February 17, 2006

What's Happening

MGH Chaplaincy Ash Wednesday schedule
On March 1, MGH Chaplaincy will host the following Ash Wednesday services: Roman Catholic masses will be held at 11 am and 4 pm, and an ecumenical service will be held at 12:15 pm. All services will take place in the Chapel on Ellison 1. Ashes will be distributed in the MGH Chapel between 9 am and 5 pm, as well as at CNY, the Charlestown and Chelsea health centers and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Every effort will be made to bring ashes to each patient floor once between 8 am to 4 pm. For more information, call (617) 726-2220.

MGH Disabilities Awareness Day
The MGH Council for Disabilities Awareness will sponsor "Disabilities Awareness Day" Feb. 28, from 10 am to 4 pm in the Blum Patient and Family Learning Center. Visitors will learn about the resources available at the MGH for people with sight, hearing and mobility disabilities. The event also will serve as the launch of the center's new disability access center and the new MGH accessibility website. For more information, call (617) 724-7352.

Spring 2006 professional development course offerings
MGH Training and Workforce Development is offering spring 2006 courses about topics such as communication and writing skills, time and project management and understanding hospital finances. To view the complete schedule, visit is.partners.org/hr/training/hr/training.html. Registration is available through PeopleSoft. For more information, call Luisa Carvajal at (617) 724-3368 or send e-mail to mghtraining@partners.org.

Patient and family involvement in care seminar series
The MGH Ambulatory Practice of the Future and the Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation are co-hosting a new seminar series "Patient- and Family-Centered Ambulatory Care: Partnerships for Quality and Safety," the fourth Wednesday of every month, beginning Feb. 22. Seminars will be held from 4 to 5:30 pm in the Ether Dome. Beverly H. Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Family-Centered Care, will present. For more information, send e-mail to Nicola Majchrzak at nmajchrzak@partners.org.

Public forum about eating disorders
The MGH Harris Center for Education and Advocacy in Eating Disorders will host the public forum "Body Image, Culture and the Media: Voices of Today" Feb. 21, at 7 pm in the Gutman Conference Center at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Robin Young, host of WBUR's Here and Now, will moderate. Admission is free. For more information, contact Elizabeth Ong at (617) 724-1744 or eong@partners.org.

Black History Month tribute
In honor of February as Black History Month, the Association of Multicultural Members of Partners (AMMP) will host "A Tribute to Black History through Music and Dance" Feb. 23, from 1 to 2:30 pm in the Wang Lobby. The Children's Dance Group from the Stajez Center for the Arts will be among the performers. For more information, send e-mail to phsammp@partners.org.

Smoking cessation group
The MGH Quit Smoking Service will sponsor a seven-week smoking cessation group on Wednesdays, beginning March 1, at 5:30 pm at 50 Staniford St., ninth floor. Topics will include preparing to quit, coping with stress without cigarettes and preventing weight gain. Low-cost nicotine patches and/or gum will be available to participants with written approval from their primary care physicians. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (617) 726-7443.