• Answering questions about protecting patient privacy
  Protecting patient privacy is one of the most important ethical obligations in the health care system today. And since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was introduced in 2003, protecting patient information has become even more important — and more complicated.

• And the winner is...
  Richard Barbalace of MGH Orthopaedics not only is the winner of a New England Patriots football autographed by Deion Branch, but he also is a champion of the hospital's patient privacy efforts. Barbalace came up with the winning slogan that will be displayed in hospital elevators to remind MGH employees, patients and visitors to respect patient privacy.

• Martin Luther King Day to be celebrated
  All MGH and Partners employees are invited to attend a special celebration of Martin Luther King Day Jan. 20, from 3 to 4 pm in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. "A Celebration of the Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." is sponsored by Partners HealthCare and will feature special guest speaker Hubie Jones, a local educator, community activist, child advocate and civic leader. In addition, the Roland Hayes School of Music Chorus will be performing.

• Have a New Year's resolution? Be Fit offers support
  Studies show that one of the most popular New Year's resolutions is to lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier foods. MGHers who have made this same commitment for the new year now have support to keep their resolution with the hospital's Be Fit program.

• MGH Psychiatry makes pediatric mental health accessible
  The MGH Department of Psychiatry recently began the pilot phase of a new program — the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project — to provide support and guidance to pediatricians and primary clinicians treating children and adolescents with mental health issues.

• FLEX team fills outpatient staffing needs
  MGH ambulatory care practices facing temporary staff shortages because of vacations, illness and other short-term absences have an inventive resource to keep their operations running smoothly — the Front Line Excellence (FLEX) team. Established in 2001, the FLEX team provides ambulatory care practices with a pool of highly trained patient service coordinators dedicated to supporting outpatient practices and readily available to fill in during planned and unplanned absences.

• In memoriam: Edward W. "Ted" Webster, MD, PhD
  Edward W. "Ted" Webster, MD, PhD, formerly of MGH Radiology, died Dec. 17. He was 83 years old.

• What's Happening

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