December 5 , 2003

History is alive and well at the MGH

Making medical milestones has long been a tradition at the MGH. Most recently, the hospital was recognized by an outside organization for its role in the history of the health care world. Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, accepted the History Maker Award for Health Care Innovation on behalf of the MGH at a special ceremony held Nov. 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.

(From left, Richard Freeland, president of Northeastern, Henry Lee, recipient of Individual Innovation Award, Slavin, and Michael Ruettgers of EMC.)

The award was given by the Boston History Collaborative to recognize institutions, companies and individuals who have helped shape history in Boston and throughout the world.

This is the third year these awards have been presented, and this was the first time an award was given for innovation in health care. The MGH received the award for being the site of the first public demonstration of ether as an anesthetic in 1846 and for the way in which that specific innovation affected the course of medicine. Fellow awardees were Northeastern University and the EMC Corporation.