It Takes Everyone: A Heartfelt Thank You
Michael Gustafson MD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare
As we wrap up another busy week at UMass Memorial Medical Center , I find myself reflecting on the the heroic caregivers who carried us through a very challenging crisis on the Memorial Campus last weekend.
Like many other hospitals in the state, our building was impacted by the arctic temperatures that arrived in the region starting last Friday. On the Memorial Campus, this resulted in 32 different cracked pipes and damage to 61 total rooms, including inpatient, ambulatory and lab areas.
As soon as these issues were appropriately escalated, our on-call leaders sprang into action, activating our #Emergency Operations Plan (#EOP) and a fully functional command center. Other leaders came in as soon as possible to offer their support and we reached out to external vendors for more resources. Dozens of caregivers from #Facilities and #Environmental Services worked tirelessly for 72 hours, repairing and cleaning up one burst pipe after another.
If you’ve ever had a water issue in your home, you know how much work it takes to take down walls, repair #pipes and (terminally) clean up the mess that gets left behind
Led by Bridgette Daley CHFM , these professionals did that 32 times in 72 hours, all in compliance with our high infection control standards. Meanwhile, all other caregivers ensured that all patients were warm and being cared for without interruption. To be candid, it was a herculean effort made possible by our nurses, patient care assistants, providers and these folks listed below.
Facilities
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Environmental Services
Altogether, while these talented caregivers were working to address the damage, our clinical caregivers across the South Building scrambled to emergently relocate and care for their patients in other areas of the Memorial Campus. At one point, 31 beds in the South Building had to be closed. Our nursing students jumped in to help move patients and our ED colleagues at on University and Memorial campuses offered to keep patients until we could stabilize the South Building and restore heat.
By Tuesday, most rooms impacted by the burst pipes were once again operational and all rooms are back online today. We avoided going on diversion and remained fully capable of meeting the needs of our community. We kept providing high-quality care both for admitted patients and those arriving to the ED. We found creative solutions to complex problems. Most importantly, we kept everyone safe.
Most of our patients and the community will never know all that our caregivers did to keep us functioning, but I certainly do. After working through a multiyear pandemic and associated operational crises with all of them, I am not surprised that they rose to the occasion on behalf of our patients and each other. But, once again, I am deeply impressed and grateful.
RETIRED President, UMass Memorial Realty Inc. and Associate Vice President, Real Estate
1yCongratulations to the Facilities team - an amazing job!
Chief Administrative Officer at UVA Medical Center - Healthcare Executive I Culture Focused I Strategic Thinker
1y32 pipes broken, 61 rooms damaged, 31 rooms closed, no diversion - all repaired and operational in 72hrs. What a team work! Congratulation UMass Memorial Medical Center!
Patient finance strategist/Patient engagement/payment advisor/40 years as a healthcare sales executive. Father of two incredible young men. Blessed beyond words ...Thank you Lord Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1yExcellence clearly defined!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Retired, March 29, 2023
1yThe Best of the Best to all!
Chief Safety and Transformation Officer at Press Ganey
1yWhat an amazing commitment to patient safety! Congratulations to UMass Memorial Medical Center for such incredible teamwork!