South Shore Hospital

Description

About South Shore Hospital
South Shore Hospital is a charitable notforprofit taxexempt regional provider of acute outpatient home health and hospice care for the 725000 residents of Southeastern Massachusetts

South Shore Hospitals home health care division South Shore Visiting Nurse Association includes South Shore Visiting Nurses Hospice of the South Shore and Home amp Health Resources

Mission Vision Values
Mission
South Shore Hospital exists to benefit the people of our region by promoting good health and by healing caring and comforting

Vision
South Shore Hospital aspires to be The Choice trusted as the first place to turn for quality health care services We will achieve this vision by becoming a fully integrated health care provider that works in close partnership with physicians clinical affiliates insurers and communitybased organizations to achieve optimum patientfamily satisfaction to retain expert talent to earn community loyalty and to enhance financial performance

Values
All of us affiliated with South Shore Hospital are guided by these values in fulfilling our mission and achieving our vision

We care for our patients as we would our loved ones with expertise
compassionand respect

We personify initiative innovation and tenacity in addressing community
health care priorities

We foster an environment that celebrates diversity rewards excellence and
addedvalue and encourages good citizenship

We work cooperatively with our colleagues and our community to advance the
regions wellbeing

We exhibit leadership on critical issues in ways worthy of public confidence

We demonstrate accountability integrity and resourcefulness in our
financial stewardship

History

Hospital History
The 1920s
In 1921 Weymouth surgeon Dr George E Emerson started the movement to build a hospital in Weymouth At the time local residents had to trek into Boston for nonemergency medical needs often forced to wait for a bed to become available Weymouth Massachusetts second oldest town appeared to be an ideal location 12 miles of waterfront a river that led to the ocean fine homes old churches and a 300year history Yet it had no hospital and the need for one was pressing Dr Emerson and 11 other citizens of goodwill and public spirit responded by organizing a Hospital Corporation

That same year Alonzo Newbert one of the Hospitals founders purchased the HB Reed estate a threestory Civil Warera brick house sitting on threeandahalf acres at the corner of Main and Columbian Streets in South Weymouth for 14000 Newbert sold the site to the Hospital for 14000 accepting a full mortgage dated six months ahead thereby donating a halfyears interest to the Hospital

On March 25 1922 Dr Emerson Newbert and 10 other citizens W Carleton Barnes Patrick J Derrig Sidney G Dunbar William C Earle William J Fitzsimmons William J Holbrook Parker T Pearson John F Reardon James BB Smith and Prince H Tirrell obtained a charter for the Hospital William Earle was appointed president and Drs Emerson Frederick L Doucette Wallace H Drake and Cornelius A Sullivan formed the first medical staff

On May 21 amid band music and a speech from Massachusetts Governor Channing H Cox the doors to the new Weymouth Hospital were opened The trustees agreed that the Hospital should be selfsupporting and that no patient would ever be denied admission solely on the basis of inability to pay Nearly 80 years later that commitment remains unchanged but has tested the Hospitals financial and physical limits many times over

Growth began almost immediately In 1923 with a 10000 gift from Almon B Raymond and borrowed funds the Hospital built the first of many additions The first addition which included 14 private rooms became known as the Raymond Wing or Annex In 1924 the estates former stable was converted to nurses housing

In 1925 W Carleton Barnes was appointed president an office he would hold until 1943 Irene Oliver RN was appointed superintendent in 1927 and would hold that office until 1944

Active and courtesy designations and bylaws outlining privileges were established for the medical staff in 1929 following a recommendation by the American Medical Association to change the quotopen systemquot for physicians to a category system

The 1930s
The Depression years were hard for everyone for the 12 to 15 million out of work the 30 million who depended on limited charity both public and private and the millions more who were barely making it Still the Hospital continued to grow opening an accident room in 1930 the same year it enlarged and modernized Xray added a drug room and built a dining room for nurses

In 1931 construction began on a sixbed surgical ward for women as well as a clinical laboratory Both opened on April 1 1932 bringing the total number of beds to 60 including 18 bassinets The Hospital was also placed on the American College of Surgeons list of Grade A hospitals A year later in 1933 Weymouth was placed on that organizations list of Fully Approved Hospitals

In 1934 the Hospitals pioneering efforts led to two important firsts It became the first New England hospital to institute a group hospitalization and insurance plan with the Weymouth Hospital Service Plan Rates were 12 per person per year 19 per couple and 7 each for additional family member The plan a precursor to the Blue Cross plan for hospitalization and the Blue Shield plan for surgical services entitled enrollees to 21 days of free care in the hospital and use of the operating and delivery rooms

Weymouth Hospital also became the first private corporation to obtain money from the Public Works Administration PWA in 1934 when the PWA agreed to purchase 60000 of the Hospitals four percent bonds The money was used to finance a new addition that opened in January 1936 featuring two operating rooms with a separate anesthetizing room a separate maternity suite and segregated childrens ward a kitchen and electric elevator a relocated accident room with a separate ambulance entrance a library with a medical section a metabolism room Xray viewing room linen room record room mortuary pharmacy and sterilizing and utility rooms

The number of beds now totaled 90 and became 94 in 1939 By the end of the decade the medical staff expanded its already strong capabilities by establishing a consulting staff that included prominent Boston specialists

The 1940s
Weymouth Hospital began the decade by becoming a member of the Associated Hospital Service of Massachusetts Its occupancy level had continued to grow and was now at 93 percent The prewar period brought steadily rising admissions due in part to an increase in industrial accidents and obstetrics patients To help ease the strain an admitting officer was hired in 1940 and in 1942 the Hospital reduced maternity stays from 12 days to seven Still more space was needed

In 1944 W Carleton Barnes resigned as president due to ill health and Albert Vinal was elected in his place Under Vinal the Board of Trustees expanded from 21 to 27 members to better represent the towns surrounding Weymouth Vinal also hired the Hospitals first fulltime accountant to keep the growing volume of financial records in order

The year 1945 brought a new Hospital director a new building and a new name Dr Arthur Perkins was named as the Hospitals first director a post he held until 1967 Perkins took over at a hectic time but his combination of skills as a highly trained physician and an experienced hospital administrator enabled him to provide the leadership Weymouth Hospital needed

1945 also brought a new addition as an influx of government workers intensified the need for more space Leased from the Public Works Administration and known as the Government Building the addition housed admitting and general offices accident rooms a pharmacy kitchen and cafeteria maternity pediatrics and a nursery The bed complement now totaled 117 including 40 bassinets

The Hospitals growth and the reality that it was serving residents well beyond Weymouths borders led to a name change in 1945 South Shore Hospital The new moniker reflected the regional nature of its services and also stronger board representation for the surrounding towns

In 1947 under the guidance of the trustees public relations committee The Friends of South Shore Hospital Inc was formed to replace the Womens Guild with Mrs Herbert French as its first president The Friends would continue to function as a vital source of generating goodwill for the Hospital and also raising funds for new programs and services

That same year negotiations began to purchase the Government Building later known as the Administration Building from the PWA even as skyrocketing hospital costs were causing Blue Cross to have difficulty honoring contracts The Blue Cross situation stabilized by May 1948

During the remainder of the decade the Hospital progressed on several fronts adding a new blood bank instituting a stipend for living expenses for nurses who no longer had to pay room and board and opening the Friendly Gift Shop operated by the Friends in 1949 The medical staff liquidated the remainder of the debt from the 1936 PWA building by donating 14000 and the Hospital continued to lease the 1945 PWA building Guided by its trustees and aided by the medical staffs donation the Hospital ended the decade in solvency

The 1950s
The Fifties were a busy decade for South Shore Hospital marked by many accomplishments including the Hospitals first accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations JCAHO The Associates of South Shore Hospital a mens guild was established in February 1950 and elected Harold F Robinson of Braintree as its first president A Social Security plan was first offered to employees in December of that year In August 1951 the Hospital purchased the Government Building from the PWA for 20000

The Hospitals fund drive in 1952 received an unforeseen boost in June with the birth of the Manning quadruplets three boys and a girl The subsequent national attention focused on the Hospital paid off in high dividends and a fund drive was a success

1953 was marked by the first Employee Service Awards ceremony a new IV therapy service a newly formed tissue committee and the formation of a dental staff To keep pace with technological and medical advances the medical staff established monthly clinical meetings to discuss medical and surgical cases and nurses formed the South Shore Hospital Nurses Club

The medical staff organized a drug committee and became an affiliate of the PostGraduate Medical Institute in 1954 The Institute arranged monthly lectures by selected instructors from Boston medical education centers thereby bringing teaching hospital expertise to the South Shore In December 1954 the Hospital received a gift of approximately 50000 from Childrens Sunlight Hospital and earmarked it for improvements to the pediatrics department

The new West Wing with 43 new beds opened to patients in January 1955 and was acquired debtfree The total number of beds was now at 152 including 57 bassinets The Hospital began autoclaving needles and syringes and established a genitourinary Xray room as well as a rotating emergency physicians schedule to improve emergency coverage In fact South Shore Hospital became one of the first community hospitals in the country to arrange 24hour emergency physician coverage

The Hospital expanded again in 1958 with the opening of the Childrens Division financed with funds from Childrens Sunlight Hospital the Ford Foundation and public support
Beds now totaled 188

The Hospital also opened a histology laboratory with a fulltime associate pathologist established a school for radiology technicians and opened its first recovery room Prior to 1958 patients had to recover in their own rooms

As the decade drew to a close the medical staff began to teach nurses what the doctors were learning through the PostGraduate Medical Institute by offering inservice education programs Other highlights were improvements to cardiology services including the acquisition of pacemakers and a defibrillator establishment of an outpatient EEG department and a 40hour work week and increased wages for nurses

The 1960s
For the nation the Sixties were a decade of change President Kennedys assassination the Great Society Vietnam War the moon landing and shifts in values changed forever the way Americans would look at themselves and the world For hospitals the beginning of Medicare in July 1966 had similar effects The Medicare program established to fund health care services for senior citizens and those with disabilities fundamentally changed the dynamics of health care delivery and reimbursement

Another major change was also in store for the Hospital that would help it grow through the end of the decade It centered on the 1963 resolution of a longstanding controversy A trust fund established in 1923 by Laban Pratt had been willed to build a townowned hospital in North Weymouth By the early 1960s the fund had grown to 900000 a considerable amount but not enough to build a hospital It was eventually negotiated that the funds would go toward a new wing for South Shore Hospital it was argued that Pratt who had moved away might not have known of the small hospitals existence and in 1963 the will was broken The money would go toward South Shore Hospitals expansion the Hospitals medical staff would take an active role in planning for the new wing

In 1967 the Reed Mansion the original Weymouth Hospital was demolished and Phase I of the Laban Pratt Wing was opened to patients followed by the intensive and coronary care units later that year Because of a great need for Hospital services each section of the wing was occupied as soon as it was finished until 1969 when the Laban Pratt building project was completed The Hospital now had 239 beds

Adding a new wing was just another sign of a busy decade To better coordinate the increasing caseload in many specialties the medical staff organized medical surgical anesthesia pediatric obstetric and accident room committees in 1961 The Hospitals first director of volunteers was hired in 1963 Moonlighting residents began to be used regularly to staff the emergency department and in 1965 the laboratory received accreditation from the College of American Pathologists A Code 9 resuscitation program and a chaplain service were established in 1966 followed by radiation therapy a security department a public relations department and an EKG unit in 1967

South Shore Hospital was once again at the forefront in 1968 when it established a
daysurgery program the first of its kind at a community hospital in the Greater Boston area
In 1969 the Hospital opened a cardiac care unit and obstetrical recovery room established inhalation therapy nuclear medicine and personnel departments and organized a safety committee and a program for patient care continuity To keep up with the diversification of medicine the medical staff shifted from general practice to specialty subspecialty and superspecialty medicine

Donald Duke succeeded Dr Arthur Perkins as director in 1968

The 1970s
For South Shore Hospital the 1970s would be another decade of growth It began in 1970 with a new pediatric surgical day care program and the new Conren Chapel dedicated on May 10

William Clark became director of the Hospital in 1971 succeeding Donald Duke Three new floors were added to the Laban Pratt Wing a new EKG machine was purchased and four critical care units totaling 32 beds were opened as well as a new ambulatory care department

Also in 1971 the Hospital instituted a social services department to provide discharge planning as well as a physical therapy department The Hospital would see many more changes and bring many more new services to the community during the next several years

Government regulations a result of the government funding originated in the Sixties was increasingly something to contend with In 1972 the state passed Determination of Need DoN legislation establishing regulations that would have an enormous effect on the hospital industry and in particular would affect South Shores continued efforts to expand further and acquire new services Another law with farreaching implications established the Peer Review Standards Organization PRSO

On the clinical front Hospital dieticians began a teaching program for diabetics and the Hospital once again pioneered several innovations a unit dose pharmacy system initiated in the Laban Pratt Wing South Shore was one of the first hospitals to use such a system and a familycentered maternity care program that included prepared childbirth classes and sibling visiting privileges one of only 22 such programs nationwide

Preadmission testing and centralized purchasing were added in 1973 In 1974 Hospital volunteers began a quotReach for Recoveryquot program for mastectomy patients and the Hospital began an EEG service A speakers bureau was started in 1975 providing the community with doctors nurses and other authorities who presented healthrelated topics for meetings and other community events That same year a tumor registry was organized within the Medical Records department

In 1976 as the nation celebrated its Bicentennial the Hospital began to add three more floors to the Laban Pratt Wing Hospital cardiologists began stress testing and the Hospital acquired ultrasound the same year

Another major change occurred in 1977 when South Shore Hospital reorganized from a stockholder corporation to a membership corporation The Hospitals administration was restructured as well to reflect the reorganization Two years later in 1979 the Chubbuck property was demolished to make room for parking and a new ambulatory care unit opened to provide convenient walkin service to outpatients

The 1980s
In 1981 the top three floors of the Laban Pratt Wing opened providing 32 critical care beds The communitys demand for the Hospitals services continued to grow prompting the filing of a Determination of Need with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for 152 additional beds

Under the direction of Clark and William F Meara Jr chairman of the board the Hospital reorganized again in 1982 this time into a parent corporation South Shore Health and Educational Corporation and four dedicated subsidiaries South Shore Hospital South Shore Joint Ventures South Shore Management and South Shore Properties

Also in 1982 the Hospitals cancer management program was recognized for its excellence and received accreditation from the American College of Surgeons as a Community Cancer Management Center To better coordinate the high influx of emergency patients South Shore Hospital joined Quincy City Hospital and Milton Medical Center to form the South Suburban Emergency Medical system

1982 was also the year the Hospital introduced use of a computerized tomography CT head scanner the nursing standards committee was formed the Institutional Review Board was instituted by the medical staff and the occupational health department was established

The years 198384 saw many improvements under the organizations new chairman Jane S Phillips former president of The Friends and Drs Charles E Rounds and Philip OSullivan who each served as medical staff presidents during Phillips twoyear term

In 1983 South Shore Hospital helped many older people continue to live independently at home by playing a role in offering the Lifelinereg emergency response system which enables subscribers to contact help at the push of a button The first 50 Lifelinereg units were purchased with the help of the Hospitals annual appeal and a 28000 donation from The Friends led by Friends President Barbara MacSwan

The most significant event of 1983 was the opening of the South Shore Health Care Center in Marshfield an urgent care center that was later sold

Diagnostic capabilities were enhanced when the Hospital acquired Doppler ultrasound in 1984 A pastoral care department was begun that year as well with the appointment of a fulltime ecumenical chaplain

In 1985 a new chairman Edward S Amazeen led the way along with Dr Albert H Marcus the medical staff president Under Amazeens chairmanship South Shore Properties Inc a subsidiary of the Corporation led the development of the Nevin Professional Building a group of medical condominiums linking key elements of the medical staff with the Hospital The Hospital also introduced an organizationwide computer system that year acquired a fullbody CT scanner and joined the Voluntary Hospitals of America which uses group buying power to acquire supplies at low rates

In May 1986 Clark moved into a consulting role with the Hospital after 17 years at its helm and in September 1986 David T Hannan was appointed president and chief executive officer of both the Hospital and its parent Corporation

Under Dr Arthur J Garceaus tenure as medical staff president in 1986 the Hospitals critical care program was highly ranked in a nationwide study comparing teaching and nonteaching facilities receiving attention in the national press including The New York Times

To round out a busy year The Friends made a significant contribution to the Hospital to help fund a courtesy coach service providing patients with free transportation to and from the Hospital A trauma unit within our emergency department was established with the help of a threeyear pledge of 125000 from The Friends And after several years of negotiations with the state Department of Public Health the Hospital gained approval for a 60bed expansion

The following year brought a new chairman Edward F McHugh Jr and a new medical staff president Dr Richard A Alemian Both would serve through 1988 In 1987 the Corporation affiliated with the VNA Foundation of the South Shore the parent organization of South Shore Visiting Nurse amp Health Services SSVNampHS SSVNampHS comprised the Visiting Nurse Association of the South Shore Hospice of the South Shore and Home and Health Resources of the South Shore This affiliation formalized a longstanding working relationship between the regions largest health care provider and the largest home health provider and ensured continuity of care from hospital to home following discharge Two Hospital physicians in particular Drs James R Everett and Albert Sullivan both boardcertified oncologists worked closely with Hospice and helped nurture the relationship

Another important event in 1987 was the groundbreaking for a new 60bed addition financed through the sale of 34 million in bonds

As health care financing by the state and federal governments became more and more uncertain the need for Hospital fundraising increased The Corporation under McHughs guidance recognized this in 1987 when it formed the South Shore Health and Educational Foundation and appointed Amazeen as its chairman The Foundation has since been a vital catalyst for obtaining much needed capital for investment in new technology growth and program development

Medical highlights in 1987 included the start of a Phase I cardiac rehabilitation program and the expansion of the nuclear medicine and ultrasound departments Cardiology along with four other clinical areas emergency medicine maternity oncology and orthopedics began to be actively developed as the Hospitals quotcenters of excellencequot Toward that end a new director of emergency services Dr Leonard Winer was hired to enhance emergency services and to help recruit new emergency medical specialists

In 1988 South Shore Hospital became the first in the Northeast to offer an onsite autologous blood donation program in association with the Red Cross

The anesthesiology department began using epidural pain management a technique that can give patients virtually painfree recovery from surgery The program was actively promoted by Dr James Wechsler a staff anesthesiologist The Hospital added cardiac rehabilitation Phases II and III on an outpatient basis and Hospice of the South Shore became the areas first hospice to be awarded Medicare certification The Hospital also instituted a formal patient advocacy program to enhance patientfamily satisfaction

In 1989 the organization continued to prepare for the coming decade under the guidance of SSHEC Chairman Harry W Healey Jr Medical Staff President Bartley G Cilento MD David Hannan and his administration team A new magnetic resonance imaging MRI center opened at the end of 1988 as a joint venture between the Hospital and the Shields Health Care Group of Brockton making advanced diagnostic imaging technology available locally A new kidney stone lithotripter a new technology for nonsurgical removal of kidney stones opened in June the first of its kind in Southeastern Massachusetts

Also in June Dr James M Klick a staff anesthesiologist brought distinction to the Hospitals critical care program by becoming one of the first inductees into the newly formed American College of Critical Care Medicine Dr Klick was one of only 156 physicians nationwide to be accepted into this organization The honor called attention to the unique status of the Hospitals anesthesiologists who also function as critical care specialists in the Hospitals critical care units

South Shore Hospital s critical care program received another boost in 1989 in the form of a 100000 donation from The Friends led by Friends President Bridget B Blasser The funds helped purchase new monitoring equipment for two of the Hospitals four critical care units

In 1989 the boards of the Hospital and Corporation began longrange planning in earnest Early in the year the directors and overseers realized that the Hospitals survival through the turn of the century depended on preparing for the future by anticipating changes in health care The focus of this planning effort known as the Blue Ribbon Planning Committee Year 2000 was a 13member steering committee chaired by Arthur Sharp of South Weymouth who also served as chairman of the Hospital board of directors from 19891991

The Planning Committee focused on four major areas of study the evolving medical practice standard quality and technology issues the impact of an aging South Shore population the role of government in the financing and delivery of health care and the availability of key resources such as physicians personnel and capital

It recommended four action areas for the 1990s community focus the hospitalphysician partnership demonstrating value and rethinking the delivery of services

The decade ended on a high note with the opening of a new 60bed addition itself three times as large as the original Weymouth Hospital The ad hoc committee formed to name the building chaired by longtime board member Henry Hoffman recommended that it be named for Dr George E Emerson the Weymouth surgeon who began this story

The new Emerson building featured two 30bed patient care floors a dining room and renovated and expanded administrative offices as well as a new gift shop It is a tribute not only to Dr Emerson but also to the many members of the South Shore Hospital community who played a role in its development

The 1990s
Throughout the 1990s health care operated under difficult conditions Most Massachusetts hospitals felt the squeeze from shrinking payor reimbursements and some were forced to cut back on programs or close entirely Despite these challenges South Shore Hospital managed to flourish Southeastern Massachusetts residents chose the Hospital for care in recordbreaking numbers enabling it to grow from the 18th busiest in the late 1980s to the 10th busiest acute care hospital in Massachusetts by 1992 In the process South Shore made important strides to meet the most urgent community health care needs

In doing so the Hospital capitalized on its proximity to Boston forging innovative partnerships with Childrens Hospital Boston and Brigham and Womens Hospital bringing teachinghospital expertise to area residents Notable achievements made in specific areas are outlined below

Pediatric
The 1990s saw South Shore Hospital position itself as the primary regional provider of pediatric care In 1991 the Hospital received Level II designation for its special care nursery enabling the Hospital to care for highrisk mothers and their babies The Hospital also formed a strategic partnership with Childrens Hospital throughout the 1990s this partnership enabled the Hospital to open an adolescent medicine clinic a new childrens genetics clinic and pediatric inpatient services neonatology and several outpatient specialty clinics for children with cardiac gastrointestinal and other complex conditions

In 1998 the Hospital launched a pediatric emergency service in conjunction with Childrens Hospital the first of its kind in the region offering roundtheclock availability of certified pediatric emergency care from Childrens emergency physicians

Womens Health
Throughout the 1990s South Shore Hospital continued to be the maternity center of choice for area women A new maternity center opened in 1991 and by 1996 the Hospital expanded maternity service yet again by converting an intensive care unit into an eightbed antenatal unit designed for evaluating and monitoring maternity patients not in active labor

Beginning in 1996 the Hospital offered a convenient way for women experiencing infertility to receive expert reproductive endocrinology and infertility services by teaming with Brigham and Womens Hospital The new clinic enabled patients to be diagnosed and treated by boardcertified specialists from the Brigham right at South Shore Hospital

Breast cancer screening and treatment also expanded dramatically during the late 1990s
In 1998 the Hospital introduced a comprehensive evaluation and treatment program
the only one of its kind in the region that coordinates all aspects of a breast cancer patients care In 1999 the Hospital appointed a fulltime womens health manager to support and guide women throughout their diagnoses and treatments and also help coordinate care among various specialists

In addition mammography services were expanded in 1998 and again in 1999 drastically reducing waits for these important screenings Also in 1999 a new technology was acquired a stereotactic breast biopsy unit to allow radiologists to use computergenerated images to pinpoint the exact location of suspected tumors

The Foundation
In 1990 the South Shore Health and Educational Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to the regions future health care needs by launching a 32 million capital fund campaign for a new emergency and maternity center The campaign was chaired by C Herbert Emilson of Marshfield elected chairman of the Foundation board of trustees in 1991 and cochaired by Dr James A Dolphin a 32year veteran of the Hospitals medical staff This effort marked the first multimillion dollar campaign in the Hospitals 70year history

For the Hospitals 75th anniversary a 10 million campaign was launched in 1996
This effort concluded successfully in September 1998 raising more than 10 million in cash pledges and planned gifts the Hospitals largestever fundraising campaign

Cancer Care
South Shore Hospitals cancer management program which had grown more than 40 percent since 1980 received a maximum threeyear reaccreditation from the American College of Surgeons in 1992 Hospital cancer management team members were recognized yet again when the Massachusetts Department of Public Health asked South Shore Hospital to work with Quincy Hospital to construct a muchneeded regional radiation therapy service which later became known as South Suburban Oncology

In 1994 interdisciplinary rounds were introduced in the inpatient cancer care program to facilitate individual case reviews among oncologists pain management physicians and staff from nursing continuing care social services physical therapy pastoral care nutrition oncology home health and Hospice of the South Shore Also in 1999 the partnership with Brigham and Womens expanded to include specialized treatment for ovarian cervical and endometrial cancers

Cardiac Care
In 1992 South Shore Hospital became the site of Brigham and Womens Hospitals prestigious cardiac fellowship program providing opportunities for new physicians to learn from South Shores experienced cardiologists Hospital cardiologists also completed their work as part of a fiveyear international study Survival and Ventricular Enlargement conducted at only 112 hospitals across the United States and Canada

In 1995 the Hospital opened its cardiac catheterization laboratory offering physicians a critical tool in diagnosing heart disease by visualizing potentially lifethreatening coronary vessel blockages In 1996 the transitional care center began accepting patients transferred from Brigham and Womens Hospital within four days of their openheart surgery to receive quotinpatientquot cardiac rehabilitation including monitored activity progression cardiac riskfactor education and psychosocial support

Also in 1996 two nursing units merged to form one expanded cardiac care unit enabling the Hospital to care for higher acuity cardiac patients including those with myocardial infarction congestive heart failure chest pain cardiac irregularities unstable angina and pacemakers and monitor patients after invasive cardiac procedures In addition new equipment was added to provide EKG monitoring for up to 32 patients on the 45bed unit The Hospital also began to offer intraaortic balloon counterpulsation to benefit cardiac patients suffering complicated heart attacks congestive heart failure as well as some postcardiac catheterization patients who required further interventions

In 1998 South Shore introduced the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic the most comprehensive program of its kind in the region This new outpatient clinic helped patients understand the earliest signs of trouble and what they could do to prevent hospitalization That year also brought a new digital viewing system with Brigham and Womens Hospital to the cardiac catheterization laboratory allowing cardiologists from both hospitals to simultaneously view pictures of a patients heart

Advanced Life Support
In May 1992 South Shore Hospital launched an advanced life support program in partnership with 11 communities to deliver 24hour paramedic coverage The program combined existing basic emergency medical technicians with a higher level of emergency care by paramedics By 1993 ALS expended to five more towns bringing the total population served to nearly 210000 in a service area of 209 square miles

JCAHO
In 1991 South Shore Hospital became the first hospital in Massachusetts to earn maximum threeyear accreditation with commendation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations JCAHO Since introducing accreditation with commendation its most distinguished level of recognition in January 1991 JCAHO had awarded it to fewer than six percent of 2672 hospitals surveyed

The Hospital set records again in 1994 and 1997 when it received consecutive backtoback threeyear JCAHO accreditations with commendation Both times it was the first hospital in Massachusetts to earn this distinction

The Elderly
For the regions growing elderly population the Hospital introduced an awardwinning transitional rehabilitation program in 1991 to give patients who might have been permanent nursing home residents a better chance to go home In 1996 South Shore Regional Health Services expanded to include 12 facilities bringing services to more nursing home residents and patients requiring home health care

In 1997 the Hospital introduced the Partnership for Senior Health a new department designed to improve the quality and availability of health care services for seniors To help meet this goal the partnership introduced Healthy Values a membership program that helped people over age 60 stay active and healthy by providing them with discounts on health programs and leisure activities as well as access to health insurance experts

Facilities and Personnel
In 1991 an expanded emergency department opened offering a separate urgent care area and creating muchneeded comfort and convenience for patients Designed to accommodate more than 60000 patient visits a year it was a huge improvement over the former emergency department built in 1967 to handle 15000 visits annually A November dedication ceremony featured Massachusetts Governor William F Weld as keynote speaker and drew more than 800 supporters The Emergency Center received national recognition with an award from the National Symposium on Healthcare Design for its quotinnovative lifeenhancing design that supports healing and promotes wellbeingquot

In January 1993 the Hospital acquired the master lease for the building at 780 Main Street from Bay State Health Care and opened an Outpatient Services Center The 47000 squarefoot center made it easier to schedule surgery at times mutually convenient for patients and their surgeons allowed key outpatient programs to expand and accelerated the Hospitals timetable to respond to the growing numbers of area residents needing ambulatory surgery

Six months later the Hospital opened a comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Center in a dramatically renovated West Wing I Launched and managed in association with AdvantageHealth Corporation and its New England Rehabilitation Hospital the center was developed to meet the need on the South Shore for rehabilitation services directed by a physiatrist

In September 1993 Arthur Sharp succeeded Harry W Healey Jr as chairman of the South Shore Hospital Board of Directors Robert Deininger succeeded Herb Emilson as Chairman of the South Shore Health and Educational Foundation Board of Trustees Dr David Rudolph was elected medical staff president having succeeded Dr Stephen OConnor

The 2000s
South Shore Hospital entered the 21st century with its sights firmly set on the future In 2000 the Hospital broke ground on a 65 million expansion of surgery maternity and emergency programs the most significant construction project in the Hospitals nearly 80year history

This future planning occurred at a time of diminishing government support workforce issues and other negative pressures that dramatically affected all hospitals Yet South Shore continued to make a difference offering patients the highquality comprehensive sophisticated care and services of a regional medical center Market share information for 2000 listed South Shore as the sixth busiest hospital in the state for births with nearly 4000 babies born yearly the fourth busiest emergency room in the state with more than 71000 visits the third largest home healthhospice service in the state the largest acute health care provider in the region and the fifth largest employer in the region with 3000 employees

Advances made in specific areas are outlined below

Emergency Care
In 2000 emergency services expanded for the seventh time in three years with the opening of the Extended Diagnostic and Treatment Center EDTC The EDTC features 13 private rooms for emergency patients requiring extensive testing and monitoring to determine if their diagnosis is serious including those with chest pain pulmonary problems or possible allergic reactions

Emergency department staffing was enhanced in 2000 with the addition of case managers who work to assure that patients who need ongoing care receive it in the appropriate setting in a timely manner Certain clinical protocols were also enhanced including evaluating chest paincardiac patients in anticipation of performing primary angioplasty and cardiac surgery in the future New protocols for all elderly patients were also instituted with the assistance of a Massachusetts General Hospitalaffiliated gerontologist

In 2001 the ED began serving as a training site for secondyear emergency medicine residents from the Harvardaffiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center These students care for patients under the direct supervision of the Childrens Hospital faculty who staff the pediatric emergency service

Surgical Care
The surgical department introduced several new procedures in 2000 including transilluminated powered phlebectomy for treating serious varicose vein problems use of a programmable shunt the newest method of treating hydrocephalus excess fluid on the brain performing vascular surgery such as carotid endarterectomy a procedure to help prevent strokes and performing laparoscopic double hernia repair

In 2001 the surgical staff grew to include thoracic specialists who are also on the medical staff of Brigham and Womens Hospital

In 2003 the Dr James A and Mary Lynd Dolphin Surgical Center opened featuring 14 new operating rooms with the latest technology and equipment The Hospital also opened a new central processing and distribution department in the lower level of the FX Messina Center that sterilizes inspects and prepares all surgical instruments and other equipment

Cardiac Care
In 2000 the Hospital convinced the State Legislature to create a process to allow community hospitals to perform openheart surgery a procedure performed successfully in community hospitals throughout the rest of the United States

South Shore also applied to the Department of Public Health to perform primary angioplasty on patients who have had heart attacks and need immediate access to the procedure which opens closed arteries The Hospital received approval for angioplasty in spring 2001 and performed 23 such procedures in the first year

Also in 2001 the Hospital in partnership with Brigham and Womens Hospital began the regions first cardiac electrophysiology EP service to study and correct patients abnormal and oftenlethal heart rhythms

Cancer Care
In 2000 a sentinel lymph node biopsy surgical protocol was initiated for the breast health program enabling surgeons to diagnose the extent to which cancer may have spread through a patients lymphatic system using a less invasive procedure The breast health program also took part in the STAR study a clinical trial for breast cancer prevention assessing the effectiveness of two medications Tamoxifen and Raloxifene

For patients with prostate cancer we introduced prostate brachytherapy also known as prostate seed implant therapy The therapy involves placing tiny radioactive seeds about the size of a grain of rice into the prostate gland The seeds emit just enough lowenergy radiation to destroy the cancer cells in the prostate gland while generally leaving the rest of the body unharmed

Hospitalists
In 2000 the Hospital introduced a Hospitalist program in the routine application of quotbest practicesquot and to standardize care across the continuum Hospitalists are hospitalbased internists who coordinate care for patients who may not have primary care physicians or whose doctors may not be able to visit them in the hospital as often as necessary Hospitalists oversee patient care from admission to discharge ordering tests and treatments and keeping patients and their physicians fully informed and involved In 2001 the program expanded to include eight internists specializing in aroundtheclock care of hospitalized patients

The Foundation
In 2000 the Foundation raised 267 million in outright gifts plus another 196 million in pledges Of the nearly 9000 contributors 4000 were firsttime donors The Foundation also organized committees to launch The Promise Campaign to fund equipment technology and furnishings for the expansion of the Hospitals maternitysurgeryemergency services Committees were organized and leaders named to chair groups to raise funds from those key groups closest to the Hospital including employees medical staff businesses and quotadvanced giftsquot gifts in excess of 100000

Area businesses donated nearly 600000 in FY00 and pledged more than 1 million in future support At the close of that fiscal year 44 businesses had joined the Presidents Circle pledging 25000 or more to fund the campaign and Medallion Club membership grew to 19 businesses each pledging 3000 or more The Friends renewed its commitment to donate a minimum of 500000 to the Hospital The Friends two gift shops generated net sales of 700000 up 200000 from the previous year

In 2001 the Foundation raised 31 million in cash and inkind gifts the most since it was created in 1987 Support from businesses in the region was formidable well beyond national levels The Promise Campaign attracted nearly 12 million in funding from foundations including several that gave to the Hospital for the first time or at record levels

In 2002 more than 10000 individuals families businesses foundations and other donors gave nearly 4 million in outright gifts At fiscal yearend more than 90 percent of the 16 million minimum goal for The Promise Campaign had been pledged or donated

Phoenix Project
The Phoenix Project was initiated in 2000 to enhance information systems throughout the Hospital Milestones included a comprehensive evaluation of the Hospitals current and future information technology needs and an evaluation of possible vendors Medical Information Technology Inc MEDITECH software was chosen to replace many of the applications used throughout the organization

In 2001 MEDITECH was successfully introduced to enhance financial operations and human resources management An onsite computertraining center also opened to assist employees physicians and volunteers Strong progress was also made with the SEA Net initiative designed to improve connectivity and the flow of information to physicians offices More than 50 physician offices now have a secure electronic link to the Hospital for the transmission of critical patient information

Facilities
In 2001 we expanded our ability to care for increased numbers of patients by converting an onsite 23bed acute rehabilitation unit to a fullservice medicalsurgical nursing unit
In 2002 a total of 80 new physicians and allied health professionals joined the medical staff South Shore became the first community hospital in Massachusetts to receive state approval to establish a neonatal intensive care unit the highest level of care for frail infants The 10bed unit opened in mid2003

In 2003 the Hospital completed the most significant expansion of its physical plant and services in its history a 65million construction program to expand maternity emergency and surgical services The project was in direct response to the increasing demand for those Hospital services by area residents The expansion now enables the Hospital to accommodate 4800 births an additional 2600 inpatient and outpatient surgical cases and 75000 emergency department visits by 2004

The project included constructing a threestory plus a full story underground 124000squarefoot addition adjacent the Emilson Center and renovating another 26000 square feet of existing space The maternity expansion created an additional 18 postpartum beds 16 wellbaby bassinets 13 Level II special care nursery bassinets six antepartum beds three labordeliveryrecovery LDR rooms and two operating rooms

Expansion of the surgical program included constructing 14 new operating rooms all designed and equipped for complex cases These suites include the latest technologies as well as a flexible integrated recovery room space for patients recovering from both inpatient and outpatient procedures