• MGH United Way campaign kicks off with sports stars
  The stormy weather did not stop MGH employees and staff from gathering under the Bulfinch tent Oct. 25 for the MGH United Way Campaign kick-off celebration. The sports-themed festivities included an array of ballpark foods — hot dogs, Cracker Jacks and peanuts — as well as visits from New England Patriot Jarvis Green, who posed for pictures with employees and signed autographs, and Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox mascot.

• JCAHO lab survey successful
  The September survey of the hospital's laboratory services by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) was deemed successful by hospital leadership, as well as leaders from Pathology Services and Patient Care Services who were involved with this important inspection. A JCAHO surveyor made daily visits from Sept. 19 through Oct. 3, inspecting many areas involved with lab testing, including patient care units.

• Saving for higher education
  The MGH and the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO) teamed up to
  host a seminar “Investing in Higher Education and Reducing Taxes — How a 529 Plan Can Work For You” Oct. 18 and 19 in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. MGHers gathered to hear a panel of consultants from Fidelity Investments, TIAA-CREF and the Vanguard Group — the same investment companies sponsored by MGH for saving in the MGH Tax Sheltered Annuity Program — to learn about different ways to save for college.

• Torchiana receives Thier award
  David F. Torchiana, MD, chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO), was awarded the Samuel O. Thier, MD, Physician Leadership Award by Partners Community HealthCare, Inc. (PCHI). The award is named for Samuel O. Thier, MD, who served as president of the MGH from 1994 to 1997 and as president and CEO of Partners HealthCare from 1996 to 2002.

• A space for prayer at MGH Chelsea
  Just in time to recognize Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center has added a welcoming touch to one of its patient waiting rooms — a curtained area for prayer. Of MGH Chelsea's nearly 30,000 patients, approximately 3,000 are practicing
  Muslims.

• Employee benefits open enrollment begins
  Open enrollment will be held at the MGH Oct. 31 to Nov. 20 for weekly and monthly paid employees. Open enrollment is the one time of year when benefits-eligible employees can enroll, change or add family members to their benefit plan. All additions and/or
  changes to the benefit plan will be effective Jan. 1, 2006.

• Patient privacy campaign contest
  MGH Health Information Services (HIS) is committed to protecting patient information and is asking all MGHers to participate in its privacy campaign contest. HIS is looking for a simple but thoughtful statement that shows compassion and understanding of patients' rights for privacy. The new statement will be displayed in all elevators.

• What's Happening

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