Childrens Hospital Corporation

PROVIDER OF PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, RESEARCH & COMMUNITY SERVICE

CLINICAL CARE: THE SERVICES WE OFFER FROM WELL CHILD VISITS AND TREATMENT FOR TYPICAL CHILD HEALTH ISSUES (BROKEN BONES, TONSILLITIS, ETC.) TO CHRONIC CARE (ASTHMA, DIABETES, OBESITY, ETC.) AND SPECIALTY SERVICES (ONCOLOGY, CARDIOLOGY, NEUROLOGY) BENEFIT FROM OUR CLINICIANS' HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIALIZATION, OUR COLLABORATION WITH RESEARCH SCIENTISTS (MANY OF WHOM ARE ALSO PHYSICIANS) AFFILIATED WITH THE HOSPITAL, AND OUR SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES AND CLINICAL AND SUPPORT STAFF. BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS THE SAFETY NET INSTITUTION FOR VERY SICK CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE REGION, SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR THE MOST COMPLEX PEDIATRIC CASES. WE RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM COMMUNITY HOSPITALS AS WELL AS FROM OTHER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND. APPROXIMATELY 25% OF OUR INPATIENTS ARE TRANSFERRED FROM HOSPITALS & MEDICAL CENTERS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS FOR CARE THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN PROVIDE. IN FY21, BOSTON CHILDREN'S SAW APPROXIMATELY 692,000 OUTPATIENT VISITS, 48,000 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, 22,000 INPATIENT OR OBSERVATION STAYS, AND 26,000 INPATIENT OR DAY SURGERIES. OUR INPATIENT CASE MIX INDEX WAS 2.33 AND THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY WAS 5.91 DAYS. OF THE BEDDED CASES, MORE THAN 19.1% (CMI > 2.00) CAN BE QUALIFIED AS CLINICALLY COMPLEX. OF THESE PATIENTS, APPROXIMATELY 35% (PATIENTS ON MEDICAID/MEDICARE) ARE CONSIDERED LOW INCOME.BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS THE SINGLE LARGEST PROVIDER OF CARE TO CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE MEDICAID PROGRAM, CARING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30% OF ALL PEDIATRIC MEDICAID PATIENTS STATEWIDE, INCLUDING MANY OF THE SICKEST CHILDREN IN THE STATE. IN FY21, BOSTON CHILDREN'S CARED FOR 56,492 UNIQUE MA MEDICAID PATIENTS.INCREASINGLY, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CARE FOR AND IMPROVE LIFE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR MEDICALLY COMPLEX CHILDREN, MANY WITH CONDITIONS SUCH AS CONGENITAL HEART CONDITIONS, CHILDHOOD CANCERS & COMPLEX NEUROLOGICAL AND NEUROSURGICAL CONDITIONS. OUR CAPABILITIES ARE ACCELERATING RAPIDLY AS WE DEVELOP NEW CLINICAL & SURGICAL APPROACHES INCLUDING GENE THERAPIES, STEM CELL TRANSPLANT PROCEDURES, FETAL SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS, AND THE LIKE.BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS AT THE ABSOLUTE FOREFRONT NATIONALLY IN THESE & MANY OTHER AREAS. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF COMPLEX PATIENTS SERVED PATIENTS WHO STAY LONGER, REQUIRE MORE RESOURCES (SUCH AS INTENSIVE CARE UNIT-LEVEL CARE), USE A BROADER RANGE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY SPECIALISTS, AND FREQUENTLY REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR WHOLE FAMILY. SOME OF THEM TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES, BUT EQUALLY MANY ARE FROM HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO WORK TOWARD THE COMPLETION OF OUR HALE FAMILY BUILDING (OPENING IN JUNE 2022), OUR NEW CLINICAL TOWER, WHICH WILL STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO REALIZE OUR VISION OF HARNESSING OUR POWERFUL COMBINATION OF LIFE-CHANGING CARE AND WORLD-CHANGING RESEARCH TO DRIVE THE BREAKTHROUGHS THAT ADVANCE AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ALL CHILDREN. THIS NEW FACILITY WILL IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE BOSTON CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCE FOR ALL CHILDREN (WITH PRIVATE ROOMS FOR ALL FAMILIES), STRENGTHEN PATIENT CARE, MEET INCREASING DEMAND, AND ENABLE TEAMS TO COLLABORATE MORE EFFECTIVELY.RECOGNIZING THE DIFFICULTIES THAT COMMUNITY-BASED HOSPITALS FACE IN PROVIDING SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC CARE (WHICH REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN STAFF, EQUIPMENT & TRAINING), BOSTON CHILDREN'S HAS FORMED PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS, INCLUDING BEVERLY HOSPITAL, WINCHESTER HOSPITAL, & SOUTH SHORE HOSPITAL. WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH BARBARA BUSH HOSPITAL AT MAINE MEDICAL CENTER AND HASBRO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN PROVIDENCE, RI. ADDITIONALLY, OUR PHYSICIANS SEE PATIENTS AT MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL. WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 PHYSICIANS SERVING THOSE COMMUNITY HOSPITALS, WE ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY'S AND THE STATE'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO EMERGENCY, NEONATAL, INPATIENT & OUTPATIENT SPECIALTY SERVICES FOR CHILDREN. BOSTON CHILDREN'S ALSO OPERATES SATELLITE FACILITIES IN LEXINGTON, NORTH DARTMOUTH, PEABODY & WALTHAM WHERE WE OFFER SPECIALIZED CARE IN CARDIOLOGY, GASTROENTEROLOGY, NEUROLOGY, RESPIRATORY DISEASES, DIABETES, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, UROLOGY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OTHER SPECIALTIES, AS WELL AS MARTHA ELIOT HEALTH CENTER, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IN JAMAICA PLAIN. IN ADDITION, OUR PHYSICIANS OFFER OUTPATIENT SERVICES AT OUR PHYSICIAN OFFICE LOCATIONS IN BROCKTON, MILFORD, NORWOOD & WEYMOUTH. IN OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO A FULL RANGE OF INTEGRATED PEDIATRIC CARE SERVICES IN CONVENIENT SETTINGS AS CLOSE TO HOME AS POSSIBLE, WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN WALTHAM, WEYMOUTH, NEEDHAM AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES INCLUDING SEVERAL UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THESE INCLUDE MODERNIZING OUR EXISTING WALTHAM FACILITY; RELOCATING OUR EXISTING PHYSICIAN PRACTICE AND ADDING PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL SERVICES IN WEYMOUTH; AND BUILDING AN AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTER AND PROVIDING PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY CARE SERVICES IN NEEDHAM.IN ADDITION, AS WE STRIVE TO BETTER ADDRESS OUR NATION'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS, IN OCTOBER, WE SIGNED AN AFFILIATION AGREEMENT TO COMBINE OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE WITH FRANCISCAN CHILDREN'S, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE CARE, RESEARCH AND TEACHING. IF APPROVED, THIS AFFILIATION WILL IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN MASSACHUSETTS, NEW ENGLAND AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.ADDITIONALLY, WE RECENTLY SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENT WITH TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR TUFTS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WHEN TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER CONVERTS ITS 41 PEDIATRIC INPATIENT BEDS TO MUCH-NEEDED ADULT ICU AND MEDICAL/SURGICAL BEDS. THE PEDIATRIC PHYSICIANS ORGANIZATION AT CHILDREN'S CONSISTS OF MORE THAN 500 PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS IN OVER 100 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS WHO WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH BOSTON CHILDREN'S. ADDITIONALLY, OUR BCH PHYSICIANS PARTNERSHIP IS A MULTI-SPECIALTY, PEDIATRIC PRACTICE WITH STRONG MEDICAL AND ACADEMIC ROOTS, WHOSE MORE THAN 300 PHYSICIANS SERVE FAMILIES IN 57 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK'S METROPOLITAN AREA, THE HUDSON VALLEY, CONNECTICUT AND NEW JERSEY.FOCUS ON QUALITY AND SAFETY: BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE TO EVERY PATIENT AND FAMILY, AND RAISING THE BAR FOR THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE CONSTANTLY MEASURE OUR PERFORMANCE TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE WHAT WE DO. WE ALSO WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT PRACTICES REFLECT THE LATEST SCIENCE, WHILE RESPONDING TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS, PREFERENCES, AND VALUES OF OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.WE VALUE THE INSIGHTS OF PARENTS, PATIENTS, AND FAMILIES WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY AND SAFETY. PARENTS KNOW THEIR CHILD BEST, AND THEY OFTEN HAVE EXCELLENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW CARE CAN BE IMPROVED. THE PROGRAM FOR PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY SUPPORTS IMPROVEMENT WORK THROUGHOUT BOSTON CHILDREN'S. THE TEAM INCLUDES PHYSICIAN LEADERS, IMPROVEMENT CONSULTANTS, PATIENT SAFETY REVIEWERS, CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS EXPERTS AND MANY OTHERS.DOCTORS, NURSES, RESEARCHERS & ADMINISTRATORS THROUGHOUT BOSTON CHILDREN'S ARE CONTINUALLY EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CARE WE PROVIDE. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, WE SHARE OUR SUCCESSES & BREAKTHROUGHS WITH THE WIDER WORLD, SO THAT OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS CAN LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCE AND JOIN US IN RAISING THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR CHILDREN EVERYWHERE.IN ADDITION, BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS ENGAGED IN AN ONGOING ENTERPRISE-WIDE COMMITMENT, EXTENDING TO ALL STAFF AS WELL AS PATIENTS AND FAMILIES, TO BE A HIGH RELIABILITY ORGANIZATION, ONE WHERE ZERO PREVENTABLE HARM WILL OCCUR TO ANY PATIENT, FAMILY MEMBER OR TEAM MEMBER.

RESEARCH: BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BY LEADING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AROUND CHILD HEALTH ISSUES, AND BY SEEKING NEW APPROACHES TO THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD AND ADULT DISEASES.BOSTON CHILDREN'S RESEARCH ENTERPRISE IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST AT A PEDIATRIC CENTER. OUR WORK IS FUELED BY A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF DISEASE BIOLOGY COUPLED WITH WORLD-CLASS DISCOVERY PLATFORMS, INCLUDING GENETICS AND GENOMICS, GENE EDITING, BIOINFORMATICS, PROTEOMICS, BIOENGINEERING, IMAGE ANALYSIS, BIOBANKS, DISEASE-SPECIFIC STEM CELL LINES, AND A RANGE OF ANIMAL MODELS. WE HAVE SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN RARE DISEASE DISCOVERY, A ROBUST TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM AND LARGE, DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH AND TRIALS.IN FY2021, BOSTON CHILDREN'S WAS #1 IN NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FUNDING FOR ALL U.S. CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, AND #4 IN FUNDING AMONG ALL INDEPENDENT HOSPITALS. MORE THAN 3,000 BASIC, CLINICAL, AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH EMPLOYEES WORK IN OUR DEDICATED FACILITIES, WHICH TOTAL SOME 1 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SPACE.MEMBERS OF OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY INCLUDE 10 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 26 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, 10 HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE INVESTIGATORS, AND EIGHT LASKER AWARD RECIPIENTS. IN TOTAL, OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY PUBLISHES MORE PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH IN TOP SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS THAN THE NEXT 20 CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS COMBINED MORE THAN 3,000 ANNUALLY SINCE 2015.OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL FACULTY BASIC SCIENTISTS, CLINICAL RESEARCHERS AND EPIDEMIOLOGISTSWHO ARE ACCELERATING THE PACE OF MEDICAL DISCOVERY FROM BRAINSTORM TO BENCH TO BEDSIDE. OUR RESEARCHERS WERE THE FIRST TO DEVELOP 10 NEW DISEASE-BASED STEM CELL LINES BY REPROGRAMMING ADULT STEM CELLS THAT CAN BE USED TO STUDY TREATMENTS FOR DISEASES RANGING FROM PARKINSON'S TO DIABETES. HERE ARE JUST 10 RESEARCH SUCCESS STORIES FROM 2021- A PROMISING NEW ANTI-SEIZURE DRUG TAILORED TO NEWBORNS- A PEDIATRIC CANCER DEPENDENCY MAP- NONINVASIVE BIOMARKERS, FOUND IN URINE, HELP TRACK DIPG, MOYAMOYA- AN ORAL MEDICATION IMPROVES MOTOR FUNCTION IN SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY- A NEW RING FOR PEDIATRIC HEART VALVE SURGERY- A STUDY SHOWING THAT LOW-CARB DIETS OUTPERFORM LOW-FAT DIETS- EVIDENCE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EXERCISE, SLEEP AND TEEN BRAIN FUNCTION- NEW HOPE FOR PATIENTS WITH UNRELATED BONE MARROW DONORS- BEST PRACTICES FOR PERSONALIZED TREATMENTS - ADVANCES IN COVID-19 SCIENCE. THROUGHOUT 2021, BOSTON CHILDREN'S HAD PRODUCED THOUSANDS OF COVID-19-RELATED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS. THESE RANGE FROM MOLECULAR INVESTIGATIONS OF SARS-COV-2 AND THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO LARGE-SCALE CLINICAL STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF COVID VACCINATION.

TEACHING: BOSTON CHILDREN'S IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PEDIATRIC PROVIDERS AND SPECIALISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. AS THE PRIMARY PEDIATRIC TEACHING AFFILIATE OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, OUR MORE THAN 800 ATTENDING PHYSICIANS AND RESEARCHERS ARE ON THE CLINICAL FRONTIER OF EFFECTIVELY UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING MANY PEDIATRIC DISEASES AND DISORDERS.WE ARE PROUD TO BE THE PRIMARY TEACHING HOSPITAL OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND OUR NURSING DEPARTMENT PARTNERS WITH 27 SCHOOLS OF NURSING THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW ENGLAND. WE ARE HOME TO THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPETITIVE TRAINING PROGRAM IN PEDIATRICS, SEEDING THE WORD WITH THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF SCIENTISTS, INNOVATORS AND CAREGIVERS.WE OFFER MORE THAN 70 TRAINING PROGRAMS (44 ARE ACCREDITED - MORE THAN ANY OTHER FREESTANDING CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL), AND HOST OVER 500 BOSTON CHILDREN'S-BASED RESIDENTS AND CLINICAL FELLOWS ANNUALLY. THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE SELECTED FOR THEIR POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING THE FRONTIERS OF PEDIATRIC CARE. IN FACT, A 24-YEAR ANALYSIS OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM OUR DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE FOUND THAT ROUGHLY 40% GO ON TO BECOME LEADERS IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE, FILLING POSITIONS SUCH AS DEANS, CHAIRS AND PROGRAM HEADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OVER A THIRD OF THE CHIEFS OF PEDIATRIC DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TRAINED AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S. OUR SIMULATION PROGRAM, IMMERSIVE DESIGN SYSTEMS, IS THE FIRST HOSPITAL-BASED SIMULATOR PROGRAM AT A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN NEW ENGLAND. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE "PRACTICE PRIOR TO GAME TIME" PART OF HEALTHCARE ROUTINE, OFFERING A FULLY INTEGRATED QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT RESOURCE, PREPARATION AND TESTING ENVIRONMENT FOR HOSPITALS. OUR GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAMS IN SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY, 3D PRINTING, ADVANCED GENOMIC TESTING, AND OTHER AREAS ALLOW US TO BRING NEW TECHNIQUES TO MEDICINE THAT ARE UNIQUE TO OUR INSTITUTION MANY OF THEM SPECIALIZED FOR THE CARE OF THE SMALLEST BABIES.WE ARE THE ONLY PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL TO OFFER CERTIFICATION FOR PHYSICIANS IN USE OF ROBOTIC EQUIPMENT, HELPING SURGEONS DEVELOP AND PERFECT NEW ROBOTIC PROCEDURES AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUES.WE OFFER THE ONLY PEDIATRIC ADDICTION MEDICINE PROGRAM IN THE U.S., AS WELL AS THE ONLY ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAM LOCATED AT A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. WE ALSO OFFER THE LARGEST PROGRAMS IN PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIOLOGY, PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY, AND PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE, IN THE NATION. BOSTON CHILDREN'S OFFERS THE ONLY PROGRAMS IN NEW ENGLAND FOR THE ONLY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN NEW ENGLAND FOR ADOLESCENT MEDICINE, CONGENITAL CARDIAC SURGERY, AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES; AND THE ONLY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR ADOLESCENT MEDICINE, CONGENITAL CARDIAC SURGERY, NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY, PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY, PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDICS, PEDIATRIC PATHOLOGY, AND PEDIATRIC SURGERY.ADDITIONALLY, OPENPEDIATRICS IS AN OPEN ACCESS ONLINE COMMUNITY OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS SHARING BEST PRACTICES FROM ALL RESOURCE SETTINGS AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION AND DIGITAL LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES. THROUGH OPENPEDIATRICS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD CAN ACCESS PEER-REVIEWED CONTENT, INCLUDING ACCREDITED AND NON-ACCREDITED COURSES, EXPERT LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS, INTERACTIVE DEVICE SIMULATORS, PROTOCOLS AND MEDICAL CALCULATORS.