Annual Report 2007

Living Our Values

All of us who are involved with South Shore Hospital are guided by a common set of values.  Our goal is to care for patients and families as we would want our loved ones to be treated: with expertise, compassion and respect.

By living our values, we have opportunities to touch lives in profound and meaningful ways.  Here are some examples of how your hospital advanced its charitable mission of healing, caring and comforting in 2007:

• Enhanced the care of cardiac and stroke patients with the opening of our $13.5 million Cardiovascular Center. Our center provides the region’s most comprehensive approach to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of cardiovascular disease. Our team of more than 30 cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, vascular surgeons, radiologists, and nurses work together to offer advanced care.

• Advanced our cancer care by announcing our plans to work with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital to open an outpatient Cancer Center in South Weymouth. When it opens in Fall 2009, the Cancer Center will feature medical oncology offices, diagnostic imaging, linear accelerators, laboratory, pharmacy, chemotherapy infusion areas, breast health program, family resource center, a boutique and a healing garden.

• Earned recognition from multiple accrediting and regulatory agencies for quality and safety. South Shore Hospital has:

• Received a Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence from HealthGrades, a leading independent health care ratings company.

• Been named a Mentor Hospital by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to assist hospitals that seek to apply our best practices in the prevention of surgical-site infections, central-line infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonias.

• Won a Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence from the Voluntary Hospitals of America for the prevention of surgical-site infections.

• Earned maximum three-year accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

• Won Quality Respiratory Care Recognition from the American Association for Respiratory Care as part of a national program to help patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of respiratory care services available in hospitals.

• Been named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson, a leading national source of health care information products.

• Received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

• Received the High Reliability for Cardiac Care Award for Acute Myocardial Infarction by MassPRO (Massachusetts Peer Review Organization).

• Earned certifications from the American Stroke Association, American Diabetes Association, and American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation for the quality of care provided to patients with these conditions.

• Recruited expert talent to assure that we sustain and grow the services that the people of our community need. A total of 90 physicians, certified nurse midwives, certified nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants joined South Shore Hospital’s 800-member medical staff in 2007. And, at a time when many organizations find it difficult to attract and retain experienced nurses, our nursing vacancy rate last year was just under three percent, less than half the state average.

None of these achievements would have been possible without the vision and dedication of our 12-member Board of Directors, led by Leonard Bicknell, president of Alvin Hollis of Weymouth.  As Board Chairman, Len has been a champion for safe, quality care and the growth of our services to benefit our community.

My thanks also go to Giovanni Ferrante, MD, who concluded a two-year term as president of our 800-member medical staff. He assumed this volunteer leadership position at a time of pace-setting change in our organization and served with distinction. I applaud Dr. Ferrante for his unwavering focus on our patients and for making decisions that will benefit the people of our region for generations to come.

As a not-for-profit, tax-exempt charity, our organization depends on community support to advance our mission. I thank and commend the Board of Trustees of South Shore Health and Educational Foundation — led by Chairman Philip O’Sullivan, MD — who worked tirelessly to win support for South Shore Hospital, South Shore Visiting Nurses and Hospice of the South Shore. We surpassed our fiscal year goal of $4.5 million in cash giving, bettering our previous record of $4.1 million set two years ago.  We also increased cash pledges to The Heart of the South Shore Campaign/The Campaign for Healing, Caring and Comforting by more than $8 million, bringing the total at the end of fiscal year 2007 to $17.5 million toward our $22 million minimum goal.  Donations supported the campaign’s focus on the development of our Cardiovascular Center, expansion of our maternal/child health programs, and our trauma program. Major support was also received to assist in the development of our new simulation center, and to provide hospice care to the terminally ill, and bereavement programs for their grieving families.

Our organization also benefited from the support and generosity of The Friends of South Shore Hospital. What started as a small band of supporters in 1947 has grown into a diverse group of 3,300 people dedicated to advancing our mission of healing, caring and comforting.  Under the leadership of co-presidents Ellen Scott Garvey and Donna Stearns, The Friends encouraged volunteerism, generated philanthropic support, and fostered community goodwill.

I’d like to close this message by reprinting one of the many letters (below) we receive from patients who have given us the opportunity to help restore them to better health.
I am humbled by this eloquent expression of appreciation and extraordinarily proud of my colleagues who strive for service excellence in every interaction, with every person, every day.

Richard H. Aubut
President and Chief Executive Officer
South Shore Hospital and South Shore Health and Educational Corporation

June 2007

Dear Mr. Aubut:

I recently had the pleasure of being a “guest” at your facility. I feel that it is important to write positive letters because the majority of people tend to forward only complaints and negative thoughts.

I was admitted on an emergency basis. I have rarely been an overnight patient and certainly never as sick as I was then. From the moment that I entered the emergency room to the moment I was discharged (in far better health!), I was constantly impressed by the professionalism I saw, by the friendliness I felt, and by the amazing attention to detail that was omnipresent. I felt this in the ER, on Emerson 4 (if I come back again, this is where I want to be!), in the CT scan area, the X-ray area, etc.

Since I don’t have other hospitalizations of my own to use as a basis for comparison, I wonder if my observations are less valid. However, I know how I felt and I know how I was treated. I have a whole new appreciation of the nursing profession. As busy as anyone was, every person who took part in my recovery treated me as if I were his or her only patient. I truly felt as though it was an unusually positive experience. The communication between the nursing staff, the respiratory staff and the doctors was very impressive. I never had the feeling that I had to explain what any of my “caretakers” had previously discussed with me. Likewise, I couldn’t believe the communication between different shifts. Each new shift knew exactly what had transpired in the previous 8-10 (or 12) hours.

My satisfaction also included the nursing assistants, the housekeeping staff and the food services employees.  Whatever you are doing with your employees is really working. I hope you feel that way, too.

The feeling that I got was that the staff was happy, like their job, and cared deeply about their patients.

Sincerely, (Name withheld for privacy)

*October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006
**October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007