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The backbone of the hospital — its people
The responsibility of maintaining the status of the MGH as one of the greatest hospitals in the nation — and the world — falls equally on the shoulders of all of its employees, from the most distinguished clinician and accomplished scientist to administrative and support personnel working hard behind the scenes. The daily foundation of success is laid by often faceless and unsung workers, while distinguished, more visible leaders pave the way. Indeed, dedication and effort are found at every level of this great institution. MGH's Ether Day rosters show clearly that loyalty is strong as well.
January 14, 2000
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But the faces pictured on these pages and the thousands more they
represent are not isolated individuals whose efforts quickly fade like the proverbial cry
in the wilderness. Rather, they are a team who together accomplish great and lasting
progress that ripples through society in waves of hope and goodness. A physician who
performs open-heart surgery uses techniques developed and perfected by countless others. A
pediatrician who authors a book to guide parents through today's health care maze relies
on the knowledge and experience of an institution. The research team that breaks through
to a new understanding of genetic mechanisms does so by building on the work of scientists
before them. But the experience and knowledge of an institution is no more important than the attitudes of dedication, compassion and humanity exhibited every day at every level — including by those who don't need a command of medical knowledge to do their jobs. The dietitian who makes it a point to donate blood as often as possible. A researcher who takes the time to mentor a high school student interested in a career in health care. The receptionist who remembers patients and calls them by name. The social worker who seems like a guardian angel to an anxious patient. The nurse who is inspired to run a marathon to help a young cancer patient. The facilities worker who takes classes to further his education so he can advance personally and professionally. A place where individual dedication is commonplace by nature is a place where groups band together to achieve common goals far beyond the reach of the individual. Clinician teams who volunteer in disaster relief efforts. Employee clubs initiating a healthy competition to see who can donate the most blood. A patient unit working together enabling a cancer patient to get married in the hospital. And where it is commonplace for groups and teams to achieve a common purpose, there arises an institutional drive that promotes the growth of programs and initiatives — large and small — to address dynamically the ever-changing and diverse needs of patients and their families. A customer service program to make all visitors and patients feel welcome in the hospital. A service to help those who are affected by domestic violence. A partnership with a local middle school to mentor future scientists and researchers. A spine tumor clinic for those who suffer from this rare kind of cancer. A scholarship to help women advance in academic medicine. An interactive program to teach caregivers more about the difficult issues cancer patients face. At the MGH, this ethic is nothing new. Drs. James Jackson and John Collins Warren, co-founders of the MGH, worked tirelessly to raise funds for the new hospital, citing the moral obligation of the affluent to help poor people in sickness. "When in distress, every man becomes our neighbor," they wrote in 1810. From those early days to the present, the MGH has stood for excellent and compassionate patient care for all, regardless of ability to pay. In the future, the dedication of the hospital and all of its employees will remain focused and guided by that ideal. |
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