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Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
514-bed
academic medical center
An academic medical centre (AMC), variously also known as academic health science centre, academic health science system, or academic health science partnership, is an educational and healthcare institute formed by the grouping of a health profes ...
in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
. It is the largest
safety-net hospital and Level I
trauma center
A trauma center (or trauma centre) is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major trauma, major traumatic injuries such as Falling (accident), falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. A trauma cent ...
in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
.
BMC employs 1,466
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
s—including 711
residents and
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
s—and 1,849
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
s.
Kathleen E. Walsh has been the president and chief executive officer since 2010.
History
BMC was created by the formal merger in July 1996 of
Boston City Hospital
The Boston City Hospital (1864–1996), in Boston, Massachusetts, was a public hospital, located in the South End. It was "intended for the use and comfort of poor patients, to whom medical care will be provided at the expense of the city, and . ...
(BCH), the first
municipal
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
in the United States, and
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
Medical Center Hospital (BUMCH), sponsored at founding by the
Methodists and then by Boston University.
Boston University School of Medicine opened its doors November 5, 1873, combining the
New England Female Medical College
New England Female Medical College (NEFMC), originally Boston Female Medical College, was founded in 1848 by Samuel Gregory and was the first school to train women in the field of medicine. It merged with Boston University to become the Boston Uni ...
with the medical staff of the
Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital
Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital was a homeopathic institution in Boston, Massachusetts, at which the first successful kidney removal in New England was performed. Established by an act of the Massachusetts legislature in 1855, the hospital ope ...
. Dr. Israel T. Talbot was the first chairman of the Department of Surgery at BU while also serving as the first Dean of BUSM.
The history of the Department of Surgery at BU dates back to 1946, when Dr. Reginald H. Smithwick was recruited from
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third oldest general hospital in the United Stat ...
to serve as Surgeon-in-Chief. With him, he brought a team of talented surgeons, including Dr. Jesse Thompson, a pioneer in vascular surgery; Dr. Douglas Farmer, a gastrointestinal surgeon; Dr. Chester Howe, a specialist in surgical infectious disease; and Dr. George Whitelaw, a noted educator and general surgeon. Smithwick served as chairman for nearly 20 years, and was followed by Dr. Richard Egdahl who was recruited from the
Medical College of Virginia
The VCU Medical Center is Virginia Commonwealth University's medical campus located in downtown Richmond, Virginia, in the Court End neighborhood. VCU Medical Center used to be known as the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), which merged with the ...
in 1963. Dr. Egdahl continued to pioneer the clinical research capabilities, and later retired in 1973. In 1997, Dr. Egdahl was named the first
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and Te ...
Professor of Entrepreneurial Medicine at BUSM.
Following periods of leadership by Drs. Lester Williams, Peter Mozden, Robert Hobson, Edward Spatz, James Becker, and Gerard Doherty, in 2017
Jennifer F. Tseng, MD, MPH, assumed the position of Surgeon-in-Chief at Boston Medical Center and chair and Utley Professor of Surgery at Boston University School of Medicine.
In March 2017, the Boston Medical Center announced that it had received a $25 million gift, the largest in its history, from
John Grayken
John Patrick Grayken (born June 1956) is an American-born Irish billionaire financier, the founder and chairman of the private equity firm Lone Star Funds.
According to the ''Bloomberg Billionaires Index'' in 2021, Grayken is worth $8.7 billion, ...
and his wife, Eilene. The donation will go to the creation of the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at BMC.
Michael Botticelli
Michael P. Botticelli (born January 2, 1958) is an American public health official who served as the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from March 2014 until the end of President Obama's term. He was named ...
was named its director.
Research
The
Framingham Heart Study
The Framingham Heart Study is a long-term, ongoing cardiovascular cohort study of residents of the city of Framingham, Massachusetts. The study began in 1948 with 5,209 adult subjects from Framingham, and is now on its third generation of participa ...
, a longitudinal study of the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is the third largest Institute of the National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland, United States. It is tasked with allocating about $3.6 billion in FY 2020 in tax revenue to ...
in collaboration with staff who are faculty at the
Boston University School of Medicine
The Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, formerly the Boston University School of Medicine, is one of the graduate schools of Boston University. Founded in 1848, the medical school was the first institution in the world ...
, has helped obtained much of our current knowledge about heart disease.
The
amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which abnormal proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, build up in tissue. There are several non-specific and vague signs and symptoms associated with amyloidosis. These include fatigue, peripheral edema, weight ...
Center at Boston Medical Center is known internationally as a leader in basic and clinical research on amyloidosis. Notably, they pioneered the use of high dose
chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...
and
stem cell transplantation
Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is the transplantation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood in order to replicate inside of a patient and to produce ...
for patients with
AL amyloidosis
Amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, also known as primary amyloidosis, is the most common form of systemic amyloidosis in the US. The disease is caused when a person's antibody-producing cells do not function properly and produce abnormal prote ...
.
Fiscal year 2019 statistics
Supporting services
The hospital has many services, extending beyond traditional medical procedures. With its long history of serving the low-income population, the hospital has programs that include:
* The Preventive Food Pantry to which doctors can write prescriptions for food for undernourished patients
* A Roof Top Farm, which supplies some of the food used by this Pantry and in BMC's cafeteria
* The bWell Center innovative approach to educating and supporting families of the Boston Medical Center Pediatrics Department.
* Home visits to ensure patients and their families are following care instructions, and to identify problems at home which may lead to medical conditions
* Lawyers on staff to help people navigate government assistance programs, and to deal with landlords who maintain unhealthy conditions
* Special counseling and asylum assistance for victims of torture and political persecution
* Training for first responders dealing with children who have witnessed violence
* Pediatricians giving books to families with children to promote reading
Boston Medical Center (BMC) HealthNet Plan
BMC HealthNet plan earned the #3 rank among
Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
plans in the nation from the
National Committee for Quality Assurance
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States that works to improve health care quality through the administration of evidence-based standards, measures, programs, and ...
(NCQA) in its Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Rankings, 2011–2012. Comprehensive coverage for hospital,
primary care
Primary care is the day-to-day healthcare given by a health care provider. Typically this provider acts as the first contact and principal point of continuing care for patients within a healthcare system, and coordinates other specialist care t ...
, specialty, and
behavioral health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...
care are among the benefits and services provided. The Plan also offers extras beyond traditional benefits: all members receive discounts on
Weight Watchers® and
fitness club
A health club (also known as a fitness club, fitness center, health spa, and commonly referred to as a gym) is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.
In recent years, the number of fitness and health ser ...
memberships plus access to a 24/7 Nurse Advice Line. In addition, MassHealth members receive free car
child safety seat
A child safety seat, sometimes called an infant safety seat, child restraint system, child seat, baby seat, car seat, or a booster seat, is a seat designed specifically to protect children from injury or death during vehicle collisions. Most c ...
s and
bike helmet
A bicycle helmet is a type of helmet designed to attenuate impacts to the head of a cyclist in falls while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision. There is ongoing scientific research into the degree of protection ...
s for children and manual
breast pump
A breast pump is a mechanical device that lactating women use to extract milk from their breasts. They may be manual devices powered by hand or foot movements or automatic devices powered by electricity.
History
On June 20, 1854, the Unit ...
s for nursing mothers. BMC HealthNet Plan also operates Well Sense Health Plan, a Medicaid plan in New Hampshire.
Employees
Boston Medical Center employs 5,976 full-time equivalent employees, consisting of more than 1,466 in-house
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
s—including 711
residents and
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
s—and 1,849
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
s.
In popular culture
*
Boston University School of Medicine
The Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, formerly the Boston University School of Medicine, is one of the graduate schools of Boston University. Founded in 1848, the medical school was the first institution in the world ...
and the Boston Medical Center serve as the setting for
Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson "Robin" Cook (28 February 19466 August 2005) was a British Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 until his death in 2005 and served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 until 2001 whe ...
's bestselling novel ''
Coma
A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...
'', as well as
the film of the same name directed by
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton (; October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American author and filmmaker. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. His literary works heavily feature tech ...
.
*Boston Medical Center was one of three hospitals used to film the television documentary series ''
Save My Life: Boston Trauma'' (2014), airing on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
. The hospital was also one of several later sued in a lawsuit over privacy concerns related to the filming.
*The biographical drama film ''
Stronger'' (2017) centers around
Jeff Bauman
Jeff Bauman (born January 2, 1986) is an American author. He lost both of his legs during the Boston Marathon Bombing attack in 2013 and was the subject of a famous photograph taken in the aftermath of the bombing. The film '' Stronger'' is based ...
(played by
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal (; ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and his older sister is actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He beg ...
), a victim of the
Boston Marathon Bombing
The Boston Marathon bombing was a domestic terrorist attack that took place during the annual Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Two terrorists, brothers Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, planted two homemade pressure cooker bombs, w ...
who suffers traumatic injuries to both legs and must undergo an emergency double amputation. His medical care and subsequent recovery take place at Boston Medical Center.
See also
*''
A Case of Need
''A Case of Need'' is a medical thriller/ mystery novel written by Michael Crichton, his fourth novel and the only under the pseudonym Jeffery Hudson. It was first published in 1968 by The World Publishing Company (New York) and won an Edgar Awa ...
''
*
Combat Zone (Boston)
"Combat Zone" was the name given in the 1960s to the adult entertainment district in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Centered on Washington Street between Boylston Street and Kneeland Street, the area was once the site of many strip clubs, pe ...
References
Further reading
* Ryan, Andrew
"Old morgue finds new life as a clinic for homeless" ''The Boston Globe'', May 31, 2008
External links
Boston Medical CenterBoston University Medical CampusBoston Medical Center HealthNet PlanBoston Medical Center DocumentaryBy Rachel Gotbaum. WBUR. 2006 audio documentary on the 10th anniversary of the merger, describing history and innovative programs of BMC. (RealAudio)
{{authority control
Hospitals in Boston
Boston University Medical Campus
Teaching hospitals in Massachusetts
Hospitals established in 1996
Non-profit organizations based in Boston
South End, Boston
Trauma centers