Influenza, sometimes simply called “flu,” is a serious illness. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. Therefore, the single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. To learn more about this flu season and what you need to know, please visit the CDC website.

Atrius Health practice sites are receiving shipments of their flu vaccine supply and will be scheduling appointments for seasonal flu vaccination as long as supply lasts. Our practice locations below offer flu vaccination for adults and children over the age of 6 months – some have walk-in flu clinics, but many require an appointment.

PLEASE NOTE: it’s always a good idea to call a practice or go to our website, which we update with changes to walk-in clinic times or as availability of the vaccine changes.

Beverly – Harvard Vanguard

Walk-in Flu Clinics:

• Tuesday, October 3rd, 5pm – 7pm
• Saturday, October 14th, 9am – 12pm (Flu Clinic and Health Fair)
• Wednesday, October 25th, 5pm-7pm

Also by appointment. Please call (978) 927-4110 for more information.

Boston – Copley – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, beginning November 7^th

• Tuesdays from 9am-11am
• Wednesdays from 2:30pm-4pm

Adult patients please call (617) 859-5101 to schedule.

Pediatric patients please call (617) 859-5470 to schedule.

Boston – Kenmore – Harvard Vanguard

Walk-in Flu Clinic for adult and pediatric patients on Saturday, October 21st, 9am – 1pm.

Also by appointment for pediatric patients. To schedule an appointment for a flu vaccine please call (617) 421-8888.

Adult patients will be offered vaccine at the time of their previously scheduled appointment.

Boston – Post Office Square – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only. Please call 617-654-7200 to schedule.

Bourne – PMG

By appointment and Walk-in Flu Clinics each Wednesday in October (4th, 11th, 18th and 25th) from 11am – 7pm.

Please call (508) 743-9543 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Braintree – Harvard Vanguard

Adult Walk-in Flu Clinics: Beginning October 10th through November 2nd on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays from 4:30pm – 6pm.

Pediatrics Flu Clinics: By appointment only on Saturday, October 14th, 21st and 28th. Call Pediatrics (781) 849-2300 to schedule.

Burlington – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only beginning in October.

• Adult Internal Medicine patients please call (781) 221-2600
• Pediatric patients please call (781) 221-2800
• OB/GYN patients please call (781) 221-2940

Cambridge – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only beginning in October.

• Adult Internal Medicine patients please call (617) 661-5100
• Pediatric patients please call (617) 661-5575
• OB/GYN patients please call (617) 661-5585

Chelmsford – Harvard Vanguard

By-appointment Flu Clinics for adult and pediatric patients from 8:30am – 1pm on:

• Saturday, October 14th
• Sunday, October 22nd
• Saturday, November 4th
• Sunday, November 12th

To schedule an appointment:

• Adult patients please call (978) 250-6100
• Pediatric patients please call (978) 250-6300

Chestnut Hill-West Roxbury – Harvard Vanguard

Walk-in Flu Clinics for adult and pediatric patients on:

• Saturday, October 14th, 9am-1pm
• Saturday, October 28th, 9am- 12pm

Also by appointment starting in November.

• Adult patients please call (617) 541-6520
• Pediatric patients please call (617) 541-6400

Concord – Harvard Vanguard

Walk-in Flu Clinics for adult and pediatric patients on:

• Saturday, October 14th, 8:30am -12pm
• Sunday, October 22nd, 8:30am -12pm

Also by appointment in internal medicine and pediatrics at Concord, pediatrics at Harvard, and internal medicine at Sudbury.

• Adult patients please call (978) 287-9350
• Pediatric patients please call (978) 287-9400

Dedham – Dedham Medical

Adult Flu clinics by appointment only beginning Oct 2nd:

• Tuesdays from 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm
• Fridays from 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm

Pediatric Flu Clinics by appointment only:

• Saturday, October 14th, 9am -1pm
• Wednesday, October 18th, 5pm – 7 pm
• Tuesday, October 24th, 5pm – 7pm
• Saturday, November, 4th, 9am – 1pm

Please call 781-329-1400 to schedule an appointment.

Duxbury – PMG

By-appointment only Flu Clinics from 1:30pm-4pm on:

• Wednesday, October 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th
• Thursday, October 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th

Please call (781) 934-0172 to schedule an appointment.

Kingston – PMG

By appointment only. Please call (781) 585-2172 to schedule an appointment.

Medford – Harvard Vanguard

Adult and pediatric Walk-in Flu Clinics from 8am-6pm on:

• Tuesday, October 10th
• Wednesday, October 11th
• Thursday, October 12th

Patients who are scheduled to see their adult or pediatric provider in the coming months will be offered a flu vaccine at the time of their appointment.

Needham – Harvard Vanguard

Please call (781) 726-4824 to schedule an appointment.

Norwood – Dedham Medical

Adult Flu clinics by appointment only beginning Oct 2nd:

• Mondays from 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm
• Wednesdays from 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm
• Thursdays from 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 4pm

Pediatric Flu Clinics by appointment only:

• Tuesday, September 19th, 12pm – 7pm
• Wednesday, September 27th, 12pm – 7 pm

Please call (781) 329-1400 to schedule an appointment.

Peabody-Lynnfield – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only.

• Adult patients please call (978) 977-4210
• Pediatric patients please call (978) 977-4300

Plymouth – Cordage Park – PMG

Walk-in Flu Clinics from 7:30am – 10:30am on Friday, October 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th.

Plymouth – Court Street – PMG

Walk-in Flu Clinics from 8:00am – 12:00pm on:

• Wednesday, October 4th
• Wednesday, October 11th
• Friday, October 13th
• Wednesday, October 18th

Plymouth – Pine Hills – PMG

By-appointment only Flu Clinics from 11:00am-3pm on:

• Monday, October 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd
• Wednesday, October 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th
• Thursday, October 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th

Please call (508) 224-2224 to schedule an appointment.

Quincy – Granite Medical

Walk-in Flu Clinics beginning Oct 2nd: Monday – Friday, 8am-4:30pm.

Vaccine will also be offered at the time of your scheduled appointment.

Quincy – Harvard Vanguard

Adult Flu Clinics: By appointment only beginning October 3rd through November 16^th, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10am-12pm & 1pm-4pm. Adult patients please call (617) 774-0840 to schedule.

Pediatric Flu Clinics: By appointment only beginning October 11th through November 15^th, Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 1pm – 6pm. Pediatric patients please call (617) 774-0660 to schedule.

Somerville – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only. Please contact your doctor’s office beginning October 2nd to schedule.

• Internal Medicine patients please call (617) 629-6350
• Family Medicine patients please call (617) 629-6260
• Pediatric patients please call (617) 629-6300

Watertown – Harvard Vanguard

Walk-in Flu Clinics for adult and pediatric patients:

• Saturday, September 30th, 9am – 1pm
• Wednesday, October, 4th, 3pm – 6pm
• Thursday, October 12th, 3pm – 6pm

Also by appointment starting October 16th.

• Adult patients please call (617) 972-5230
• Pediatric patients please call (617) 972-5570

Wellesley – Harvard Vanguard

By appointment only beginning Sunday, October 1st. Please contact your doctor’s office to schedule.

• Adult patients please call (781) 431-5220
• Pediatric patients please call (781) 431-5230

Weymouth – 90 Libbey Parkway

By appointment only during the month of October.

• Wednesdays from 3pm – 4:15pm
• Thursdays from 10am – 12pm
• Fridays from 11am – 1pm

Please call (781) 682-0630 to schedule.

The post Get Your Flu Vaccine Today! Walk-in Flu Clinics and Appointments Available! appeared first on Atrius Health.

National Midwifery Week is October 1 – 7, 2017, and the theme for this year is Making Strides for All Women. We’d like to take this opportunity to commend all of the Atrius Health midwives for their ongoing commitment to our practice.

Receiving care from a midwife has been an option for Atrius Health patients since 1990, and many of our patients have selected to receive personal and individualized obstetric and gynecological care from our midwives from adolescence through menopause.

Our midwives’ care for their patients is enhanced by their close relationships with Atrius Health physicians throughout our organization. In addition to hospital call and rounds, our midwives practice in our OB/GYN offices and as part of urgent care at Harvard Vanguard Kenmore and Wellesley.

This quote from the Lancet Series on Midwifery, “Midwifery is a vital solution to the challenges of providing high-quality maternal and newborn care for all women and newborn infants, in all countries,” represents our midwives philosophy of care and practice at Atrius Health.

Please join us in congratulating our midwives for their continued outstanding service and care of our patients and their families!

The post National Midwifery Week 2017 appeared first on Atrius Health.

When we interview our clinicians for their video profiles, we get to learn some interesting information about their lives outside of caring for our patients. Although most knew early in life that they wanted to pursue a career in medicine, we’ve met several clinicians who decided to pursue medicine as a second career.

In this two-part series, we share stories from some of our clinicians about where they started and how they found their way to a career in medicine.

Dr. Justin Smith –  I was a marine biology major in college and worked for a lab at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) that studied deep sea ecology (hydrothermal vents and animals that lived around them.) I worked in that same lab as a research assistant for a year after college. I then went on to work for the Catalina Island Marine Institute for 4 years teaching marine biology, island ecology, and scuba diving. I worked for another UCSB lab studying seasonal cycles of krill population in Antarctica, and then I worked for the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole in Falmouth as a Science Officer for undergraduate research on tall ships (schooners) for a year. My wife and I moved to Boston and I got a job doing vision research with children, which led me to think about going back to school to become an optometrist. I enjoyed working with kids and wanted to do something professionally that would allow me to make a more immediate impact on improving people’s lives while still being involved in teaching and research. Being an eye doctor allowed me to do all that (and keep my socks dry.)

Dr. Brenda Anders Pring – During college and after graduation I worked on political campaigns for the US Senate and Presidency. This led to positions at the US Department of Education and ultimately to the White House where I was part of the press office. I transitioned from government work and went on to Lifetime Television where I was an executive focused on developing public service programming and activities. I decided to continue to help people, in a more direct way, and pursued a career in medicine. Now, as a pediatrician, I combine my earlier experiences with current work as an advocate for children.

The post Medicine as a Second Career appeared first on Atrius Health.

We recently published the first of this two part series that shares the stories of how some of our clinicians chose medicine as a second career. In this post we share stories from three more clinicians whose true calling came a little later in life.

Dr. Jonathan Harland – After studying computer science and economics in college, I completed Citibank’s Management Associate Training Program in New York City. I then worked for Citibank as an account officer for physicians and hospitals in Manhattan. After two years, I discovered that medicine was more fascinating than banking and I returned to school to complete my premedical courses.

Dr. Nils Hoernle – After graduating Washington University in St Louis with a biology degree, I decided to take some time off and see the world. In between my travels, I supported myself doing carpentry as I enjoyed working with my hands and creating nice things from basic materials. I rehabbed turn-of-the-century houses in the historic part of St Louis and this eventually led me to San Francisco where I remodeled a friend’s house that overlooked the Bay. I eventually decided I had to pursue my real dream of being a doctor. I got a job managing a physician’s office lab and attended pre-med at San Francisco State University. It was a 10 year detour, but in the end I became a better-rounded person because of it!

Peg Brown, NP – Immediately prior to starting school to become a nurse practitioner I was the Director of Operations for a non-profit organization for 7 years. Prior to that, I worked in health insurance underwriting for 10 years. I decided to go to school to become a nurse practitioner as a direct result of caring for my elderly parents. I had to learn how to care for them and in doing so I realized that I really enjoyed learning about medicine and how to care for people.

The post Medicine as a Second Career, Part 2 appeared first on Atrius Health.

During the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, our Atrius Health practices will be closed for routine care on Thursday, November 23^rd and Friday, November 24^th except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule an appointment for you.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed above.

Urgent Care Hours: Thursday, November 23, 2017

Urgent Care Hours: Friday, November 24, 2017

The post Thanksgiving Holiday Hours appeared first on Atrius Health.

We are pleased to congratulate the Atrius Health physicians who have been named as Castle Connolly Top Doctors®. The database, compiled by healthcare research and publishing company, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., is comprised of physicians in more than 70 medical specialties and subspecialties. Many of the Atrius Health physicians named as Castle Connolly Top Doctors® have been featured in publications such as Boston Magazine and Cape Cod Magazine.

The Atrius Health physicians named to the 2017 list include:

Michael Aaronson, MD – Gastroenterology

Lloyd Alderson, MD – Neurology

Joseph Audette, MD – Physiatry, Spine and Pain Management

Alfred Baum, MD – Internal Medicine

Patricia Birgeneau, MD – Pediatrics

Mark Boehnert, MD – Pediatrics

Joseph Ciccone, MD – Urology

Michael Cohen, MD – Ear, Nose and Throat

Roderick Crocker, MD – Urology

Cynthia Cullinane, MD – Internal Medicine

James Demetroulakos, MD – Ear, Nose and Throat

George Eliopoulos, MD – Infectious Disease

Lars Erickson, MD – Pediatric Cardiology

Anita Feins, MD – Pediatrics

Stephen Ferzoco, MD – Surgery

Jeffrey Garber, MD – Endocrinology

Beth Goldbaum, MD – Obstetrics & Gynecology

Ronni Goldsmith, MD – Pediatrics

Stacey Gore, MD – Hematology/Oncology

Raul Guzman, MD – Surgery

Allen Hamdan, MD – Surgery

Rebecca Hill, MD – Internal Medicine

Marshall Katz, MD – Cardiology

James Kemp, MD – Gastroenterology

Karen Klein, MD – Pediatrics

Tamsin Knox, MD – Gastroenterology

James Ku, MD – Urology

Janet Li, MD – Urogynecology

Anthony Lopez, MD – Internal Medicine

Sandra Meyerson, MD – Pediatrics

Daniel Mishkin, MD – Gastroenterology

Srdjan Nedeljkovic, MD – Physiatry, Spine and Pain Management

Todd O’Brien, MD – Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Kristin O’Neil-Callahan, MD – Internal Medicine

Susan Pauker, MD – Clinical Genetics

Elizabeth Pearce, MD – Endocrinology

David Pilgrim, MD – Neurology

James Piper, MD – Gastroenterology

Vitaliy Poylin, MD – Surgery

Cynthia Rasmussen, MD – Vulvovaginal Services

Jeremy Richmon, MD – Ear, Nose and Throat

Diana Rodriguez, MD – Maternal Fetal Medicine

Adam Segal, MD – Nephrology

Michael Somers, MD – Pediatric Urgent Care

Jeannine Stanwood, MD – Pediatrics

ABOUT CASTLE CONNOLLY MEDICAL LTD.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. is a healthcare research, information, and publishing company whose mission since its inception more than two decades ago is to help consumers find independent, trusted information about quality healthcare and Top Doctors on both the regional and national levels.  The Castle Connolly Top Doctors® database is available on our website at www.castleconnolly.com where focused healthcare consumers view more than 55 Million physician profiles annually. Castle Connolly’s online database contains the detailed profiles of more than 51,000 top specialists and sub-specialists across the country who have been nominated by their peers and rigorously screened by its physician-led research team. This database is searchable by location, specialty, hospital, and disease/condition. Visit www.castleconnolly.com for more information.

The post 45 Atrius Health Physicians Named as Castle Connolly Top Doctors® appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, our Atrius Health practices will be closed for routine care except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule an appointment for you.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed above.

Urgent Care Hours: Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, 2017

Urgent Care Hours: New Year’s Day, Monday, January 1, 2018

The post Christmas and New Year’s Day Holiday Urgent Care appeared first on Atrius Health.

Due to the snowstorm forecasted for tomorrow, all Atrius Health practice sites will be closed for routine patient care on Thursday, January 4^th.  Patients will be contacted to reschedule any existing appointments.

If you need medical advice at any time, please call your doctor’s office so we can triage your needs.

We are offering urgent care visits at 3 locations on Thursday, January 4^th. Call your doctor’s office to schedule an urgent care appointment or you may also walk in. Hours and location information are as follows:

Laboratory and radiology – as well as pharmacy at Braintree and Kenmore – will be open at these practice sites to support urgent care visits only.

The post WEATHER ALERT for Thursday, January 4, 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Due to the worsening weather conditions, all Atrius Health practice locations will close for all care, including urgent care, as of 1:00pm today, Thursday, January 4^th.

As always, we will provide 24/7 phone-based support for patients needing medical advice.

Thank you – stay safe everyone!

The post UPDATED Weather Alert for Thursday, January 4, 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, January 15th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 1:00pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am-4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 6:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth – Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times for adults from 9:00am-5:00pm and children from 10:00am-2:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard – Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

VNA Care, a subsidiary of Atrius Health serving more than 50,000 patients each year as Massachusetts’ largest non-profit home health and hospice provider, is pleased to introduce Holly Chaffee, BSN, MSN, RN as President and CEO. The appointment of Chaffee, approved by the Board of Directors in December, was the result of a nationwide search. Chaffee replaces Mary Ann O’Connor, BSN, MBA, who is retiring after a 45-year career in the home care and hospice industry, including the last five years as President and CEO of VNA Care. VNA Care includes VNA Care Network, VNA of Boston, and VNA Hospice and Palliative Care.

“We are delighted to welcome Holly, whose dedication and vision for providing patients with high-quality, compassionate care was instrumental to her selection as our new CEO. We are confident that VNA Care will continue to be a leader in the level of care that we provide to our communities,” said Rita S. Advani, Chair of the Board of Directors at VNA Care. “We would also like to thank Diane Leclair, our retiring Board Chair whose tireless leadership of our national search was instrumental in bringing Holly’s tremendous talents to VNA Care.”

For the past decade, Chaffee has been the President and CEO of Porchlight VNA/Home Care, a five-star agency serving communities in Western Massachusetts. Most recently, Chaffee was recognized as a 2017 Healthcare Hero by the publications Business West and Healthcare News, specifically earning the honor as the Health/Wellness Administrator of the year. At Porchlight, a freestanding not-for-profit organization, Chaffee oversaw the full rebranding of a 100+ year-old community organization, and a merger that allowed Porchlight to grow into new larger markets.

“I have great admiration for the work VNA Care does with Atrius Health to ensure patients receive the patient-centered care they deserve,” said Chaffee. “As healthcare continues to move into home and ambulatory settings, I look forward to collaborating in our collective mission to provide the right care with kindness and compassion to every person we serve.”

“Our collaboration with VNA Care is an integral part of our vision for transforming care to improve lives, and we are thrilled that Holly is joining us on this journey,” said Dr. Steven Strongwater, President and CEO of Atrius Health. “With her leadership, our medical practices and home health teams will be well-equipped to find new and even better ways to care for patients comfortably in their homes.”

A registered nurse with more than 30 years of experience, Chaffee has distinguished herself as an innovator in enhancing the quality of patient care industry-wide. Chaffee has worked in post-acute services leadership roles in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Beginning her career in healthcare as a nurse in pediatrics, she first served in the pediatric tertiary care unit at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Bronx, NY, and later worked in the pediatric intensive care units at Albany Medical Center and Hartford Hospital.

Chaffee served as the Board President for the Visiting Nurse Associations of New England (VNANE) from 2012-2014. She is the Board President of The Home Care Alliance of MA, Board President of the Lee Chamber of Commerce, and a Board Member of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. Chaffee also holds other volunteer positions in the community.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Skidmore College, Chaffee went on to attain a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Hartford. A resident of Enfield, CT, she is married and has two sets of twins and a grandchild on the way.

The post VNA Care Welcomes Holly Chaffee as President and CEO appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, February 19th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for President’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 1:00pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am-4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 6:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth – Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am-5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard – Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post President’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

We previously published part 1 and part 2 of this series that shares stories of how some of our clinicians chose medicine as a second career. In this post, we share another story from one of our psychologists whose career path changed along the way.

Dr. Elisabeth Morray

I trained as a ballet dancer from the age of 5 through the time I was in college. After high school, I worked at the Boston Ballet teaching young dancers and doing administrative work for their training programs while attending college. Throughout my training and professional experiences, it became clear to me that little support was provided to dancers – students and professionals – to help them effectively manage the stressors that they faced, particularly those related to body image. I also noticed that, because ballet is such a competitive industry, young women were afraid to speak up or to ask for help for fear of being viewed as weak.

I was considering a career in arts administration, but the awareness that dancers’ struggles could lead to severe health consequences motivated me to shift my focus towards psychology. One of my undergraduate professors was a psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, and she shared and supported these interests. We worked together to develop a program for the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education that provided pre-professional ballet students with access to psychoeducational seminars and individual therapy services. We also developed a research program to identify risk factors and the impact of our interventions on the well-being of dancers. It was very validating to see the impact of this work on individual and organizational levels. It was this experience that led me to a doctoral program in psychology. I continue to maintain some involvement in the development of this kind of programming for dancers as a consultant.

Over the course of graduate school, my interests broadened to include other women’s health issues including gender and sexuality, infertility, pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, and adjustment to parenthood. I have found this work to be tremendously fulfilling as it allows me to play a number of different roles as a psychotherapist, consultant for colleagues and medical professionals, and content producer for the Kotex brand and for a fertility technology start-up. I’m also very committed to helping others find their own paths in this field through my roles as a teacher and Atrius Health’s director for the Harvard Vanguard postgraduate fellowship in Behavioral Health. I feel tremendously fortunate to have been able to translate my early passion for ballet into a career that is so meaningful and engaging!

The post Medicine as a Second Career, Part 3 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Due to a power outage, the Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford practice will be closed today. Patients will be contacted to reschedule appointments.

UPDATE AS OF 10:00am: The Harvard Vanguard Beverly practice phones have been restored and the practice remains open for patient care.

We apologize for any inconvenience. Please be safe on the roads!

The post Important Practice Information for March 8th appeared first on Atrius Health.

Due to the snowstorm forecasted for tomorrow, all Atrius Health practice sites will be closed for routine patient care on Tuesday, March 13^th. Patients will be contacted to reschedule any existing appointments.

If you need medical advice at any time, please call your doctor’s office so we can triage your needs.

We are offering urgent care visits at Harvard Vanguard Kenmore (133 Brookline Ave., Boston) on Tuesday, March 13^th. Please call your doctor’s office to schedule an urgent care appointment at our Kenmore office. Walk-in urgent care will also be available at Kenmore. Hours will be 8:00am-8:00pm for adults and 8:00am-6:00pm for children. Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open from 8:00am-8:00pm.

If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please check our website for any further updates, and stay safe, everyone!

The post Weather Alert for Tuesday, March 13th appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Wednesday, March 14^th all Atrius Health locations, other than our Plymouth-Cordage Park and Duxbury locations, will be open regular hours for all patient care.  Our Cordage Park and Duxbury offices are currently without power and are planning a delayed open of 10:00 AM.  Patients with appointments for 10:00 AM and after should check back for updates on Wednesday morning as we may have to adjust our plan in the event power is not restored.

UPDATE: Wednesday, March 14th, 8:00 AM: Our Plymouth-Cordage Park location will be closed today due to a power outage. Our Plymouth-Court Street and Duxbury locations will be closed until noon due to a network issue. Patients will be contacted to reschedule. Please check our website and/or our social media channels for updates.

The post Weather Update: March 13, 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.

Atrius Health is pleased to announce that our practices have once again been named to the annual Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Physician Group Honor Roll.

Harvard Pilgrim selected the Honor Roll physician groups based on clinical performance measured against national standards set by HEDIS® (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set), a tool developed for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to assess the clinical performance of physician groups. Harvard Pilgrim reviewed performance in three domains of clinical care affecting both adult and pediatric patients: acute, chronic and preventive care. Physician groups were identified as Honor Roll practices based on points earned for performance on 15 measures, such as appropriate treatment for children with upper respiratory infection, adolescent well-care visits, comprehensive diabetes care, and breast cancer screenings.

Dedham Medical – Dedham*

Dedham Medical – Norwood

Granite Medical – Quincy

Harvard Vanguard – Beverly*

Harvard Vanguard – Boston (Copley)

Harvard Vanguard – Boston* (Kenmore)

Harvard Vanguard – Boston* (Post Office Square)

Harvard Vanguard – Braintree

Harvard Vanguard – Burlington*

Harvard Vanguard – Cambridge*

Harvard Vanguard – Chelmsford

Harvard Vanguard – Chestnut Hill/West Roxbury*

Harvard Vanguard – Concord*

Harvard Vanguard – Medford*

Harvard Vanguard – Peabody/Lynnfield

Harvard Vanguard – Quincy*

Harvard Vanguard – Somerville*

Harvard Vanguard – Watertown

Harvard Vanguard – Wellesley*

PMG Physician Associates – Plymouth*

* Physician groups that perform at or above the national 90th percentile in all three domains are named to the Honor Roll “with Distinction.”

The post Atrius Health Practices Named to 2017 Harvard Pilgrim Honor Roll appeared first on Atrius Health.

As a service to our patients, Diane Reilly, our Atrius Health Medicare Educator, conducts free group sessions about Medicare at various Atrius Health office locations throughout the year. These sessions are designed to assist patients who seek a greater understanding of the complexities of Medicare. Topics covered in the class include how and when to enroll in Medicare, an explanation of the various parts of Medicare, and tools to assist with Medicare plan choice.

Seating is limited so pre-registration is required. If you wish to enroll in one of the upcoming sessions listed below, please call 617-559-8340 to register. Please leave a message including your full name, your phone number, the session you wish to attend, and the number of seats you wish to reserve. Although these sessions are for Atrius Health patients, you are welcome to bring a spouse, partner or caregiver. We will announce future sessions at other Atrius Health locations in the coming months.

Harvard Vanguard Braintree
101 Grossman Drive, Conference Room C, 1^st floor, free parking

Session 1     Thursday, April 12th      5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 2     Tuesday, April 17th       5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 3     Thursday, April 19th     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 4     Monday, April 23rd      5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Harvard Vanguard Quincy
1250 Hancock St, Conference Room C/D, 4^th floor, validated parking

Session 1     Thursday, May 17th           1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 2     Thursday, May 17th          5:30 – 7 p.m.

Session 3     Wednesday, May 23rd     1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 4     Wednesday, May 23rd     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Harvard Vanguard Kenmore
133 Brookline Ave, Boston, Conference Room 3B, validated parking

Session 1     Tuesday, June 12th              5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 2     Thursday, June 14th           5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 3     Monday, June 18th             5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Session 4     Wednesday, June 20th     5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

The post Join Us for a Medicare Information Session appeared first on Atrius Health.

On Monday, April 16th, the Atrius Health medical practices will be closed for Patriot’s Day except for those practices listed below, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care appointments.

If you feel you need medical advice or think that you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. If it is determined that you need an urgent care appointment, the medical staff can schedule you for an appointment.

As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.

Please note: Pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology will also be open at the times listed below.

Braintree-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 4:00pm

Chelmsford-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Concord-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 8:00am – 1:00pm and for children from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Dedham-Dedham Medical: appointment times from 9:00am – 1:00pm

Kenmore-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times for adults from 10:00am – 5:00pm and children from 10:00am – 4:00pm

Norwood-Dedham Medical: appointment times for adults only from 8:00am – 6:00pm

Peabody/Lynnfield-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 2:00pm

Plymouth-Cordage Park-PMG: appointment times from 9:00am – 5:00pm

Somerville-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 10:00am – 5:00pm

Wellesley-Harvard Vanguard: appointment times from 9:00am – 3:00pm

The post Patriot’s Day Holiday Notice appeared first on Atrius Health.

Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Derkazarian, DNP, RN, ANP-BC shared this message with the Atrius Health nursing staff:

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Atrius Health nurses shine and our patients experience extraordinary care delivered with kindness and compassion. The theme for Nurses Week 2018 is to Inspire, Innovate, and Influence. I believe this aligns perfectly with our mission as nurses at Atrius Health.

In my vision for the coming year, we will feel inspired and energized to focus, re-build, and solidify the basics of nursing practice and care delivery. We will innovate new and different ways to provide the best care to our patients. Together we will influence care plans and decisions. We will influence daily decisions, strategic direction, and our care teams in a way that will streamline care, bring joy to our day, and serenity and healing to our patients. We will influence the journey to an unparalleled quality of care in a safe and reliable environment across the continuum from home to our practice sites.

Atrius Health is a national leader in ambulatory care nursing practice. You are national leaders and you have been working in this space longer than most anyone and I am so proud of the work you do. I look forward to supporting your nursing practice, offering you ways to find inspiration, and watching you inspire others. I look forward to seeing your innovations and daily improvement to care. And as for your influence? I see evidence of this every day and it is powerful. I am humbled and honored to witness such collaboration and support for one another in the care teams. You influence me every day and my hope is that you continue to feel empowered in your work of transforming and improving the lives of our patients.

You are trusted, you are caring, you are powerful, and I am so proud to serve you! Take some time to celebrate yourselves this week, and always!

On behalf of our nursing and senior leadership, I would like to congratulate the following nurses who were honored in the annual Boston Globe “Salute to Nurses” for their outstanding patient care:

Kathy Boyd, RN, Harvard Vanguard Medford
Araselis Castillo, RN, Harvard Vanguard Braintree
Cindy Cunningham, NP, Harvard Vanguard Medford
Ann Curran, NP, Harvard Vanguard Quincy
Danielle Fiore, RN, Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
Eileen Forest, RN, Harvard Vanguard Watertown
Julie Genovese, VNA Care Network
Arlene Kelley, NP, Atrius Health Cardiovascular Center
Sarah Paez, NP, Weymouth, Libbey Parkway
Susan Parenti, VNA Care Network
Sharon Pease, RN, Harvard Vanguard Burlington
Catherine Phillips, RN, Harvard Vanguard Braintree
Ellen Pothier, RN, Dedham Medical Norwood
Elizabeth Reddy, RN, Harvard Vanguard Chelmsford
Nathan Samuels, DNP, Harvard Vanguard Beverly
Marita Tympanick, RN, Dedham Medical Norwood
Amie Webb, LPN, Harvard Vanguard Concord
Kayleigh Withington, RN, Harvard Vanguard Kenmore

The post Atrius Health Celebrates National Nurses Week 2018 appeared first on Atrius Health.