Massachusetts General Hospital

Collaborating for a new health care center

27/Feb/2009

behind the scenes: From left, Gaynor, Parrish and Zachazewski

Thousands of individuals at the MGH work behind the scenes daily to ensure the high quality of patient care, safety and comfort as well as efficiency in the hospital's daily operations. This same behind-the-scenes work led to the successful Feb. 2 opening of the MGH's Orthoaedic and Rehabilitation Services at the new Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center at Patriot Place, a multispecialty ambulatory health care center in Foxboro.

Physicians and guests from the Foxboro area recently toured the 100,000-square-foot, four-story facility and met many of its clinicians and caregivers at an open house. MGH leadership who were integral to the development of the center marked the opening, including Harry E. Rubash, MD, chief of Orthopaedic Surgery; Thomas Gill, IV, MD, chief of the Sports Medicine Service; Ann Prestipino, senior vice president of Surgical and Anesthesia Services and Clinical Business Development; Michael Sullivan, PT, DPT, director of Physical and Occupational Therapy Services; Joan Sapir, senior vice president of MGH Neurosciences, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Dermatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Molecular Biology; and Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, FAAN, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nurse.

Playing important roles in the creation of the new MGH facilities were Jane Parrish, administrative director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; James "Zach" Zachazewski, clinical director of MGH Rehabilitation Services; and David Gaynor, executive director of Orthopaedics. Zachazewski and Gaynor brought valuable project experience and planning insight, having managed the 2007 establishment of the MGH Sports Medicine Center.

"Thousands of hours have been devoted to the planning of this great facility," says Prestipino. "Key to the success of the new orthopaedic, physiatry and rehab services have been Zach, David and Jane, who worked tirelessly with architects, project planners, BWH and MGH staff and consultants to bring everything together."

In agreement, Rubash adds, "Zach, David and Jane were essential to the smooth development of the MGH Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Services in Foxboro. They truly were the backbone of the project, pulling the pieces together."

The Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center comprises BWH primary care and MGH and BWH specialist services, including orthopaedics, pain management, plastic and day surgery, diagnostic imaging and lab services. MGH comprehensive orthopaedic surgical services include physiatry, sports medicine, hand, spine, foot and ankle, and arthroplasty services, which are colocated with MGH Rehabilitation Services in 13,500 square feet of space on the second floor of the center. MGH Rehabilitation Services includes physical, occupational and hand therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, wellness programs, performance evaluation and enhancement programs as well as a therapeutic pool and state-of-the-art weight training, cardiovascular, and strength and balance testing equipment.

For more information about the center, call (508)718-4000.