Don't Miss a Beat Employee Newsletter - April 5, 2022

A year of progress, a year of stories

A year ago, Mass General Brigham launched System Spotlights, a series of stories reflecting our journey toward becoming an integrated healthcare system with patients at its center.

The first System Spotlight came out in February 2021. We have since published more than 100 stories that show our progress and capture the positive impact we are having on the lives of our patients and employees. To learn more and read highlights from last year, click here.

New Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council blog post: The Peoples’ heART

As we look forward to spring, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council continues to focus on its work around gender-neutral restrooms and pronouns, but we’ve also begun to explore new projects related to our mission of keeping diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of all we do. At a recent meeting, Director of Community Health and Wellness Tracy Sylven, CHHC, MCHES, introduced us to the Peoples’ heART. Read more.

Letters from our patients and their families

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital staff and employees often receive heartfelt thank you notes and survey comments from the patients and families they serve. The messages here are devoted to featuring those special words from patients and family members who have benefitted from the incredible compassion and expert skill of our superb staff.

Tell us what you think! Take our Health Care Without Harm food service survey

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Food and Nutrition Department has teamed up with Health Care Without Harm to conduct a very short (only 2 minutes!) online survey about our plant-forward menus. Please take a moment to complete the survey by Tuesday, April 12. To take the survey, click here.

Partners de-branding in Windows 10

Last week, employees began seeing the term “Partners” drop from folders at the top of the Start menu on their Windows 10 computers. Instead of saying “Partners Applications,” the folder now reads “Applications.” Folders remain at the top of the Windows 10 Start menu, but it is recommended that users search for their apps using the toolbar to the right of the Windows icon. If you have any questions, please open a ticket with EDS Application Delivery Services.

U.S. citizenship preparation classes for employees and their family members

Mass General Brigham offers a free, 4-week program to assist employees and their families or friends to attain U.S. citizenship. The classes, facilitated by JVS staff, are once per week.

A 4-session class option is available:

Thursdays – April 28 to May 19, 5:30 to 7:30 pm (via Zoom)

A self-study option is also available.

Eligibility requirements:

• Must have a resident card (green card) or equivalent
• Must be a permanent resident in the U.S. for at least five years
• Must be able to pay $725 to submit their N-400 application

Services include:

• U.S. history and civics lessons
• Assistance completing the N-400 application
• Preparation for interview with a USCIS official
• Referral to support services if needed

Participants may be referred to Project Citizenship, where they will receive a review of their application before submitting and free legal advice if needed. To learn more and register, complete the Citizenship Course Interest Form, visit AskMyHR or contact JVS at jvscitizenship@jvs-boston.org or 617-399-3224.

RN to BSN, MSN-FNP and DNP programs at Salve Regina University

Join an information session, led by faculty and admissions staff at Salve Regina University, about various nursing programs. Sessions will be held on Tuesday, May 3, at 6 pm and Friday, May 6, at 12 noon. Mass General Brigham employees, system-wide, receive 10 to 20 percent off tuition at Salve Regina University on select programs. Discounts are also available to eligible family members and members of the military. Learn more about this and tuition discounts at other universities on AskmyHR.

5 tips to protect yourself from tax scams

What’s worse than filing your taxes? Having your identity stolen from a tax scam. Read these 5 tips to avoid falling victim to tax scams.

1. File your Tax Return early
2. Never respond to requests for personal or financial information through email, text (SMS or MMS), phone or social media
3. Regularly monitor your bank and financial accounts for suspicious activity
4. Sign up for a credit monitoring service
5. Check your free annual credit report

If you suspect a tax scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftc.gov/ and ISPOFraudNotifications@partners.org to alert Mass General Brigham Information Security and the MGH Police & Security Special Investigators of ID theft/ fraud. For more information, contact your Information Security Officer or Privacy Officer.

Occupational Health offering onsite appointments for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots

Occupational Health Services at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital is now offering limited Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination/booster shot appointments on a bi-weekly basis to employees. Appointments are available every other Thursday, beginning April 7, from 11 am to 2 pm. Employees must sign up for a time slot via Microsoft Bookings. Please see the tip sheet on how to sign up for your appointment. If you would like to receive Johnson & Johnson or Moderna for your booster shot, please utilize local community sites.

Additional COVID-19 boosters recommended for certain individuals

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated its recommendations to allow certain individuals with certain underlying medical conditions and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least four months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19.

Separately and in addition, based on newly published data, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least four months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna).

The CDC continues to recommend that all eligible adults, adolescents and children 5 and older be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting an initial booster when eligible.

Town Hall with BWFH President David McCready - April 15

Join us on Friday, April 15, at 12 noon in Huvos Auditorium for a hospital-wide forum where hospital leadership will share important COVID-19 updates, information about FY23 budget planning, investments being made by Mass General Brigham and the Brigham into BWFH, our campus expansion project and employee satisfaction survey results. You can also watch a live stream here. In addition to these important hospital updates, there will also be time for questions and answers. Submit your question ahead of time to bwfhbroadcast@partners.org.

Pillars of Excellence Awards - April 21

Join the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital community in recognizing our 2021 Pillars of Excellence Award recipients on Thursday, April 21, from 1 to 2 pm. Learn more about the event on Mass General Brigham Pulse. Award recipients, friends, family and colleagues are all invited to join the virtual ceremony. To view the livestream, beginning at 1 pm on April 21, click here.

Quality & Safety Symposium - April 28

Please join us for the seventh annual Mass General Brigham Quality & Safety Symposium on April 28 from 8 am to 12:45 pm. This virtual event will feature internal keynote speakers and brief panel presentations on quality and safety efforts from local leaders across Mass General Brigham. Highlighted initiatives will include United Against Racism, primary care, community health, patient experience, digital patient experience, quality and safety collaboratives, substance use and equity informed high reliability. View the agenda and register.

Basics of Excel Presented by the Emerging Leaders Committee - April 28

Join Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Emerging Leaders Committee on Thursday, April 28, from 12 noon to 1 pm in the 4 North Computer Training Room for a workshop on the Basics of Excel.

All are welcome to attend. To register, email Katie Plante.