care that is centered on the
patient. “If there is any place in the country that should
be able to bring together people who know how to do
this research at a very high level and whose results
will stand up and generate effective policy, it is here,”
Zimetbaum says.
Experts within the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
at BIDMC have an extensive history of managing the full
spectrum of heart conditions from coronary artery
disease to cardiac arrhythmias. The division has been
internationally recognized for its contributions to
cardiovascular medicine over the last 60 years, including
the invention of the concept of cardiac pacing, defibrillation for cardiac arrhythmias, and multiple “first-in-man”
procedures. In addition to their leadership in the clinical
arena, cardiologists at the former Beth Israel Hospital
started the Cardiovascular Data Analysis Center (CDAC)
in the mid-1990s; this center was the pivotal analysis
group for many of the new device trials across the
Susan F. Smith,
1932–2016
country and around the world, and became widely known
for its data integrity and analysis. Now with better access
to quality data and the creation of the Smith Center,
BIDMC is looking to change the way health data is
analyzed once again. “Cardiology is a natural place for
outcomes research because there is so much rich data in
this area,” Yeh says. “We also have more capability of
actually answering the questions that maybe 20 years
ago we couldn’t understand.” Yeh and his team have
already hit the ground running with a number of projects
investigating public policy as well as comparative
effectiveness research that could have immediate
impact on patient care.
Among the specific areas of focus at the Smith Center is
work related to evaluating public health policy. “One of
the big problems and one of my great frustrations in my
career is watching payers and the government make
decisions about how we can practice based on poor data,”
Zimetbaum says. “Data that is done in a way that doesn’t
stand the test of time and then months later, years later,
we find out it was wrong and end up changing policies that
we suspected were poorly conceived all along.” As part of
health care reform and in an effort to build trust with
patients, the health care system has experienced a strong
push toward increasing transparency. Massachusetts has
been on the forefront of this movement and one of the
first states to adopt public reporting of outcomes for some
cardiovascular procedures. While on the surface, this
openness seems like it would be beneficial for patients,
there are a number of unintended but potentially harmful
consequences of the policy.
Angioplasties are surgical procedures to repair or unblock
blood vessels, and a paper published by Yeh last year
in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
showed that in states with public reporting of angioplasty
outcomes, patients who present with heart attacks receive
fewer of these procedures and have higher rates of
mortality than in states with no public reporting. Since
the current methods used to determine the clinicians’
With heartfelt sadness, the BIDMC
community mourns the loss of Susan
F. Smith, wife of Overseer Emeritus
Richard A. Smith, who passed away
on July 30 at the age of 83. Mrs.
Smith was a dedicated philanthropic
supporter and friend to the medical
center, along with so many other
organizations throughout her
cherished hometown of Boston. With
gifts through the Richard and Susan
Smith Family Foundation, as well as
their personal giving, Mrs. Smith and
her family established a remarkable
legacy of supporting innovative
endeavors in a variety of areas at
BIDMC, including cancer, endocrinology, and community health. Most
recently, the Smiths expressed their
commitment to transforming
cardiovascular care on a large scale
by establishing the Richard A. and
Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes
Research in Cardiology and a
professorship in clinical cardiology
(see main story).
“This gift—as with so many others
that bear Susan’s name—was made
possible through her tremendous
generosity, her imagination, and her
firm belief in creating a better world
for future generations,” says BIDMC
President and CEO Kevin Tabb, M.D.
“Susan was a beloved member of
our community and will be deeply
missed by all those who had the
pleasure of knowing her.”
In addition to her husband, Richard,
Susan is survived by her three
children, Amy Smith Berylson and
her husband, John; Robert Smith
and his wife, Dana; and Debra Smith
Knez; eight grandchildren; five great
grandchildren; her sister, Carol Flax
Frieder and her husband, Sam; seven
nieces and nephews; and her
sister-in-law, Nancy Lurie Marks.
CONTINUED ON P. 10
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
9
CONTINUED FROM P. 9
publically reported outcomes do not take into account the
patient’s condition at the time of the procedure, it may
be that some doctors are actually choosing to avoid
performing angioplasties on the increasingly prevalent
high-risk patient population for fear of skewing their
published numbers. Meanwhile, the same states have
reported better outcomes for angioplasty procedures
overall because clinicians may be selecting more low-risk
patients instead. These results are not only deceiving to
the public but also incredibly dangerous for the patients.
“No one wants someone who can potentially benefit not
to receive life-sustaining therapy because of an admirably
intended program like public reporting,” says Pinto,
who serves as the governor and president of the
Massachusetts American College of Cardiology chapter.
As state and federal lawmakers look to potentially
publicize all surgeons’ outcome statistics in the future,
clinicians at BIDMC are leading the charge to evaluate
the implications of this particular health policy and better
understand what that means for patients. Pinto has been
working closely with the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health to refine the way the clinicians’ scorecards
are calculated to minimize these adverse consequences.
“Transparency is important but the consequences are
something that should be on the minds of those making
policies,” Yeh says.
Clinicians in the Smith Center are also focused on comparative effectiveness research, or evaluating the efficacy,
benefits, and potential harms of different treatments for
specific patients. One of the biggest advantages of the
center compared to stand-alone outcomes research is its
access to large amounts of real patient information. One
such database is Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) billing information. “We have a cache of 40ish
p
Duane Pinto, M.D., M.P.H., and Jeffrey Popma, M.D., in the
cardiac catheterization laboratory
million patients who are registered in an administrative
database that captures their individual use of medical
services over time,” Popma says. The database contains
more than 10,000 procedure codes assigned to patients
across all subspecialties and organized by demographics
such as age, race, and co-morbidities. “Without actually
meeting the patient, we will be able to get a very good
impression of the overall health status of the patient by
combining complication and co-morbidity codes,” he says.
Using this information, Popma plans to explore how
10
“This is an opportunity
for people to participate
in changing health
care in a significant and
tangible way.”
—Peter J. Zimetbaum, M.D.
patients in the United States are treated for structural
heart disease, specifically aortic valve disease and mitral
valve disease. “We can use the tools that are currently
embedded within the database both to identify the risk of
the patients and to determine what their outcomes have
been,” Popma says. Using specific algorithms to analyze
that data, clinicians can then determine which future
patients may be the best candidates for a particular
treatment. “It is really going to provide phenomenal
insight into patient outcomes that will serve to enhance
their medical care in the future,” he says. To start, the
Smith Center will use the data from CMS and electronic
medical records from hospitals around the country along
with results from clinical trials to evaluate safety and
effectiveness of cardiovascular devices, medical
technologies, and therapies. “We will have a whole new
understanding of our capability to take advantage of these
new sources of data to understand medical safety and
efficacy,” Yeh says.
As word spreads about the work being conducted in the
Smith Center, BIDMC becomes a major draw for those
interested in this burgeoning field, both as students and
experienced clinicians and researchers. “We want to be a
magnet for the best and the brightest to come and learn
how to do this research and facilitate their training
with the best mentors in the world,” Zimetbaum says.
And while initial efforts of the Smith Center are focused
in cardiovascular disease, this methodology can be
expanded to other specialties throughout the medical
center and health care at large. “This is going to allow us
to understand how certain disease states are managed
in the United States and the bandwidth is limited only by
funding,” Popma says. “There is really no limit on what
can be done in terms of analyzing disease states.” A new
influx of philanthropic funding will provide clinicians with
the critical resources to enhance the infrastructure of
the Smith Center, such as additional research staff, new
databases for research, statisticians, and fellowships
for those interested in a career in outcomes research.
“This is an opportunity for people to participate in
changing health care in a significant and tangible way,”
Zimetbaum says.
Cardiologists at BIDMC have been innovators in care for
decades, and the establishment of the Smith Center is
no exception. “It is realistic to think within five to 10 years
that policy changes, with regard to things like public
reporting and implementation, with regard to how we
do our procedures and apply our medications, are going
to come out of this center,” says Pinto. And as the Smith
Center gains traction in the outcomes research arena, its
success is measured not just by papers published and/or
policies changed, but by overall improvement in patient
care. “The goal is to increase our understanding of how we
are treating patients in a way that translates to improving
outcomes,” Yeh says. “We want to tackle the pressing
challenges in health care today and use scientific
methodology to understand those questions and develop
better solutions for patients everywhere.” 
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Renewed Effort
Longstanding kidney cancer research
program gets $11.3M in additional funding
from the National Cancer Institute
W
ith kidney cancer afflicting
more than 65,000 new
patients each year, the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) has
replenished a major and historically
potent arsenal in the fight against this
disease by awarding Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center an $11.3
million, five-year renewal grant for its
continued leadership of a multicenter kidney cancer research
consortium. The NCI’s highly
competitive Specialized Programs of
Research Excellence (SPORE) grants
promote interdisciplinary
partnerships among basic scientists
and clinical investigators, and are
designed to advance new and diverse
approaches to the prevention, early
detection, diagnosis, and treatment of
diseases in 18 different organ systems.
BIDMC has overseen the only
Kidney Cancer SPORE program in
the country for more than a decade.
“Through these SPORE grants, basic
scientists work collaboratively with
clinical investigators to rapidly move
laboratory discoveries into the clinic
and to our patients,” says David F.
McDermott, M.D., director of the
Biologic Therapy and Kidney Cancer
Programs in the BIDMC Cancer
Center. “The Kidney Cancer SPORE
has already been responsible for a
significant number of important
advances in the understanding,
diagnosis, and treatment of kidney
cancer, and we hope that the
continuation of this funding will help
reveal new insights into this disease.”
McDermott runs the Kidney Cancer
SPORE, which represents a
coordinated effort of more than eight
major medical institutions, along
with William G. Kaelin, Jr., M.D., of
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
p
David F. McDermott, M.D.
With the contributions of more than
35 researchers, this unique SPORE
approaches the therapeutic
intervention of kidney cancer from
several different angles, including the
targeting of critical molecular
pathways to prevent and treat the
disease, the identification of
molecular biomarkers to better
monitor and predict patient
outcomes, and the improved
understanding of the mechanisms by
which the disease becomes resistant
to standard therapies. The new grant
will support four research projects
with translational components that
address critical problems in kidney
cancer, and will also fund three “core”
facilities, which are based at BIDMC
and provide scientists with the
infrastructure needed to conduct
their research. In addition, the
renewal has a vital careerdevelopment component. “Over its
12-year lifespan, this grant has not
only provided direct funding for lab
research and clinical investigation,
but has also facilitated the growth
and development of young
investigators in the field of kidney
research,” says McDermott. “Many of
the field’s leading researchers got their
start through our SPORE funding,
and the renewal of this funding will
ensure that we will be able to
continue to support promising new
ideas and pursue new directions.” 
Prominent Physician—
Scientist Becomes BIDMC’s
New Chief of Cardiology
T
his spring, Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical
Center named accomplished
cardiologist and researcher
Robert E. Gerszten, M.D., as its
new chief of cardiology, enhancing
the leadership and expertise of a
cardiology division historically
recognized for its superior clinical
care and innovative research.
Gerszten’s clinical interests span the
spectrum of comprehensive adult
cardiology and novel disease prediction, while his extensive research
efforts focus on the relationship
between cardiac and metabolic
diseases. “I couldn’t think of a more
ideal place to build collaborative
bridges between the clinical and
research missions of a cardiology
division,” says Gerszten, who served
as director of clinical and translational
research at the Massachusetts General
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
Hospital Corrigan Minehan Heart
Center since 2007. “I am particularly
excited that the hospital leadership
shares my enthusiasm to make
BIDMC a national leader in crossdisciplinary investigation and in
the integration of innovative patient
care models.”
Over the past decade, Gerszten has
become a national leader in translational research focused on integrating
emerging protein- and metabolismbased approaches to uncover new
biomarkers and disease pathways.
He and his research team have
discovered novel biomarkers that
identify patients destined to develop
diabetes more than a decade before
disease onset. An area of particular
interest is the application of these
tools to recognize individuals most
likely to benefit from clinical interventions in cardiometabolic diseases.
p
Robert E. Gerszten, M.D.
Gerszten’s research is funded by
the National Institutes of Health,
as well as the American Heart
Association, from which he received
an Established Investigator Award.
“Dr. Gerszten is an outstanding
scientist, a superb clinician, and a
gifted mentor and teacher,” says
Mark Zeidel, M.D., chair of the
BIDMC Department of Medicine.
“He brings additional depth and
a creative spirit to an already strong
cardiology division known for
extraordinary clinical care and
leading-edge research. His leadership
will also immeasurably strengthen
how the division conducts
translational cardiovascular research
across disciplines.” 
11
Internationally Renowned
Oncologist Named Director
of Rosenberg Clinical
Cancer Center
L
ast October, Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center
officially named Manuel
Hidalgo, M.D., Ph.D., director of
the Leon V. & Marilyn L. Rosenberg
Clinical Cancer Center and chief of
the Division of Hematology-Oncology. Hidalgo is an internationally
respected oncologist whose groundbreaking work in experimental cancer
therapy and tumor model development has led to key advances in the
treatment of pancreatic cancer. He
will combine his vast experience in
research and patient care to oversee
all the clinical cancer operations at
the medical center. “We want to
lead the revolution in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” he
says. “We want to contribute by
discovering and transitioning those
discoveries to patients.”
&
BITS
&
PIECES
Little updates on big
happenings in the
BIDMC community.
Want to learn more or share
one of your own? E-mail
[email protected].
A native of Spain, Hidalgo comes to
BIDMC from the Centro Nacional
de Investigaciones Oncológicas,
where he served as director of the
Clinical Research Program and vice
director of Translational Research.
He previously served as co-director
of the Gastrointestinal Cancer
Program at Johns Hopkins. At
BIDMC, in addition to a clinical
practice focused on gastrointestinal
(primarily pancreatic) cancer,
Hidalgo now manages the extensive
multi-disciplinary programs currently
in place, including 21 specialty
patient-care programs ranging from
pancreatic and breast cancer to
bone-marrow transplantation and
biologic therapies. “We want to treat
patients with the most efficient care
possible,” he says. “But oftentimes in
p
Manuel Hidalgo, M.D., Ph.D.
cancer we know that is not
enough. That is where research is
very important.”
Hidalgo recognizes the value of
research to uncover better treatment
options to improve care for patients
at BIDMC and beyond. His
background in translational research
is focused on the development
of mouse models to develop new
strategies to further personalize
patient care. This research platform
is used for drug screening, biomarker
development, and creating tailored
Last fall, leaders from the Alliance of Families Fighting

Pancreatic Cancer (AFFPC) presented a $165,000
check to A. James Moser, M.D., co-director of the BIDMC
Pancreas and Liver Institute, to fund a clinical research
fellow and other pancreatic cancer research. A partnership of grass-roots foundations and families across the
country, the AFFPC donated another $31,000 to BIDMC
in December.
Doctors in BIDMC’s Chest

Disease Center saved Jennifer
Champy’s life at age 39 with a
diagnosis of tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), a condition causing
her central airways to collapse,
and a subsequent arduous but
extremely successful surgery. In January, Champy
founded a nonprofit foundation called Cure TBM, which
in May made its first donation—$30,000—to the center
to help fund a clinical trial looking at the efficacy of
stents in treating the illness.
When Gail Schechter learned that her friend Laurie

Gershkowitz had spent some time in BIDMC’s
Emergency Department (ED) and was unable to charge
her cell phone when it died, she immediately saw
an opportunity. Schechter and her fellow book club
members (Elyse Balder, Lauren Bogart, Beth Freeman,
Denise Goodman, Elyse Marsh, Linda Robert, Susan
Shale, Abby Shapiro, and Amy Sucoff) pooled their funds
to purchase three much-needed charging stations in the
ED to commemorate the bar mitzvah of Laurie’s son, Jake.
In May, more than 145 BIDMC staff, friends, and family

joined thousands of caring and concerned citizens in the
therapies and augments BIDMC’s
approach to testing experimental
drugs in parallel with human clinical
trials. “Dr. Hidalgo is a world leader
in developing new ways to treat and
one day cure cancer,” says Pier Paolo
Pandolfi, M.D., Ph.D., director of
the BIDMC Cancer Center and
Cancer Research Institute. “His
expertise perfectly complements our
work and our mission, and we are
honored to have him as the newest
member of our Cancer Center.” 
the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute and a more peaceful
and violence-free community. For the second straight
year, BIDMC President and CEO Kevin Tabb, M.D., served
as co-chair.
In June, BIDMC’s team participated in the 31st Annual

AIDS Walk Boston & 5K Run, raising more than $8,400
to support the work of the AIDS Action Committee, and
was named a “gold level” team for commitment to the
committee’s mission.
With support from the Massachusetts Office of Victim

Assistance (MOVA), BIDMC’s Center for Violence
Prevention and Recovery (CVPR) within the Department
of Social Work offers trauma-informed services to
patients and families affected by multiple forms of
violence at no charge. Recently, MOVA awarded
the center additional Victim of Crime Act funds, which
will help expand services and programs for people who
have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault,
community violence, and homicide, and will provide
additional educational opportunities for staff.
This summer, 32

high school students
ages 14—17 were
accepted into the
Summer Health Corps
program run by the
Division of Volunteer
Services in Human Resources at BIDMC. During the
months of July and August, these student volunteers
dedicated 20 hours a week for six weeks exploring
various health care—related careers while gaining
hands-on experience in a hospital setting.
20th annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace in support of
12
Giving
GivingMatters
Matters|| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
FILLING THE REGENERATION GAP
Foundation Gift Establishes Professorship and Center to Advance the Field of Regenerative Therapeutics
I
t may seem like the stuff of science
fiction, but the field of regenerative
medicine is a game-changing area
of translational research that could
offer extraordinary solutions for
patients with currently irreparable
conditions caused by disease, damage,
or defect. This groundbreaking
discipline of exploring innovative
ways to replace, engineer, or
regenerate human cells, tissues, and
organs recently received an enormous
boost at Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center with a gift from the
National Rongxiang Xu Foundation,
a not-for-profit charitable
organization based in the United
States. To honor the legacy of its
namesake, the foundation’s generous
support established the Rongxiang
Xu, M.D., Professorship of Surgery
in the Field of Regenerative
Therapeutics at Harvard Medical
School and the Rongxiang Xu, M.D.,
Center for Regenerative Therapeutics
through an endowment fund.
A renowned Chinese physician, the
late Rongxiang Xu, M.D., graduated
from Qingdao Medical College in
China. Trained as a surgeon, Xu
witnessed the pain and scarring of
burn patients treated with
conventional therapy and was
determined to discover a more
effective, less painful approach. He
developed a new therapy for burns
that helped to restore the
physiological structure and function
of the skin and other tissues, thereby
dramatically reducing pain, illness,
and death. Through years of studies,
Xu and his research team revealed
important fundamental principles
for regenerating adult tissue and
organs, translating this knowledge
into novel topical therapies. His
significant contributions saved lives,
revolutionized wound therapy, and
dramatically improved the quality
of life of countless patients around
the world. Over the past three
decades, Xu’s research in tissue repair
and regeneration led to multiple
U.S. patents and the growth of his
successful multi-national company,
MEBO International. The
government of China honored Xu,
who passed away earlier last year,
for his many contributions with
a commemorative postage stamp
bearing his image. His scientific
achievements have also been
t
q
u
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
The late
Rongxiang Xu, M.D.
Aristedes Veves,
M.D., D.Sc.
A series of Chinese
postage stamps
issued in Xu's honor
acknowledged by U.S. Presidents
Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and
George H. W. Bush.
Xu’s interest in translating his work to
a broad group of patients was further
realized through a longstanding
collaboration with Aristidis Veves,
M.D., D.Sc., in BIDMC’s Roberta
and Stephen R. Weiner Department
of Surgery. In recognition of his
international leadership in the field
of regenerative therapeutics and
wound healing, Veves has been
nominated to be the first Rongxiang
Xu, M.D., Professor of Surgery and
will serve as the director of the
BIDMC Rongxiang Xu, M.D.,
Center for Regenerative Therapeutics.
“This center will be one of a kind,”
says Veves. “Through research,
education, and clinical innovations,
the center will improve the lives of
millions of people around the world
suffering from chronic wounds,
burns, and other serious conditions.”
Dr. Veves focuses much of his
research—which also receives funding
from the National Institutes of
Health and other agencies—on
understanding what impairs wound
healing in diabetic patients and using
that knowledge to develop novel
therapeutic products for patients with
chronic wounds caused by diabetes,
venous ulcers, burns, and more. Veves
is concentrating his efforts largely on
neuropeptides, protein-like molecules
that have multiple functions in
the body. He and his collaborators
at BIDMC, the Wyss Institute, the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Tufts University, and
other institutions are working on
developing new biomaterials, such
as topical dressings, that will deliver
these neuropeptides and other
potentially curative factors to
conditions resulting from a failure
of tissue repair and regeneration.
In addition to providing critical
resources to further advance the work
of Veves and other groundbreaking
scientists in the Boston area, the
Rongxiang Xu Center will also
conduct joint bench-to-bedside
research with investigators
worldwide, and educate physicians
and scientists internationally about
new therapies and the management
of the problems they treat. The center
will also sponsor an annual lecture
by a world-renowned expert.
“We are very honored by and excited
about this extraordinary gift,” says
Veves. “By working collaboratively
with the National Rongxiang Xu
Foundation and its partners,
including the Clinton Global
Initiative, we are well-positioned to
have a worldwide impact on these
pressing health problems.” 
13
q
Nadine Tung, M.D.
RISKS
REWARDS
BIDMC Researchers Help Launch First National Genetic Testing Study in U.S.
Jewish Population
Alana Kapust always suspected her chances of getting
breast or ovarian cancer one day were high. Her aunt
passed away from ovarian cancer at age 34. Her mother
was diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time
and battled second and third rounds of the disease
years later.
After her mother and grandfather both
tested positive for the BRCA1 gene
mutation, they encouraged Kapust to
be screened for the cancer-causing
abnormality, which can be passed down
through generations. When her tests
also came back positive, Kapust sought
the guidance of Nadine Tung, M.D.,
director of the Cancer Genetics and
Prevention Program at Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center. “I went
from not knowing but having this
feeling of inevitability of cancer to
having Dr. Tung create a plan with
me,” says Kapust, who had ultimately
inherited a 90 percent chance of
developing breast cancer and a 50
percent chance of developing ovarian
cancer. Before age 30, with the support
of Tung and her team, Kapust chose
preventive surgery— an oophorectomy
to remove her ovaries as well as a
14
double mastectomy— effectively
eliminating her likelihood of getting
ovarian or breast cancer in the future.
“Being able to identify who in a family
is at risk and who is not at risk is an
enormous achievement,” Tung says.
“Alana’s mother and aunt were
blindsided. But Alana, she knew that
she was at risk for these cancers,
and that put us in the driver’s seat.”
ultimately makes the body’s cells more
prone to cancer. The mutated BRCA1
and BRCA2 genes confer an increased
risk of developing several particular
types of cancer in men and women,
including breast, ovarian, melanoma,
pancreatic, and aggressive forms of
prostate cancer. Upon further study,
the impact of these mutations on
clinical care expanded from just being
able to predict who is at risk for cancer
to how to manage that risk and treat
the cancers that develop in those
individuals more effectively. “For the
first time we were able to really finetune risk assessment, tailor strategies
for risk reduction, and deliver
personalized care for these individuals
and their families,” Tung says.
genetic testing involves in-person
sessions between individual patients
and genetic counselors both pre- and
post-test. But given that the vast
majority of those tested for rare
mutations like BRCA will not have a
genetic abnormality, what would
happen if live counselors were reserved
for the patients who need them most,
when they need them most? “We want
to show that by using our limited
counseling services more wisely and
augmenting their efforts with
technology, we can improve the genetic
testing process more broadly,” says
Tung. “This could be the way to
responsibly and efficiently offer this
testing to all individuals who really
need it.”
When researchers discovered that
mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
caused an inherited risk of breast and
ovarian cancer 20 years ago, it was a
game changer for clinicians and their
patients. BRCA genes, which are
present in every individual, produce
proteins that suppress tumors, ensure
the stability of the cell’s genetic
material, and repair DNA that has been
damaged. When mutated, the gene
does not function properly and
But along with the promise this type
of genetic testing holds for so many
in understanding and managing their
health come concurrent challenges
in fulfilling that promise. One of the
dilemmas facing this relatively new
field is how to conduct large-scale
testing effectively given the current
shortage of genetic counselors and
limited resources. Tung and her
colleagues believe that the solution
may lie in technology. Traditionally,
This novel idea has spawned a major
collaborative study called BFOR, the
BRCA Founder Mutations Outreach and
Research project, involving genetic
specialists at five institutions— BIDMC,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, CedarsSinai Medical Center, Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center, and the
University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson
Cancer Center. Scheduled to launch this
fall, it is the first-ever national genetic
testing campaign for cancer risk.
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
NEWS
OF NOTE
A month after announcing that
two vaccine candidates provided
mice with complete protection
against the Zika virus, a BIDMC
research team led by Dan
Barouch, M.D., Ph.D., in
collaboration with scientists at
Walter Reed Army Institute of
Research and the University of
São Paulo, reported achieving
complete protection against Zika
virus in rhesus monkeys. The
promising findings, which were
published online in the journal
Science, support continued
optimism for the feasibility of a
human Zika vaccine.
p
Tech Talk: Tung and her team are exploring how technology might make large-scale genetic testing in cancer more efficient and effective.
“ This could be the way to responsibly and efficiently offer
this testing to all individuals who really need it.”
—Nadine Tung, M.D.
The initial phase of the project will
examine 1,000 Ashkenazi Jewish
women and men, ages 25 years and
older, in each of the four participating
cities: Boston, Los Angeles, New York
City, and Philadelphia. A larger second
phase of the study could potentially
explore the feasibility of a nationwide
genetic testing and counseling program
for the nearly 3.5 million people in the
country of Jewish heritage, and in the
process, serve as a model for the
implementation of population genetic
testing strategies in the future. “For
BRCA mutations, it was logical to start
with the Jewish community,” notes
Tung, who will lead the project at
BIDMC. “But we have an opportunity
here to understand how to do this work
in the best and most conscientious way
possible and then apply what we learn
to other medical conditions and other
populations.”
The integral link between BRCA
mutations and the Ashkenazi Jewish
population offers the researchers an
almost ideal platform from which to
launch their efforts. Current estimates
indicate that one of every 40 Jewish
individuals of Eastern European
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
descent, or Ashkenazi Jews, has a
mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene,
compared to one in 800 in the general
population. “BRCA1 and BRCA2
mutations are 10 times more common
in those of Jewish ancestry, and three
recurring mutations explain almost all
of the abnormalities,” says Tung. “This
makes testing simpler than in other
populations.” But currently, genetic
testing for these mutations is only
recommended for individuals with a
personal or family history of breast
or ovarian cancer. And unlike Alana,
half of Jewish individuals who are
diagnosed with cancer and ultimately
found to carry the mutation have no
family history. Unsuspecting carriers
may simply not know that cancer runs
in the family, or they may have
inherited the mutation from their
fathers and thus have few women
in the family with cancer— and
consequently have no warning of
what’s likely to come. Today geneticscreening and insurance-carrier
guidelines endorse testing these
patients for the mutations only after
a cancer diagnosis, denying them
the opportunity to determine their risk
and take steps to prevent their disease.
“Research has shown that, if you are
Jewish, the risk for breast or ovarian
cancer is virtually the same for
everyone with a mutation regardless
of whether you meet the established
criteria for genetic testing,” says
Tung. “To rely on family history in a
population in which these mutations
are so common is not a good strategy.”
Extending genetic testing to more
at-risk patients in a resource-efficient
way could offer an elegant solution to
this conundrum while at the same time
provide insights into the complexities
of genetically screening large patient
populations. The BFOR study will
evaluate the feasibility of offering
BRCA mutation testing to Ashkenazi
Jewish men and women across the
United States regardless of their
family history using a digital platform.
A primary goal of the study is to
evaluate the effectiveness of using
technology for pre-test counseling and
saving in-person counseling services
for those who have a mutation— only
2.5 percent of Jewish individuals
For the second time, all four
hospitals in the BIDMC system
were recognized for their
commitments to patient safety
with “A” grades in The Leapfrog
Group’s Fall 2016 Hospital
Safety Score, which rates how
well hospitals protect patients
from preventable medical errors,
injuries, and infections. BIDMC
in Boston, BID–Milton, BID–
Needham, and BID–Plymouth
are among only 31 percent of
general hospitals in the United
States to receive the honor.
Recently awarded $42 million in
funding from the National
Institutes of Health, scientists
from BIDMC and Oregon Health
& Science University (OHSU)
will lead a five-year research
initiative to advance efforts to
prevent and cure HIV/AIDS
through a consortium of
investigators across the country.
The team will focus on
understanding the mechanisms
behind the effectiveness of
preventive vaccines developed
at BIDMC and OHSU in nonhuman primates and building on
that knowledge to create
effective therapeutics and
preventive strategies.
BIDMC psychiatry researchers
led by Matcheri Keshavan, M.D.,
have identified three biomarkerbased categories that provide a
new, more precise way to classify
psychotic diseases based on
patients’ underlying brain
biology. For the past 100 years,
psychoses have been diagnosed
solely on clinical observations of
symptoms. The identification of
these new biomarkers may
enable clinicians to more
precisely differentiate psychotic
conditions and provide patients
with more targeted treatments.
CONTINUED ON P. 16
15
“ The more we learn and the
more people we can reach,
the more people we can help.”
—Nadine Tung, M.D.
CONTINUED FROM P. 15
tested— or those who require more
extensive testing— individuals without
a BRCA mutation who have a strong
family history of cancer. Participants
will use an online video to complete a
standardized pre-test counseling
program and provide consent to
genetic testing electronically. They
will have the option to receive their
test results from their primary care
physicians, if those physicians choose
to participate, or from members of
the study team. If their results are
positive, subjects will be offered live
consultations to help make the health
management decisions best for
them. The project will assess patients’
comfort with standardized pre-test
counseling, primary physicians’ comfort
with disclosing genetic test results,
and whether appropriate screening
and prevention strategies are followed.
But widespread testing does not come
without costs. The team is grateful
that Quest Labs and Lifelink, a
California-based digital health company,
have donated their services for blood
testing and database management,
respectively, for the pilot study, and
that the Breast Cancer Research
Foundation has been a philanthropic
leader in supporting this research.
However, each site is responsible for
hiring necessary personnel, such as
research staff, genetic counselors,
and technology consultants, as well
as conducting public outreach.
Recognizing these gaps in resources,
former chair of the BIDMC Board of
Directors Steven B. Kay and his wife,
Lisbeth Tarlow, hosted an event at their
home last spring featuring members of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which
raised both funds for and awareness
of this project. “We know the testing is
being done for free, but we need
personnel who can help navigate
all the complexities of this research
and promote it to the appropriate
populations,” Tung says. “The more
we learn and the more people we can
reach, the more people we can help.”
As a doctor who has treated patients
with breast and ovarian cancer for
more than 25 years, the end result is
all that matters— providing the best
care possible to those in need. Her
hope is that she can make patient
experiences like Alana Kapust’s more
commonplace. “Being able to identify
these mutations in individuals who
would not have received genetic testing
otherwise is about saving lives,” she
says. “It is not just the individuals who
test positive. It is their children, their
siblings, their nieces, and nephews. It is
about saving families.” 
IN MEMORIAM
The BIDMC community is proud to recognize
our loyal and dedicated friends and supporters
who passed away from October 30, 2015 to
August 31, 2016. These individuals have provided
the medical center with unwavering leadership
and dedication over the years. We extend our
sincerest condolences and heartfelt sympathies
to their family members and friends.
John Faldetta
1943–2016
friend
Bernice B. Godine
1917–2016
friend
16
Marcia M. Yanofsky
1926–2016
friend
Norton L. Sherman
1932–2015
overseer emeritus
Joan Josephson
1943–2016
friend
Janet W. MacLure
1930–2016
overseer emerita
Charles H. Hood
1929–2016
overseer emeritus
Sarah O. Segall
1930–2015
friend
Nancy E. Perry
1928–2016
friend
Jerold O. Young
1932–2016
friend
Earle G. Woodman
1930–2016
physician, friend
Giving
GivingMatters
Matters|| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
t
Andrew Wagner, M.D., at the helm of a
surgical robot
p
Top: Esta and Robert Epstein
p
Bottom: William DeWolf, M.D.
TEACH YOUR DOCTORS WELL
Epsteins’ lead $1M gift launches fellowship in minimally invasive urologic surgery
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has been performing advanced minimally
invasive urologic surgery for more than 10 years. During this time, thanks
to high-quality surgeons and a strong educational core, the program has
skyrocketed to become a leader in the field, pioneering new techniques and
treating patients who otherwise might not receive care. Now, with a little help
from the patients they serve, the Division of Urology is adding a critical new
piece to its repertoire that will help attract leading surgical trainees from around
the country and further bolster BIDMC’s already nationally recognized
program.
In response to outstanding care from Andrew Wagner, M.D., director of
minimally invasive urologic surgery, and William DeWolf, M.D., chief of the
Division of Urology, Esta and Robert Epstein generously donated the lead
gift of $1 million to establish and name the Esta and Robert Epstein Fellowship
in Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery. More than $500,000 in additional
philanthropy from grateful patients and donors has helped to launch this
endowed fellowship, which will focus on advanced techniques for treating
urologic cancer. “Our entire goal around this work is to care for patients,”
Wagner says. “When they feel like they get outstanding care, it makes us feel
proud about what we are doing and the teams we have built.”
The Division of Urology at BIDMC is home to some of the most highly
skilled, fellowship-trained surgeons who are experts in minimally invasive
surgery, which includes advanced robotic and laparoscopic techniques used
on the kidney, prostate, and bladder. Compared to traditional open-incision
operations, minimally invasive surgery is conducted through four or five
very small incisions allowing patients to recover faster, typically with less
blood loss and lower infection rates.
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
But acquiring the skills required to perform these technically precise surgeries
is no simple task. BIDMC’s dedication to education is what sets it apart
from other institutions in Boston and around the country. For the last five
years, Wagner has led the only robotic urologic surgery teaching course in
New England—a two-day seminar, which includes lectures, live robotic surgery,
and hands-on training using robotic simulation and inanimate tissue models
designed at BIDMC. The recent addition of a funded fellowship program
will attract the best and brightest minds in the field to the medical center for
more specialized training. “We are trying to change the culture of how urology
is practiced,” DeWolf says. “We are very active in adding new ideas to the
urologic literature.”
The Epstein Fellowship supports a one- or two-year experience after urologic
residency that not only encompasses focused training in minimally invasive
and robotic surgery but also provides the protected time to teach residents and
medical students, conduct vital research, and innovate in the field. “You will
become an expert at the surgeries that you are doing, you will become more
of an expert in understanding and performing research, and you will become
more of a teacher,” DeWolf says of the prospective fellow. “It will allow you
to become a thought-leader in the field.” The fellowship also now ensures
that the medical center can develop the next generation of surgeons, who can
continue to offer the same expert, personalized care that BIDMC patients
have come to expect. “We are very grateful to the patients who supported this
fellowship not only because they are fulfilling one of our driving needs,”
DeWolf says, “but also because they are connecting us with what we are trying
to do, which is provide great care.” 
17
ON THE SCENE
1
2
3
4
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARDS
October 15, 2015
More than 270 attendees gathered at the Four Seasons
Hotel Boston for last year’s Annual Meeting of the
Boards. In addition to remarks by Chair of the Board
of Directors Daniel Jick and President and CEO Kevin
Tabb, M.D., guests were treated to a video recap of the
year and a moving speech from grateful patient, Philip
Lipof, co-anchor of WCVB’s NewsCenter 5. Lipof also
moderated an informative panel featuring John Halamka,
M.D., chief information officer; Jonathan Kruskal, M.D.,
Ph.D., chair of the Department of Radiology; A. James
Moser, M.D., F.A.C.S., co-director of the Pancreas and
Liver Institute; and Hope A. Ricciotti, M.D., chair of
the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Kidney
disease researcher David Friedman, M.D., and diabetes
researcher Anders Berg, M.D., were the recipients of
the Dvorak Young Investigator Award, an annual honor
bestowed on up-and-coming scientists established by
Sheldon Simon and Ruth Moorman.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Jonathan Kruskal, M.D., Ph.D., John Halamka, M.D.,
Hope Ricciotti, M.D., A. James Moser, M.D.
Kevin Tabb, M.D., Philip Lipof, Daniel J. Jick
Lili Sloane, Todd Sloane, Toby Sloane, Amy Pinel
Philip Lipof, Steven Chen, M.D.
Manuel Hidalgo, M.D., Ph.D., Pier Paolo Pandolfi, M.D., Ph.D.
Front Row, left to right: Anders Berg, M.D., Ph.D.,
David Friedman, M.D., Vikas Sukhatme, M.D., Ph.D.
Back Row, left to right: Harold Dvorak, M.D., Ruth Moorman,
Sheldon Simon, Martin Pollak, M.D.
5
6
7
BURBERRY FUNDRAISER FOR
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
December 15, 2015
In December, Ashley and Paul Bernon hosted a
fundraiser at the Burberry store on Newbury Street in
Boston to support the BIDMC Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology. The event, which featured afternoon
tea with InStyle Executive Style Correspondent
Dana Avidan-Cohn, raised proceeds to benefit laborand-delivery facility improvements at the medical
center. Co-hosts included grateful patients Jessica Collins,
Andrea Finard, Kim Find, Penelope Fireman,
Jenny Johnson, Tonya Mezrich, Anne Perkin,
Lauren Rosen, Tanja Tatelman, Kathleen VanDernoot,
Pramila Yadav, M.D., and Colleen Young.
7 Kristine Laping, Hope Ricciotti, M.D., Todd Shapiro, M.D.,
Ashley Bernon, Dana Avidan-Cohn, Pramila Yadav, M.D.
18
Giving Matters | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
8
9
PALM BEACH CELEBRATION
February 25, 2016
11
10
13
14
16
12
15
In February, guests gathered at the home of Roberta
and Stephen R. Weiner for the medical center’s annual
Palm Beach event, which showcased the current landscape
of cancer care and research. Moderated by former
WCVB-TV anchors Natalie Jacobson and Susan Wornick,
the program featured distinguished BIDMC cancer
specialists—Pier Paolo Pandolfi, M.D., Ph.D.,
Mark Callery, M.D., Manuel Hidalgo, M.D., Ph.D.,
Mary Jane Houlihan, M.D., and David McDermott, M.D.
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Stephen R. and Roberta Weiner, Caron and Kevin Tabb, M.D.
Theodore S. and Cynthia Berenson
Carl J. Shapiro, Linda Shapiro Waintrup
Gilda K. Slifka, Lois E. Silverman Yashar
Carol R. and Avram J. Goldberg
Daniel J. and Elizabeth Jick
Helaine B. Allen, Carol Feinberg Cohen
Martin and Dena Trust
17
BOSTON MARATHON
April 18, 2016
18
19
With 52 runners competing this year, BIDMC’s
“Tread Strong” Boston Marathon team raised more
than $465,000—topping last year’s total by more than
$100,000—to benefit a variety of medical center causes,
from community health programs to groundbreaking
research. BIDMC labor and delivery nurse Nancy Eaton,
R.N., ran in memory of her friend, colleague, and fellow
marathon team member Amanda Russell, R.N., who died
in a tragic accident while training earlier this year.
16 Theresa Normile, Brianna Normile,
Patrick Normile, Tyler Normile
17 Julia Eger, Holly Eger
18 Kira Chamberlain, Scott Chamberlain, Adam Chamberlain
19 Allison Foley
20
CRITICAL VOICES:
THE PICTURE OF HEALTH CARE
May 11, 2016
21
22
23
In May, BIDMC's Board of Overseers hosted its annual
Critical Voices event, which examined the complexities
of health care through the lens of politics and medicine.
Entitled “The Picture of Health Care,” the evening
featured Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor
Charlie Baker and BIDMC President and CEO Kevin
Tabb, M.D., who helped to shed light on health
care’s implications for eradicating disease, eliminating
disparities, and empowering patients. Emceed by
Alexandra Drane, the event was co-chaired by Tania and
Denis Leary, and Jody Dushay, M.D., and Paul Gompers.
Grateful patient Joshua Neudel also shared his inspiring
story of receiving a lifesaving liver transplant at BIDMC.
20 Paul Gompers and Jody Dushay, M.D., Kevin Tabb, M.D.,
Lauren Baker and Governor Charlie Baker, Denis and
Tania Cleary
21 Danielle Remis Hackel, Ruthann Remis
22 Jamie Grossman, Virginia MacDowell, Sid Queler,
Patricia Berenson
23 Governor Charlie Baker, Kevin Tabb, M.D.
Giving Matters | www.bidmc.org/giving
19
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Norwood, MA
Permit No. 20
Office of Development
330 Brookline Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
www.bidmc.org/giving
PICTURE PERFECT
From left to right: BIDMC President and CEO
Kevin Tabb, M.D., grateful patient Josh Neudel,
Vice Chair of the BIDMC Trustee Advisory
Board Alexandra Drane, and Commonwealth of
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
is a big fan of “selfies” so when he took part in BIDMC’s
Critical Voices “The Picture of Health Care” event in
May, it was only fitting that he grabbed a great shot of
himself and some of the other featured speakers from
the stage. To an audience of almost 300, Baker spoke about
the transforming image of health care and his take on
knowledge, technology, and demographics in that context.
Said Baker, whose three children were delivered at the
medical center, “I feel tremendously loyal and just grateful
to the folks at BIDMC over the years who have been terrific
stewards, collaborators, leaders, researchers, and care
deliverers here in the Commonwealth.”
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
FALL 2016
Your Support Helped Them Go the Distance
On April 18, Team BIDMC took part in the 120th running of the Boston Marathon and
raised close to $470,000 to benefit a variety of the medical center’s programs ranging
from groundbreaking research to innovative community health care.
Thank you to our team members
and all their supporters for
helping us continue to set the
pace in medical progress.
It’s never too late to make a
donation to an individual runner
or one of their many worthy
BIDMC causes. Go the extra mile
and make a gift today at
treadstrong.org.
Office of Development
330 Brookline Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
www.bidmc.org/giving
PICTURE PERFECT
From left to right: BIDMC President and CEO
Kevin Tabb, M.D., grateful patient Josh Neudel,
Vice Chair of the BIDMC Trustee Advisory
Board Alexandra Drane, and Commonwealth of
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
is a big fan of “selfies” so when he took part in BIDMC’s
Critical Voices “The Picture of Health Care” event in
May, it was only fitting that he grabbed a great shot of
himself and some of the other featured speakers from
the stage. To an audience of almost 300, Baker spoke about
the transforming image of health care and his take on
knowledge, technology, and demographics in that context.
Said Baker, whose three children were delivered at the
medical center, “I feel tremendously loyal and just grateful
to the folks at BIDMC over the years who have been terrific
stewards, collaborators, leaders, researchers, and care
deliverers here in the Commonwealth.”
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
FALL 2016
Your Support Helped Them Go the Distance
On April 18, Team BIDMC took part in the 120th running of the Boston Marathon and
raised close to $470,000 to benefit a variety of the medical center’s programs ranging
from groundbreaking research to innovative community health care.
Thank you to our team members
and all their supporters for
helping us continue to set the
pace in medical progress.
It’s never too late to make a
donation to an individual runner
or one of their many worthy
BIDMC causes. Go the extra mile
and make a gift today at
treadstrong.org.