MGH-BEMC employees and staff gathered June 18 for a special luncheon to commemorate the occasion and to recognize the hard work and dedication of its 45 employees. Guest speakers were Brit Nicholson, MD, chief medical officer of the MGH, and Jeff Davis, senior vice president for MGH Human Resources.

"I want to thank everyone here for the hard work over the last year in making the transition to the MGH a successful one," said Nicholson.

MGH-BEMC, which is located in the Back Bay at 388 Commonwealth Ave., became the fourth MGH-licensed health center last May.

"We have the MGH to thank for helping us to preserve our presence and our mission in the Back Bay," said Robert (Toby) Wesselhoeft, MD, medical director of MGH-BEMC. Ella Smith, executive director of MGH-BEMC, added that the affiliation with the MGH has allowed the health center to continue providing the same high-quality level of community-focused health care but with the financial and administrative support of a large institution. "Despite the challenges of change over the last year, joining with the MGH family has enabled us to approach the year 2000 with smiles on our faces," she said.

The luncheon also was an opportunity for the MGH-BEMC staff to welcome Peggy Carolan as the new administrative director. Carolan, who has been the administrative director for MGH Charlestown HealthCare Center for 10 years, accepted the new position in May. She will serve in the administrative director position at both health centers.

"I am excited to have this opportunity to expand my scope of responsibility at the MGH," says Carolan. "I especially look forward to strengthening relationships with Boston Evening Medical Center staff. In the past six weeks, I have learned a tremendous amount about the health center's rich history, thanks to the supportive management team." Carolan added that her additional role at MGH-BEMC would not be possible without the support of the physicians, management team and the entire staff at MGH Charlestown.

From left, Wesselhoeft, Carolan and Nicholson

Founded in 1927, MGH-BEMC is the oldest evening medical center in New England. It was established to provide high-quality medical care to working people in the evening hours. The health center offers a variety of primary and specialty care services, including gynecology, cardiology, dermatology, pediatrics and gerontology.

For more information about MGH-BEMC, call 267-7171.