SPECIAL FEATURE

Farewell Message From Dr. Hal Jenson, Chief Academic Officer

This month, I will be leaving Baystate Medical Center to be the Founding Dean of a new medical school at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I am honored and excited to have such a rare and incredible opportunity that provides me with continued involvement in medical student and graduate medical education while simultaneously building research and clinical programs.

Welcoming the Challenge

I am starting with a partnership of a strong research university, two outstanding hospitals—Bronson Healthcare and Borgess Health—that are very similar to Baystate Medical Center, and a faculty practice plan with 70 physicians and 10 residencies already in place. I’ve already announced an Associate Dean for Research and the school is already on a great trajectory. The first class will enter in 2013 or 2014.

Legacy of Teamwork and Change

As I reflect on my 5 years at Baystate and what has been accomplished, there has been a lot of change in every area of education and research at Baystate. Yet, there hasn’t been too much change. Together we have created and implemented initiatives that have greatly advanced education and research. All of the changes that have come about have been the result of teamwork. It has been a lot of hard work, but it has also been fun!

I will greatly miss working with the members of Academic Affairs, faculty, Program Directors, Clerkship and Elective Directors, residents, fellows, students, department chairs, the Board of Baystate Medical Practices, nursing and pharmacy leadership, human resources, and many, many others too numerous to list. As you review the list of what we have accomplished in the past 5 years I am sure you will see your own contributions and involvement reflected in these successes.

I will leave many friends and take many wonderful memories. Thank you for allowing me to join you on this journey.

Research Accomplishments

• As the Institutional Official for human subjects’ research and with Karen Christianson RN, Director of the Human Research Protection Program, created a comprehensive Human Subjects Protection Program including educational and internal monitoring programs that culminated in 2010 in Full Accreditation of Baystate Medical Center by the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).

  • Created a second IRB as well as implemented use of central IRBs.

  • Implemented IRBNet across the institution to support research grants and the IRBs, IACUC, and IBC.

  • Implemented Spanish language translations for all research studies at Baystate Medical Center.
• Implemented a new model for supporting research at Baystate Medical Center with multidisciplinary research centers including establishing the Center for Quality of Care Research led by Peter Lindenauer MD.
  • Baystate had its first NIH-funded investigators for hypothesis-driven, investigator-initiated research studies directly funded to Baystate Medical Center (Garry Welch PhD, Lewis Cohen MD, and Peter Lindenauer MD).
  • Creation of laboratory bench space at 3601 Main Street that opened in December 2010 to provide laboratory research space for Baystate Medical Center investigators.
  • Created the Principal Investigator Advisory Group to facilitate dialogue and collaboration of researchers with the institution.
  • Building on the foundation started by Richard Friedberg MD PhD and Gordon Josephson MD, fully implemented the Baystate Incubator funding mechanism to support pilot studies, which has fostered peer-reviewed publications and grant applications from Baystate investigators.
• Forged research relationships with the Tufts Clinical and Translational Institute (CTSI), serving as a founding faculty member of the CTSI. This institutional relationship has resulted in investigators at Baystate Medical Center receiving CTSI funding for pilot studies and career development awards.
  • Served in the role of Co-Director, with Peggy Newell, JD, Vice Provost for Research of Tufts University, of the Regulatory Knowledge, Support, and Clinical Research Ethics component of the CTSI.
  • Served as the Research Subject Advocate for the Tufts CTSI, which included developing the Research Participant’s Bill of Rights that has been adopted by the CTSI and also Baystate Medical Center.
  • Served as the Champion of Change for the Tufts CTSI to advance efficiency and effectiveness across the CTSI and among all CTSA awardees nationally. This including serving on several working groups and as the site Principal Investigator at Baystate Medical Center on research studies analyzing the effectiveness of institutional research support.
• Established the role of Research Integrity Officer with Anita Sarro RN JD in 2006 followed by implementation of required institutional compliance programs.
  • Implemented Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment policies and practices in alignment with national standards and federal guidelines.
• As the Institutional Official for animal research and the Baystate Animal Care Facility (BACF), and working with Carol Lovewell, Director of the BACF, expanded and a re-designed the BACF in 2010 to 6,000 square feet designed to meet AAALAC accreditation standards.
  • The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee was re-constituted in 2006 to provide oversight of animal research.
• Recruited Paul Visintainer, PhD to develop a team as a core resource for researchers in methodology, epidemiology, biostatistics, database mining, and grant writing.
• Recruited Elisabeth Bennett, PhD to develop a team for collaborations for research in medical education as a research focus across undergraduate and graduate medical education at Baystate Medical Center.
• With Human Resources and the research coordinators, developed new job descriptions for research coordinators and regulatory specialists including a matrix of career ladders, certification requirements, continuing education requirements, and continuing education programs for research coordinators.
• Re-configured Sponsored Programs Administration to support both pre- and post-award functions with integration with Finance to meet regulatory compliance and reporting requirements.
• Implemented the Institutional Biosafety Committee to meet federal requirements for Baystate Medical Center research.

Education Accomplishments

• As the Dean of the Western Campus of Tufts University School of Medicine
  • Implemented the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee that has spawned numerous innovative programs in medical student education at Baystate Medical Center.
  • Developed a robust faculty development program at Baystate Medical Center that addresses education, research, and compliance needs.
  • Led the effort nationally with Baystate Medical Center as the pioneering institution for independent academic medical centers to participate in the AAMC Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS), greatly increasing the visibility of our residency programs to fourth-year medical students.
  • Opened the Summer Student Scholar Program to include medical students between the first and second years, attracting medical students from across the country to Baystate Medical Center.
• As the Designated Institutional Official for graduate medical education:
  • Growth from 271 residents and fellows in 2005 to now over 320 residents and fellows in 10 residencies and 13 fellowships accredited by ACGME, and 3 fellowships for which accreditation is not available.
  • Created a new accredited residency program in psychiatry with Ben Liptzin MD and Steve Fischel MD, and new accredited fellowships in nephrology with Greg Braden MD, critical care medicine with Tom Higgins MD and Mark Tidswell MD, and pediatric endocrinology with Holley Allen MD, with a planned vascular surgery fellowship with Mark Hirko MD beginning in 2012.
  • Implemented New Innovations across the institution as the residency management software system.
  • Revised all GME procedures with implementation of verification of training, stronger central support for GME programs, support for education coordinators including for their continuing education, and with Paula Wayne, Linda Baillargeon, and Human Resources developed new job descriptions and a career ladder for education coordinators.
  • Created 3 new subcommittees of the GMEC.
  • Implemented stipends for residents for international health experiences.
  • With Kevin Hinchey MD and Barbara Stechenberg MD, submitted proposals and received over $6 million in federal funding to increase the internal medicine residency by 4 residents a year (12 total) and the pediatric residency by 3 residents a year (9 total), with an emphasis on primary care.
  • With Niels Rathlev MD developed a program to increase the emergency medicine residency program by 2 residents a year, and endowment of a fund to support research in emergency medicine.
  • Eliminated inappropriate pharmaceutical support of training programs.
• Along with Joanna Donahue, Director of Continuing Education, transformed continuing education to incorporate adult learning principles.
  • Implemented a virtual planning tool that is used throughout Baystate Health to plan education activities linked to quality and intent to change practices.
  • Implemented CertainEvents for web-based support of continuing education programs with an instructor portal, integrated evaluation system, and electronic attendance and transcripts as an integrated learning management system with live and online education activities.
• Re-configured our over 30 allied health programs with over 500 students annually through over 80 affiliations with institutions of higher education to better match our workforce needs, including developing new institutional affiliations for several new allied health programs.
  • Implemented the Allied Health Education Committee to advance and facilitate allied health education programs at Baystate Medical Center.
  • Working with Gary Kerr PharmD MBA, Director of Pharmacy Services, and Aaron Michelucci PharmD created a new residency in pharmacy, including accreditation by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
  • Affiliation with Lutheran Medical Center in New York City for Baystate Medical Center participation in a pediatric dentistry residency.
  • Working with Jean Jackson, Lisa Scully, Brenda Wrobel, and faculty developed new affiliations for PA and NP students and strategic planning to expand our capacity for these programs.
• Integrated simulation training into our graduate medical education programs, and working with Neal Seymour MD and Richard Wait MD expanded the Baystate Simulation Center in 2007 to a modern 4,000 sq. ft. facility, culminating in accreditation in 2008 as an Accredited Education Institute by the American College of Surgeons.

Other Accomplishments

• Created Academics@Baystate newsletter as a vehicle to communicate developments in research and medical education.
• Implemented the institutional Intellectual Property Policy and led the Intellectual Property Committee, and created a technology transfer program that has resulted in revenue-producing intellectual properties.
• Implemented or strengthened institutional support for WAAM (Women Advancing & Achieving in Medicine), REACH (Residents Educated in Alternative Cultures and Health), the Literature in Medicine program, medical Spanish language training for residents (later expanded by the Office of Diversity for all employees), the Baystate Resident Spouse Association, and Schwartz Center Rounds.
• Represented Baystate Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine nationally through:
  • Board of Directors, National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
  • Board of Directors, Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR)
  • Board of Directors, and Vice President, Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers (AIAMC)
  • (Inaugural) Chair, Integrating Quality Steering Committee, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
  • Committee on Health Professions, American Hospital Association (AHA)
  • Roundtable on the Need for Reform in Medical Education, Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation
  • Editor of Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics and Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics
  • Editorial Boards of Pediatrics in Review, Current Opinion in Pediatrics, and Infectious Disease Newsletter
  • Board of Examiners of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (formerly the Baldrige National Quality Program) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)