VNA Care, a subsidiary of Atrius Health serving more than 50,000 patients each year as Massachusetts’ largest non-profit home health and hospice provider, is pleased to introduce Holly Chaffee, BSN, MSN, RN as President and CEO. The appointment of Chaffee, approved by the Board of Directors in December, was the result of a nationwide search. Chaffee replaces Mary Ann O’Connor, BSN, MBA, who is retiring after a 45-year career in the home care and hospice industry, including the last five years as President and CEO of VNA Care. VNA Care includes VNA Care Network, VNA of Boston, and VNA Hospice and Palliative Care.

“We are delighted to welcome Holly, whose dedication and vision for providing patients with high-quality, compassionate care was instrumental to her selection as our new CEO. We are confident that VNA Care will continue to be a leader in the level of care that we provide to our communities,” said Rita S. Advani, Chair of the Board of Directors at VNA Care. “We would also like to thank Diane Leclair, our retiring Board Chair whose tireless leadership of our national search was instrumental in bringing Holly’s tremendous talents to VNA Care.”

For the past decade, Chaffee has been the President and CEO of Porchlight VNA/Home Care, a five-star agency serving communities in Western Massachusetts. Most recently, Chaffee was recognized as a 2017 Healthcare Hero by the publications Business West and Healthcare News, specifically earning the honor as the Health/Wellness Administrator of the year. At Porchlight, a freestanding not-for-profit organization, Chaffee oversaw the full rebranding of a 100+ year-old community organization, and a merger that allowed Porchlight to grow into new larger markets.

“I have great admiration for the work VNA Care does with Atrius Health to ensure patients receive the patient-centered care they deserve,” said Chaffee. “As healthcare continues to move into home and ambulatory settings, I look forward to collaborating in our collective mission to provide the right care with kindness and compassion to every person we serve.”

“Our collaboration with VNA Care is an integral part of our vision for transforming care to improve lives, and we are thrilled that Holly is joining us on this journey,” said Dr. Steven Strongwater, President and CEO of Atrius Health. “With her leadership, our medical practices and home health teams will be well-equipped to find new and even better ways to care for patients comfortably in their homes.”

A registered nurse with more than 30 years of experience, Chaffee has distinguished herself as an innovator in enhancing the quality of patient care industry-wide. Chaffee has worked in post-acute services leadership roles in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Beginning her career in healthcare as a nurse in pediatrics, she first served in the pediatric tertiary care unit at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Bronx, NY, and later worked in the pediatric intensive care units at Albany Medical Center and Hartford Hospital.

Chaffee served as the Board President for the Visiting Nurse Associations of New England (VNANE) from 2012-2014. She is the Board President of The Home Care Alliance of MA, Board President of the Lee Chamber of Commerce, and a Board Member of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. Chaffee also holds other volunteer positions in the community.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Skidmore College, Chaffee went on to attain a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Hartford. A resident of Enfield, CT, she is married and has two sets of twins and a grandchild on the way.

The post VNA Care Welcomes Holly Chaffee as President and CEO appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) has certified it as an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in its new, first-in-the-nation program. The HPC’s first round of ACO Certification includes 17 HPC-certified ACOs and is a significant milestone for Massachusetts, making it the first state to implement state-wide, all-payer standards for care delivery.

At Atrius Health, we have a long history of working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and commercial payers to provide patients with outstanding quality care at lower costs. As one of the 32 organizations originally selected as a CMS Pioneer ACO, Atrius Health ranked first nationally in quality scores after completing the fifth and final year of the model in 2016. Currently as a CMS Next Generation ACO and a MassHealth ACO partner with Tufts Health Plan, we continue to innovate care delivery through coordinated, preventive services and by moving the site of care to lower-cost ambulatory, home and virtual settings.

“For decades, Atrius Health has delivered superlative care with accountability for cost, quality and patient experience to keep the communities we serve healthier,” said Dr. Steven Strongwater, President and CEO of Atrius Health. “We are delighted to have been selected for this first-of-its kind program, and look forward to our continued collaboration with the Health Policy Commission in an effort to reduce the total cost of care in Massachusetts and better serve patients across the Commonwealth.”

The HPC’s ACO Certification Program is closely aligned with efforts by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of MassHealth to improve health and reduce health care cost growth in the Commonwealth through ACOs. The goal is a health care delivery system that delivers coordinated, patient-centered health care that accounts for patients’ behavioral, social, and medical needs.

“The ACO program represents a significant change in the way MassHealth contracts with health care organizations throughout the state,” said Massachusetts Secretary for Health and Human Services, Marylou Sudders. “The goal of the ACO program is to improve the care coordination and health outcomes for 850,000 MassHealth members and we are pleased they all met the thorough certification standards.”

For the first year of the program, the HPC defined a set of criteria on which to assess ACOs for certification against that goal. However, unlike other state or federal programs, the HPC’s certification program evaluates ACOs on an all-payer basis, including for their Medicaid, Medicare, and commercially-insured patient populations.

The HPC-certified ACOs include a diverse cross-section of 17 health care organizations from across the Commonwealth. Importantly, the HPC will certify all organizations participating in the MassHealth ACO program.

“The ACO Certification Program will bring new transparency and information to the public regarding how ACOs are structured and operating today,” said David Seltz, HPC Executive Director. “The HPC expects to analyze the information received and identify best practices and areas of improvement for payers, policy-makers, researchers, providers, and consumers.”

In order to be evaluated for certification, organizations were required to provide information for 15 standards, including patient-centered governance, performance improvement strategy, experience in quality-based risk contracts, population health management programs, and ability to coordinate cross-continuum care. Full certification is effective for two years and organizations with provisional certification must apply for full certification within one year.

The post Atrius Health Announces State Certification for New ACO Program appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, February 19th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for President’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 1:00pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am-4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 6:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth – Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am-5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard – Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post President’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

We previously published part 1 and part 2 of this series that shares stories of how some of our clinicians chose medicine as a second career. In this post, we share another story from one of our psychologists whose career path changed along the way.

Dr. Elisabeth Morray

I trained as a ballet dancer from the age of 5 through the time I was in college. After high school, I worked at the Boston Ballet teaching young dancers and doing administrative work for their training programs while attending college. Throughout my training and professional experiences, it became clear to me that little support was provided to dancers – students and professionals – to help them effectively manage the stressors that they faced, particularly those related to body image. I also noticed that, because ballet is such a competitive industry, young women were afraid to speak up or to ask for help for fear of being viewed as weak.

I was considering a career in arts administration, but the awareness that dancers’ struggles could lead to severe health consequences motivated me to shift my focus towards psychology. One of my undergraduate professors was a psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, and she shared and supported these interests. We worked together to develop a program for the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education that provided pre-professional ballet students with access to psychoeducational seminars and individual therapy services. We also developed a research program to identify risk factors and the impact of our interventions on the well-being of dancers. It was very validating to see the impact of this work on individual and organizational levels. It was this experience that led me to a doctoral program in psychology. I continue to maintain some involvement in the development of this kind of programming for dancers as a consultant.

Over the course of graduate school, my interests broadened to include other women’s health issues including gender and sexuality, infertility, pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, and adjustment to parenthood. I have found this work to be tremendously fulfilling as it allows me to play a number of different roles as a psychotherapist, consultant for colleagues and medical professionals, and content producer for the Kotex brand and for a fertility technology start-up. I’m also very committed to helping others find their own paths in this field through my roles as a teacher and Atrius Health’s director for the Harvard Vanguard postgraduate fellowship in Behavioral Health. I feel tremendously fortunate to have been able to translate my early passion for ballet into a career that is so meaningful and engaging!

The post Medicine as a Second Career, Part 3 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Due to a power outage, the Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford practice will be closed today. Patients will be contacted to reschedule appointments.

UPDATE AS OF 10:00am: The Harvard Vanguard Beverly practice phones have been restored and the practice remains open for patient care.

We apologize for any inconvenience. Please be safe on the roads!

The post Important Practice Information for March 8th appeared first on Atrius Health.

In today’s changing healthcare environment, the importance of advocacy on behalf of both our patients and employees is more important than ever. A good example was our recent participation in the “Enough Pay to Stay” advocacy day held at the State House on February 28th. This event focused on the importance of increased wages for home health aides and home care workers in Massachusetts. The group was led by Atrius Health’s Director of Government Relations, Kathy Keough, and attended by a number of nurses from VNA Care. In her present role, Ms. Keough represents VNA Care on home health, hospice and palliative area issues in Massachusetts as well as in Washington, DC.

Pictured left to right are Beverly Salate, Director of Preventative Health, VNA Care; Joan Fitzpatrick, Preventative Health Nurse, VNA Care; Kathy Keough, Director of Government Relations, Atrius Health; and Jennifer Gangadharan, Preventative Health Nurse, VNA Care.

Supporters of last week’s event are requesting that lawmakers include nearly $28.9 million in next year’s budget to support their workforces. That would include $15.7 million for a $1.43 per hour wage and benefit increase for homemakers; $7.49 million for a 72 cent per hour wage and benefit increase for home health aides; and $5.65 million for personnel and operations at aging services access points. It should be noted that the state has not increased its rates for home health aides since FY07.

The fight to increase wages for home health aides comes at a time of rising costs to the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth) that represents more than half the state’s budget and a pending state ballot question that seeks to lower the state’s sales tax, something that could have serious financial implications if passed.

Rep. Danielle Gregoire, House chair of the Elder Affairs Committee, expressed concern over the impact of lowering the state’s sales tax. “There’s a question on the ballot that would decrease the sales tax from 6.25 percent down to 5 percent, and that hurts us all. So I’m here to tell you that I’m fighting for you, but I need you to fight for me because we need that money,” Gregoire said. “I voted for a sales tax increase in 2008 because we need that money, and if we go back, we’re going to be in worse shape than we are now.”

Gregoire was joined by Rep. Aaron Vega, Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families & Persons with Disabilities; Senator Patricia Jehlen, Assistant Majority Leader; and Senate Ways and Means Chair Karen Spilka. All noted the critical work that home health aides provide at a time when the population is aging and demand for home care is increasing.

Legislators were joined by representatives from the Home Care of Alliance of Massachusetts, the Home Care Aide Council, and Mass Home Care who hosted the event.

“It’s incredibly important to our patients, our employees, and our respective professions that VNA Care participate in legislative events such as these whenever we can,” said Holly Chaffee, President & CEO of VNA Care.  “All of our staff need to understand the many regulatory and fiscal pressures facing home health and hospice in Massachusetts and nationally.”

“I’ve always been a strong proponent of participation in events like this as we face a critical time in healthcare,” said Ms. Chaffee, “These forums provide a unique opportunity to educate policymakers on the important care we provide too often frail and vulnerable populations and the implications those decisions have on our patients.”

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Due to the snowstorm forecasted for tomorrow, all Atrius Health practice sites will be closed for routine patient care on Tuesday, March 13^th. Patients will be contacted to reschedule any existing appointments.

If you need medical advice at any time, please call your doctor’s office so we can triage your needs.

We are offering urgent care visits at Harvard Vanguard Kenmore (133 Brookline Ave., Boston) on Tuesday, March 13^th. Call your doctor’s office to schedule an urgent care appointment or you may also walk in. Hours will be 8:00am-8:00pm for adults and 8:00am-6:00pm for children. Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open from 8:00am-8:00pm.

If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please check our website for any further updates, and stay safe, everyone!

The post Weather Alert for Tuesday, March 13th appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Wednesday, March 14^th all Atrius Health locations, other than our Plymouth-Cordage Park and Duxbury locations, will be open regular hours for all patient care.  Our Cordage Park and Duxbury offices are currently without power and are planning a delayed open of 10:00 AM.  Patients with appointments for 10:00 AM and after should check back for updates on Wednesday morning as we may have to adjust our plan in the event power is not restored.

UPDATE: Wednesday, March 14th, 8:00 AM: Our Plymouth-Cordage Park location will be closed today due to a power outage. Our Plymouth-Court Street and Duxbury locations will be closed until noon due to a network issue. Patients will be contacted to reschedule. Please check our website and/or our social media channels for updates.

The post Weather Update: March 13, 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health is pleased to announce that our practices have once again been named to the annual Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Physician Group Honor Roll.

Harvard Pilgrim selected the Honor Roll physician groups based on clinical performance measured against national standards set by HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set), a tool developed for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to assess the clinical performance of physician groups. Harvard Pilgrim reviewed performance in three domains of clinical care affecting both adult and pediatric patients: acute, chronic and preventive care. Physician groups were identified as Honor Roll practices based on points earned for performance on 15 measures, such as appropriate treatment for children with upper respiratory infection, adolescent well-care visits, comprehensive diabetes care, and breast cancer screenings.

Dedham Medical – Dedham*

Dedham Medical – Norwood

Granite Medical – Quincy

Harvard Vanguard – Beverly*

Harvard Vanguard – Boston (Copley)

Harvard Vanguard – Boston* (Kenmore)

Harvard Vanguard – Boston* (Post Office Square)

Harvard Vanguard – Braintree

Harvard Vanguard – Burlington*

Harvard Vanguard – Cambridge*

Harvard Vanguard – Chelmsford

Harvard Vanguard – Chestnut Hill/West Roxbury*

Harvard Vanguard – Concord*

Harvard Vanguard – Medford*

Harvard Vanguard – Peabody/Lynnfield

Harvard Vanguard – Quincy*

Harvard Vanguard – Somerville*

Harvard Vanguard – Watertown

Harvard Vanguard – Wellesley*

PMG Physician Associates – Plymouth*

* Physician groups that perform at or above the national 90th percentile in all three domains are named to the Honor Roll “with Distinction.”

The post Atrius Health Practices Named to 2017 Harvard Pilgrim Honor Roll appeared first on Atrius Health.

As a service to our patients, Diane Reilly, our Atrius Health Medicare Educator, conducts free group sessions about Medicare at various Atrius Health office locations throughout the year. These sessions are designed to assist patients who seek a greater understanding of the complexities of Medicare. Topics covered in the class include how and when to enroll in Medicare, an explanation of the various parts of Medicare, and tools to assist with Medicare plan choice.

Seating is limited so pre-registration is required. If you wish to enroll in one of the upcoming sessions listed below, please call 617-559-8340 to register. Please leave a message including your full name, your phone number, the session you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve. Although these sessions are for Atrius Health patients, you are welcome to bring a spouse, partner or caregiver. We will announce future sessions at other Atrius Health locations in the coming months.

Harvard Vanguard Braintree
101 Grossman Drive, Conference Room C, 1^st floor, free parking

Session 1     Thursday, April 12th      5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 2     Tuesday, April 17th       5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 3     Thursday, April 19th     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 4     Monday, April 23rd      5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Harvard Vanguard Quincy
1250 Hancock St, Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor, validated parking

Session 1     Thursday, May 17th           1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 2     Thursday, May 17th          5:30 – 7 p.m.

Session 3     Wednesday, May 23rd     1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 4     Wednesday, May 23rd     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Harvard Vanguard Kenmore
133 Brookline Ave, Boston, Conference Room 3B, validated parking

Session 1     Tuesday, June 12th              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 2     Thursday, June 14th           5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 3     Monday, June 18th             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 4     Wednesday, June 20th     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

The post Join Us for a Medicare Information Session appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health is pleased to announce that 22 of our physicians appear on the Best Doctors in America® List for 2017-2018.  Approximately, four percent of doctors in America earn this prestigious honor, as a result of the biennial Best Doctors Poll.  Each listed physician has received peer consensus as a physician from whom other physicians would seek care and is verified as being clinically active with an active medical license free from disqualifying disciplinary actions.

Best Doctors has earned a worldwide reputation for reliable, impartial results by remaining totally independent. Doctors cannot pay to be included in the Best Doctors database, nor are they paid to provide their input. The List is a product of validated peer review, in which doctors who excel in their specialties are selected by their peers in the profession.

The highly regarded Best Doctors in America® List, assembled by Best Doctors, Inc. and audited and certified by Gallup®, results from exhaustive polling of over 50,000 physicians in the United States. In a confidential review, current physician listees answer the question, “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer?”  Atrius Health’s group of experts listed in the database includes world-class specialists in internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, infectious disease, surgery, ophthalmology, and endocrinology.

The Atrius Health physicians named Best Doctors for 2017-2018 are:

Jose Alberto Betances, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Cambridge

Christopher Boyd, MD – Surgery – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley*

Elizabeth Caronna, MD – Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Peggy Chou, MD – Internal Medicine – Dedham Medical Norwood

Martin Dolan, MD – Hand Surgery – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

George Eliopoulos, MD – Infectious Disease – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore*

Anita Feins, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Jeffrey Garber, MD – Endocrinology – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Ronni Goldsmith, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Concord

Allen Hamdan, MD – Surgery – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore*

Lynn Hironaka, MD – Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Burlington

Richard Marshall, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Copley

Elizabeth Pearce, MD – Endocrinology – Harvard Vanguard Chestnut Hill-West Roxbury

Michael Pinnolis, MD – Ophthalmology – Harvard Vanguard Chestnut Hill-West Roxbury

Rafael Pupo, MD – Dermatology – Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford

Martha Richardson, MD – Obstetrics/Gynecology – Harvard Vanguard Copley

Marc Rosenthal, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Burlington

James Roseto, MD – Internal Medicine – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Judit Saenz-Badillos, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Wellesley

Amy Ship, MD – Internal Medicine – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

Daniel Slater, MD – Pediatrics – Harvard Vanguard Watertown

Lucia Sobrin, MD – Ophthalmology – Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

*These physicians are contracted to Atrius Health through Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP) to provide clinical services by way of our strong partnership with HMFP at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where they also practice and see patients for BIDMC.

About Best Doctors, Inc.:  

Founded in 1989 by Harvard Medical School physicians, Best Doctors is a global benefits provider and medical information services company that connects individuals facing difficult medical treatment decisions with the best doctors, selected by impartial peer review in over 450 subspecialties of medicine, to review their diagnosis and treatment plans.  Best Doctors has grown to over 40 million members worldwide.

The innovative services offered by Best Doctors include access to an unrivaled database of physicians who have been selected as the best in their field by other leading doctors. The Company also employs leading analytics and technology platforms that help people in need get the right diagnosis and treatment plan, which significantly improves health outcomes while reducing costs.

For further information, visit Best Doctors at www.bestdoctors.com.

The post Best Doctors in America® | 22 Physicians from Atrius Health Named to Prestigious 2017-2018 Best Doctors in America® List appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, April 16th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Patriot’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 1:00pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am – 4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults only from 8:00am – 6:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Patriot’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

I recently met with a patient during a palliative care consult. She was feeling good, and we had lovely discussions about what was important to her. She cherished her family and living independently in her apartment, where every day she went outside to sit on the same bench and watch the people go by. We spoke about her wishes for the end of her life and who would make decisions for her if she were unable. Later, these conversations were crucial to help her family make decisions regarding her medical care.

Monday, April 16 was National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) and starts a week of awareness and education about the importance of making your decisions for end-of-life care known to your loved ones. These are difficult conversations to have. The National Conversation Project Survey done in 2013 showed that 90% of people say that talking with loved ones about their end-of-life wishes is important, yet only 27% of people have done so. The Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness care did a survey in 2016 showing that almost half (46%) of the population surveyed had not discussed their wishes for serious illness care with loved ones. Many people are understandably uncomfortable thinking and talking about the end of their lives and planning for this.

We also know that as in other areas of healthcare, there are great disparities in advance care planning. According to the 2014 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) African-American Outreach Guide, about 8% of African Americans, compared to 43% of Caucasians, have an advance directive or will. This holds true in Massachusetts. Men, people of color, and those without a college education are significantly less likely to have discussed their wishes with loved ones.

Making sure you’ve designated someone to make decisions for you if you can’t, and that your loved ones know your priorities and your wishes, is a way to ensure the care you get is the care you want. National Healthcare Decisions Week is devoted to helping people make these decisions and communicate them with their loved ones as well as with their doctors. We encourage you to consider three main points:

1. What matters most to you? What are your priorities in life and in thinking about end of life?
2. Who would you want to make healthcare decisions for you if you were unable to make them (i.e., Health Care Proxy)?
3. When can you talk with your designated health care proxy about your wishes, and document them in writing?

It’s important to reflect on, clearly communicate and document your wishes for end-of-life medical care to your loved ones and caregivers. Knowing how you want to be taken care of when you are no longer able to make your wishes known not only allows your provider to tailor treatment to suit your goals, but it also helps guide those who care about you during that difficult time.

Here are some great resources to help you learn more about getting the conversation started:

• The Conversation Project is dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care. Starting with a conversation, it helps create a shared understanding of what is most important to you, not just focusing on medical decisions.
• Aging with Dignity highlights Five Wishes, a document which helps you think about your personal, emotional and spiritual needs as well as your medical wishes.
• The NHDD website is resource-rich in providing education and information about advance directives and how to approach the planning and recording of your preferences for your care.
• The American Bar Association has compiled a helpful guide that defines what a healthcare proxy is and how to legally designate someone to represent you and your end-of-life wishes.
• Caring Connections offers free, state-specific advance directives for all 50 states and DC that meet the legal requirements for each state.
• Engage with Grace has created simple, clear tools to guide you and your loved ones through this conversation so that all aspects of your wishes can be revealed.

We encourage everyone to consider their health care decisions and start the process of advance care planning. Please also speak with your health care team, including your primary care provider, about your wishes. At Atrius Health we strive to transform care to improve lives; help us provide the care YOU want.

Dr. Ariadne Mueller has been a palliative medicine physician with Atrius Health since August 2017 and now serves as the Lead Clinician for the palliative care team.  She is dedicated to providing compassionate care to all of her patients, with a specific interest in care of the underserved, particularly people of color and the LGBT community.  She enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors.

Sarah Paez, GNP, ACHPN has been a nurse practitioner with Atrius Health since 2010 and is currently Clinical Nurse Manager for the Intensive Home-based program and the Care in Place program. She cares for patients on the South Shore. When she is not working you might find her singing with the Metropolitan Chorale, baking, or out in her kayak.  

The post National Healthcare Decisions Week, April 16-20 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Derkazarian, DNP, RN, ANP-BC shared this message with the Atrius Health nursing staff:

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Atrius Health nurses shine and our patients experience extraordinary care delivered with kindness and compassion. The theme for Nurses Week 2018 is to Inspire, Innovate, and Influence. I believe this aligns perfectly with our mission as nurses at Atrius Health.

In my vision for the coming year, we will feel inspired and energized to focus, re-build, and solidify the basics of nursing practice and care delivery. We will innovate new and different ways to provide the best care to our patients. Together we will influence care plans and decisions. We will influence daily decisions, strategic direction, and our care teams in a way that will streamline care, bring joy to our day, and serenity and healing to our patients. We will influence the journey to an unparalleled quality of care in a safe and reliable environment across the continuum from home to our practice sites.

Atrius Health is a national leader in ambulatory care nursing practice. You are national leaders and you have been working in this space longer than most anyone and I am so proud of the work you do. I look forward to supporting your nursing practice, offering you ways to find inspiration, and watching you inspire others. I look forward to seeing your innovations and daily improvement to care. And as for your influence? I see evidence of this every day and it is powerful. I am humbled and honored to witness such collaboration and support for one another in the care teams. You influence me every day and my hope is that you continue to feel empowered in your work of transforming and improving the lives of our patients.

You are trusted, you are caring, you are powerful, and I am so proud to serve you! Take some time to celebrate yourselves this week, and always!

On behalf of our nursing and senior leadership, I would like to congratulate the following nurses who were honored in the annual Boston Globe “Salute to Nurses” for their outstanding patient care:

Kathy Boyd, RN, Harvard Vanguard Medford
Araselis Castillo, RN, Harvard Vanguard Braintree
Cindy Cunningham, NP, Harvard Vanguard Medford
Ann Curran, NP, Harvard Vanguard Quincy
Danielle Fiore, RN, Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
Eileen Forest, RN, Harvard Vanguard Watertown
Julie Genovese, VNA Care Network
Arlene Kelley, NP, Atrius Health Cardiovascular Center
Sarah Paez, NP, Weymouth, Libbey Parkway
Susan Parenti, VNA Care Network
Sharon Pease, RN, Harvard Vanguard Burlington
Catherine Phillips, RN, Harvard Vanguard Braintree
Ellen Pothier, RN, Dedham Medical Norwood
Elizabeth Reddy, RN, Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
Nathan Samuels, DNP, Harvard Vanguard Beverly
Marita Tympanick, RN, Dedham Medical Norwood
Amie Webb, LPN, Harvard Vanguard Concord
Kayleigh Withington, RN, Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

The post Atrius Health Celebrates National Nurses Week 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health is delighted to report that we achieved a strong 2017 financial performance while also advancing innovative clinical programs that will better serve our 720,000 adult and pediatric patients across eastern Massachusetts. These results move us closer towards our vision of transforming care to improve the health of our patients and communities.

For 2017, ending December 31, Atrius Health finished with a $24.4 million operating surplus or 1.3% margin, representing a turnaround of approximately $56 million from 2016 that positions us well to continue our leadership in high quality, affordable care. These results reflect the collective energy of everyone in our practice as we collaborated on a three-part plan for financial success that included:

• Managing the growth of total medical expense to 1% below the network trend,
• Growing our revenue, including a 3.9% increase in patient encounters, and
• Limiting the year-over-year increase in our operating expenses.

Innovation in delivering better care to our patients was advanced in three key areas: increased use of predictive analytics to support population health management, moving care to lower acuity sites (ambulatory, home, and virtual), and continued transformation of behavioral health.
Algorithms and programs have been developed to better target care. One predictor algorithm identifies the adult patients who are at the highest risk of hospitalization. These patients are flagged in the electronic medical record, so that the practice can bring them in for care right away if they call, and also offer them proactive outreach. Other analytics help us provide care facilitation in support of high-risk children, identify patients who may benefit from palliative care, and highlight patients who are at highest risk of a hospital re-admission. We continue to develop associated programs for keeping the identified patients as healthy as possible.

We know that patients prefer the comfort and convenience of receiving care at home. Our Care in Place initiative sends home health nurses from VNA Care to provide urgent care for frail elders who cannot make it into the practice. This initiative has saved $1.9 million since its inception in 2016, and has helped over a third of program participants avoid the wait and anxiety of an emergency department visit. Our hospital at home program with Medically Home Group and VNA Care has been successfully treating patients through acute and post-acute issues, and will be a model for scaling to a national program that meets patients’ needs and lowers the cost of care as compared with an inpatient visit.

We’re also supporting our patients through telehealth to improve access to care. We’ve started to offer behavioral health video visits for follow-up therapy, and urgent care video visits through our evening telephone service, even seeing patients during recent snow storms for conditions such as conjunctivitis, cellulitis, upper respiratory infections, sinusitis and UTIs. Our teledermatology consult program has done over 10,000 visits, with about half treated without need for an in-person visit, freeing up valuable dermatology capacity for other patients.
As a leader in integrating ambulatory behavioral care treatment with primary care, we continued to build our model for triaging those patients with more acute needs into the practice. These patients are participating in weekly visits supplemented by group skills classes, with patient-reported outcome measures describing the progress made.

It is an exciting time to work in healthcare as new technologies provide opportunities to change how and where patients receive care. We are committed to continuing this journey and collaborating with patients, communities and like-minded organizations to provide affordable, convenient and proactive care that enhances health and enriches the lives of those we serve.

The post Atrius Health Reports Strong 2017 Performance appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, May 28th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Memorial Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for children only from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times for adults from 9:00am – 5:00pm and for children from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Memorial Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Pictured left to right are Kathy Keough, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and Dr. Guy Spinelli.

Atrius Health was well represented at the recent Capitol Hill Day annual event hosted by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). Physician groups from throughout the country descended on Washington, DC to meet with members of their respective Congressional leaders and their staff on issues of importance to physician groups.

Joining Dr. Guy Spinelli, Atrius Health Board Chair and internist at Granite Medical Group, was Kathy Keough, Director of Government Relations for Atrius Health, who works closely with AMGA staff on federal issues of concern to physician practices.

It was a busy and long day, as Dr. Spinelli and Ms. Keough met with Congressmen Michael Capuano and Richard Neal along with Congresswoman Katherine Clark as well as key health policy staff in the offices of Senators Edward Markey, Elizabeth Warren, and Congressman Seth Moulton. In addition to participating in meetings with the congressional delegation, Ms. Keough attended the Government Relations Leadership Council where she serves as chair of the group.

“AMGA’s annual Capitol Hill Day event was a terrific opportunity to educate members of Congress as well as their staff about the important work that Atrius Health is doing to improve the lives and health of our patients each day,” said Dr. Spinelli. “It is so important to meet with Congressional leaders and be able to discuss the vital role that Atrius Health plays as a leading provider of primary care, home care and hospice in Massachusetts.”

Among the issues discussed with staff members during these one-on-one meetings were:

• Asking members of Congress to assist in reducing regulatory burdens (such as face-to-face documentation requirements) for physician groups as well as home health/hospice agencies such as VNA Care;
• Ensuring that Congress preserve funding and mitigate future cuts to Medicare Advantage;
• Sharing Atrius Health’s efforts to address the opioid crisis as well as our successes as an Accountable Care Organization;
• Asking members of Congress to preserve the ability of multi-specialty medical groups to provide advanced diagnostic imaging services;
• Urging Congress to strengthen graduate medical education as a critical component to ensure access to primary care; and
• Seeking support for legislation related to enhancing and incentivizing the use of telemedicine.

“It is critically important that members of Congress, as well as their staff, hear from their constituents on issues of importance to them. It was particularly important that Dr. Spinelli was able to participate in these meetings as it demonstrates the commitment to some of the issues that were discussed during our meetings. It also ensures that Atrius Health will serve as a resource to elected officials and their staff as they weigh various bills before them,” Ms. Keough stated.

The post Atrius Health Participates in Capitol Hill Day appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Wednesday, July 4th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for the Independence Day holiday except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for children only from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 2:00pm

The post July 4th Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Pride Month 2018 was truly a celebration, not just in Boston, but in Quincy as well. James P. Hahn, O.D., Ph.D., of our visual services department was a key member of the newly formed Quincy Pride Committee along with Quincy Councilor-At-Large Anne Mahoney. The Quincy Pride Committee proudly hosted the very first LGBTQ+ Pride event in Quincy, called Q Pride, on June 3rd. To commemorate the event, Governor Charlie Baker read an Official Proclamation declaring the day Q Pride Day.

A week later on Saturday, June 9th at the 48th Boston Pride Festival at City Hall Plaza, Atrius Health joined hundreds of other companies, non-profits, and agencies in solidarity under a colorful rainbow of balloons. Employees and volunteers staffed our booth throughout the day to promote our healthcare services. Festival-goers learned about Atrius Health’s commitment to diversity with our dedicated physician partners as well as our comprehensive array of care services including behavioral health, transgender health, fertility and reproductive health, and our HIV/Infectious Disease team. Gender-neutral and gender-positive stickers, colorful balloons, pens, and magnetic clips were handed out with informational postcards to celebrants and attendees.

The 2018 Boston Pride Festival was the largest Pride celebration to date in Boston, boasting the best turnout and the largest number of parade marchers ever in its 48-year history, and Atrius Health was there in solidarity and support. For 21 years running, Atrius Health has been a proud supporter of Pride. Each year clinicians and employees show their pride by marching and engaging festival attendees at our booth. The inauguration of Quincy’s Q Pride Festival made this year’s Pride Month that much more meaningful.

Steve Strongwater, MD, President and CEO of Atrius Health, extends his congratulations and thanks to all at Atrius Health who participated in these events, displaying to our communities Atrius Health’s dedication to support diversity with both the patients we serve and our employees.

The post Atrius Health Celebrates Pride Month appeared first on Atrius Health.

Beginning Saturday, August 4, 2018 all weekend Pediatric and Adult After Hours Care appointments will be held at the Norwood practice only, and adult patients requiring weekday evening urgent care will also be scheduled at the Norwood practice where we already offer extended weekday hours. As a result of these changes, the Dedham practice’s laboratory will be closed on weekends.

Below are the new hours as of August 4th for each department and location. Please continue to call your primary care clinician’s office whenever you feel same day urgent care may be necessary, and you will be scheduled as appropriate.

DEDHAM PRACTICE – ONE LYONS STREET

Pediatric After Hours Care By Appointment
Weekday Hours Only: Monday-Friday 5:30pm-8:00pm

Laboratory – Walk-In Care
Weekday Hours Only: Monday-Friday 7:30am-8:00pm
Closed Weekends as of 8/4/18

NORWOOD PRACTICE – 1177 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY, ROUTE 1 SOUTH

Pediatric Urgent Care By Appointment
Weekend Hours Only: Saturday 9:00am-3:00pm and Sunday 9:00am-1:00pm

Adult Urgent Care By Appointment
Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday 9:30am-2:30pm

Laboratory – Walk-In Care
Monday-Friday 7:30am-8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday 8:00am-3:00pm

The post Dedham Medical Change to Lab and After Care Hours and Location appeared first on Atrius Health.