N.E. responds: Beth Israel-B.U. gear project; Dartmouth sets up COVID-19 ICU

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, N.H.

— Photo by Jared C. Benedict

From The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com)

BOSTON

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among Council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can find all the Council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our website.  This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our newly-released Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is the May 4 roundup:

Medical Response

• Boston University, Beth Israel Develop Improved Medical, Testing Equipment –Boston University (BU) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) are collaborating to improve the equipment used to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients. The partnership has already produced a more rapid diagnostic test, an improved ventilator design, and new models for testing swabs. The Brink reports.

• Dartmouth Hitchcock Establishes COVID 19 Intensive Care Unit – The neurocritical care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center has been transformed into a new intensive care unit for COVID-19 patients. This change will ensure that the hospital does not exceed capacity for patients or deplete its existing stockpile of medical supplies and protective equipment. Read more in the Sentinel Source.

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• Framingham State Moves Elderly Learning Program Online – Framingham State University is transitioning its learning program for senior citizens online to provide a social outlet and educational opportunities to the most vulnerable, and most isolated, during the pandemic. The program had been postponed due to stay-at-home orders but will now offer the free courses in literature, songwriting, and more. The Worcester Business Journal has more.

• Northern Essex Community College President Calls for More Aid – President Lane Glenn of Northern Essex Community College (NECC), in a virtual event with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), called for more aid to community colleges in Massachusetts as they support 100,000 students in the state during this crisis. President Lane noted that community college students are more likely to be low-income and minority residents and are experiencing housing and food insecurity at higher rates. Read more in the Boston Business Journal.

Community Response

• Ascentria Care Alliance Provides Support for Resettling Refugees – More than 100 refugees living in Concord, N.H., are receiving support and care from Ascentria Care Alliance as they resettle in the United States. The healthcare provider, through its Services for New Americans department, is helping these families navigate the resources available to them amid these challenging times. Read more in the Nashua Telegraph.

• TD Bank Launches Community Resilience Initiative –TD Bank has announced the TD Community Resilience initiative, dedicating $25 million to organizations supporting community response and recovery efforts from the pandemic. From healthcare workers in community health centers to local banking offices in the United States and Canada, the initiative will seek to support communities as they recover from the virus. Read more from CSRwire.

• Turkey Sends Medical Equipment to United States – Turkey sent a plane of medical equipment to the United States to aid the response to COVID-19. The Consulate General of Turkey in Boston shares that country provided 500,000 masks, over 500 gallons of disinfectant, and other essential materials in a continuation of its humanitarian aid around the world. ABC News has more.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

N.E. virus response: Beth Israel making swabs; Home Base director takes role; Dartmouth working on better test

— Photo by Raimond Spekking

From The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com)

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among Council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can find all the Council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our website.  This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our newly-released Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is the April 21 roundup:

Medical Response

• Beth Israel Producing Testing Swabs to Combat Shortage – Faced with a dwindling supply of testing materials, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has begun producing their own testing swabs in collaboration with local academics and manufacturers. The new swabs are already being used to test potential COVID-19 patients and will begin production on a larger scale soon. Read more from WBUR.

• Home Base’s Gen. Jack Hammond Tapped to Lead Boston Hope Medical Center – General Jack Hammond, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Red Sox Home Base Program, has been chosen by Gov. Charlie Baker (R-MA) to serve as co-medical and operations director at Boston Hope Medical Center. Gen. Hammond will draw on both his personal experience serving in the military and in his role at Home Base to work with state and local officials to coordinate care for the unsheltered and those in post-acute care. Read more in The Boston Globe and the press release.

• Dartmouth College Researchers Developing Improved Test – Researchers at Dartmouth College are working to create a new, improved test for COVID-19. The lab has partnered with a California biotech company to make the test more reliable and quicker to produce results. The test awaits FDA approval as it is being compared to the test currently being used in the United States. Read more from The New Hampshire Business Review

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• Worcester State University Receives $484,000 Grant to Improve Remote Learning – To support its transition to remote learning, Worcester State University (WSU) has received over $484,000 in grants from a Boston venture philanthropy firm. The funds will be used to cover a variety of expenses, such as laptops and a university-wide texting system to remind students of upcoming deadlines. The measures are designed to especially help first-generation students, a demographic already more likely to drop out of school. The Worcester Business Journal has more.

Community Response

• City of Providence Buys 34,000 Masks for Frontline Workers – The City of Providence has partnered with its firefighters union to purchase 34,000 N95 masks for first responders directly exposed to the virus. Masks, along with other protective equipment such as gloves, will be distributed to responders and other essential personnel who require them. Read more from WPRI.

• UnitedHealth Announces $5 Million to Support Healthcare Workers – UnitedHealth Group, as part of its initial $60 million commitment to combating the coronavirus pandemic, has announced a $5 million initiative to support the healthcare workforce. Specifically, the funds will be directed toward efforts to procure more personal protective equipment (PPE) and to provide mental health support to those working directly with COVID-19 patients. Read the press release here.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

Boston hospitals unite to handle influx; UMaine offering online campus tours for prospective students; race track speeds PPE’s

This is from our friends at The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com):

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among Council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can find all the Council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our Web site.  This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our newly-released Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is today’s (April 10, 2020) roundup:

Medical Response

• Boston Hospitals Launch Citywide Group to Manage Influx – To better coordinate the handling of incoming patients, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) are jointly leading a response group across Boston. The group streamlines the flow of patients to hospitals in the group to avoid moving staff and resources, with support from The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association as well as a growing network of the city’s hospitals. WBUR has more.

• MIT Contact Tracing App Adopted by Local Governments – Three local government entities plan to introduce Private Kit, an app developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers. The app allows for extensive – yet still private– “contact tracing” using users’ Bluetooth signals. Other counties and municipalities around the country are considering introducing the app in their communities in the coming weeks. Read more in Reuters.

• Beth Israel Doctors Begin Testing Drug to Reduce Need for Ventilators – Doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have launched clinical trials to test tPA to treat COVID-19 related respiratory failure, thereby reducing the demand for ventilators.  The anti-clotting drug is usually reserved for heart attack and stroke patients, but after some initial success in treating coronavirus patients, will now enter a two-phase clinical trial. Read the press release here.

A tree-lined path through the Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamental Gardens, at the University of Maine’s flagship campus, in Orono. The university provides online tours to prospective students.

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in Loudon, the biggest such operation in New England by far. It’s donating PPE’s.

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• UMaine Utilizing Virtual Programming for Prospective Students – While high school seniors are unable to visit campuses as they choose where to attend college, the University of Maine (UMaine) is offering virtual programs, such as campus tours and videoconferencing options with professors, to highlight the resources of the university. Read more in the Bangor Daily News.

• New England Center for Children Maintains Residential Program – The New England Center for Children (NECC) in Framingham continues to operate its residential educational program for children with autism amid the pandemic. Many of the students who reside at the center cannot safely return to their homes To support these students and ensure they have adequate resources and assistance during the pandemic, NECC’s residential program—with the support of the state of Massachusetts—continues to keep their students safe while meeting their diverse needs. Read more from WBUR

Community Response

• Massachusetts Hospitals Receive Part of $38 Million Relief Donation – UMass Memorial Medical Center, in Worcester, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston are among the recipients of $2.3 in aid to Massachusetts relief efforts from insurance company MAPFRE. The funds are part of a $38 million aid package donated by the Spanish insurer to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts. Several other Massachusetts hospitals will also receive a share of the funds.  Read more in The Worcester Business Journal.

• New Hampshire Motor Speedway Donates Protective Equipment – The New Hampshire Motor Speedway has donated 800 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) for local health-care workers in the state. The NASCAR track donated the items directly to the city of Loudon, N.H., where the track is situated. Read more from NBC Sports.

• UnitedHealth Group Pledges $50 Million for Relief Efforts – Supporting those most directly affected by the pandemic—ranging from hard-hit states to seniors and those experiencing food insecurity—UnitedHealth Group has committed $50 million toward relief efforts. Funds will be spread across the country to alleviate financial strain on these vulnerable populations. Read the release here.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.T

 

N.E. Council COVID-19 update: Beth Israel's new testing swabs; Samuel Adams aid program and more

— Photo by Raimond Spekking

BOST0N

From The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com)

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak.  Each day, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among council members throughout the region.  We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these daily round-ups.

You can find all the council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our Web site.  This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our newly-released Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is the April 6 roundup:

Medical Response

• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Develops Prototype Testing Swabs – Confronting a shortage of testing swabs, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is leading efforts to mass-produce swabs. After only 15 days of research with both private and public partners, BIDMC expects to produce 10,000 swabs each day beginning next week week, eventually ramping up to 1 million daily—likely enough to supply all of America and part of Europe. Read more in The Boston Business Journal.

• MIT Researchers Create Equipment Decontamination Resources– To provide advice on best practices for decontaminating and reusing protective equipment used by healthcare providers, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) entered a consortium to create an online resource page. The site aims to help providers with limited time and resources make informed decisions on how to best use existing supplies. More from MIT News

Economic/Business Continuity Response

• Boston University Provides Online Learning Resources for Deaf Children – Boston University (BU) has created a new resource—the Deaf Education Library—for deaf children to access courses, curriculum, and books in American Sign Language while they learn at home. In providing this new tool, BU noted that deaf children can find themselves in “double seclusion” as they navigate both the transition to remote learning and being sequestered with people who may struggles to communicate with them. BU Today has more.

• Verizon Increases Access to Internet Resources, Employee Pay – To facilitate as smooth a transition as possible to remote work and learning, Verizon is offering access to learning tools and news channels at no additional cost. The network provider has also expanded its Pay It Forward Live gaming campaign to support small businesses affected by the outbreak, and has committed to increasing the pay for its essential employees. Read more.

• Lowe’s Takes Steps to Protect Employees – To best comply with social distancing protocols, Lowe’s is working to ensure that its essential employees are protected during the pandemic. Lowe’s announced measures to restrict the number of customers in locations and has expanded remote purchasing offerings. The more stringent guidance come after Lowe’s $170 million commitment to relief efforts. Read more in The Charlotte Business Journal

Community Response

• City of Boston Announces $2 Million Small Business Relief Fund – Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced a relief fund to support small businesses directly affected by closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund—with contributions from city, private, and federal sources—will target those businesses that do not qualify for federal relief or unemployment benefits. The Boston Business Journal has more.

• Northeastern University to Provide Employment and Educational Opportunities for Third-Party Employees – Northeastern University will provide educational assistance and temporary employment opportunities for campus workers who employed by third-party vendors, such as those working in dining and parking services—. Utilizing its existing network of employers usually used for its co-op program, the university will provide language, educational, and career support to address the immediate needs of these workers. Read more from News@Northeastern

• Samuel Adams Offers $1,000 Payments to Out-of-Work Food Industry Employees – After establishing its Restaurant Strong Fund to raise money for workers in food service affected by revenue losses, Samuel Adams (part of Boston Beer Company) has expanded the fund’s operations to 19 additional states and is now offering a $1,000 grant to workers who have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic. CBS Boston has more.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

Yet again, Beth Israel, Lahey trying to merge

From the Cambridge Management Group  (cmg625.com) Web site.

For the fourth time, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lahey Health say that they plan to merge.

The partnership would create a new parent corporation running the combined systems, of which Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Burlington, Mass.-based Lahey Hospital & Medical Center are the flagships. Under current plans, Kevin Tabb,  M.D., the current CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, would head the combined system.

Boston Business Journal reported:

“The hospitals are also still discussing how this move would impact New England Baptist {Hospital}  and — both of which are part of Beth Israel Deaconess Center’s larger entity CareGroup. New England Baptist announced in 2014 that it would join a clinical partnership with BIDMC, and officials said they would be having discussions with both hospitals to see how they would fit in to a new entity.

“Each hospital would also maintain its existing medical school association — Lahey with Tufts Medical School and BIDMC with Harvard Medical School.

“The deal would combine Beth Israel’s presence in Boston and the South Shore with locations in Burlington, Gloucester, Beverly and Winchester. A merger would also combine behavioral health expertise at Lahey with research and educational expertise from the BIDMC.”

To read more, please hit this link.