Tufts Medical Center
Encyclopedia
Tufts Medical Center is a medical institution in Boston
, Massachusetts
occupying space between Chinatown and the Theater District.
It is a center for biomedical research and is the principal teaching hospital
for Tufts University School of Medicine
where all full-time Tufts physicians hold faculty appointments. Tufts Medical Center is subdivided into a full-service adult hospital and the Floating Hospital for Children, a full-service pediatric
facility. In 1992, with the addition of a maternity service, it became the first private, full-service medical facility in Boston.
Tufts Medical Center's origins date back to 1796 when the Boston Dispensary
was established as the first permanent medical facility in New England
, and one of the first in the United States. Early donors included Paul Revere
.
In 1894, the Boston Floating Hospital was established by a Congregational
minister, the Rev. Rufus Tobey. At the time, many believed in the cleansing and therapeutic qualities of sea air to improve health, and Tobey had heard of a hospital ship for children in New York. For the next 33 years, two successive ships were home to the hospital for children in Boston Harbor. In 1931, after the second Floating Hospital for Children ship was destroyed in a fire, the hospital was relocated to a permanent building onshore.
New England Medical Center was established in 1930 as a union of the Boston Dispensary, the Boston Floating Hospital for Children, and the Trustees of Tufts College. The Pratt Diagnostic Clinic was added in 1946, and in 1950 when Tufts University School of Medicine
and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
relocated to Chinatown
the name was expanded to New England Medical Center Hospital.
In 1968 it was renamed Tufts-New England Medical Center (Tufts-NEMC) to reflect the growing relationship between the hospital and the university. In 1970, the NEMC board met with the Tufts Trustees to outline a cooperative agreement which remained in effect until the late 1970s when tensions between the organizations resulted in "Tufts" being dropped from the name.
After a tense period of competition between the organizations during the 1980s, the NEMC board reached an agreement with the Tufts Trustees in 1991 and the name was changed back to Tufts-New England Medical Center. The affiliation agreement they adopted still stands.
The name was shortened to Tufts Medical Center on March 4, 2008. A press release regarding the rebranding said:
Tufts Medical Center President and CEO Ellen Zane said the "added benefit of our new name is that it is shorter and easier to say and remember." The tag line for the advertising of the new name was "We've done a little surgery on our name."
Tufts Medical Center is a partner with Tufts University in the Clinical and Translational Research Institute, funded by a Clinical and Translational Science Award
from the National Institutes of Health
.
," and also brought to light the link between obesity
and heart disease
. Tufts ranks among the top 5 percent of the nation’s institutions that receive federal research funds.
, and is equipped with a rooftop helipad
.
Orange Line
and a Silver Line
is available at Tufts Medical Center MBTA Station beneath the overpass connecting the main atrium with Floating Hospital for Children. Chinatown station
, also on the Orange line, is one block away.
Also within a short walking distance is South Station
, a major transportation hub
serving the MBTA Commuter Rail
, MBTA Red Line
, Greyhound Lines
and Amtrak
.
Additionally, several services of "Chinatown bus
" operate out of this neighborhood and provide a means of inexpensive travel between Boston and New York City
.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
occupying space between Chinatown and the Theater District.
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
for Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
The Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the eight schools that constitute Tufts University. Located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts, the medical school has clinical affiliations with thousands of doctors and researchers in the...
where all full-time Tufts physicians hold faculty appointments. Tufts Medical Center is subdivided into a full-service adult hospital and the Floating Hospital for Children, a full-service pediatric
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
facility. In 1992, with the addition of a maternity service, it became the first private, full-service medical facility in Boston.
History
Boston Dispensary
The Boston Dispensary or Boston Medical Dispensary provided for "medical relief of the poor" in Boston, Massachusetts, from the late 18th century through the mid-20th century...
was established as the first permanent medical facility in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, and one of the first in the United States. Early donors included Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
.
In 1894, the Boston Floating Hospital was established by a Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister, the Rev. Rufus Tobey. At the time, many believed in the cleansing and therapeutic qualities of sea air to improve health, and Tobey had heard of a hospital ship for children in New York. For the next 33 years, two successive ships were home to the hospital for children in Boston Harbor. In 1931, after the second Floating Hospital for Children ship was destroyed in a fire, the hospital was relocated to a permanent building onshore.
New England Medical Center was established in 1930 as a union of the Boston Dispensary, the Boston Floating Hospital for Children, and the Trustees of Tufts College. The Pratt Diagnostic Clinic was added in 1946, and in 1950 when Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
The Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the eight schools that constitute Tufts University. Located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts, the medical school has clinical affiliations with thousands of doctors and researchers in the...
and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine is a private dental school and one of the eight schools that comprise Tufts University. Located in downtown Boston in the Chinatown district, it is one of three dental schools in the Boston area. The building is adjacent to Tufts Medical Center...
relocated to Chinatown
Chinatown, Boston
The only historically Chinese area in New England, Chinatown, Boston is a neighborhood located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Centered on Beach Street, the neighborhood borders Boston Common, Downtown Crossing, the South End, and the Southeast Expressway/Massachusetts Turnpike.Part of it...
the name was expanded to New England Medical Center Hospital.
In 1968 it was renamed Tufts-New England Medical Center (Tufts-NEMC) to reflect the growing relationship between the hospital and the university. In 1970, the NEMC board met with the Tufts Trustees to outline a cooperative agreement which remained in effect until the late 1970s when tensions between the organizations resulted in "Tufts" being dropped from the name.
After a tense period of competition between the organizations during the 1980s, the NEMC board reached an agreement with the Tufts Trustees in 1991 and the name was changed back to Tufts-New England Medical Center. The affiliation agreement they adopted still stands.
The name was shortened to Tufts Medical Center on March 4, 2008. A press release regarding the rebranding said:
The relationship between the hospital and the universityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
is uniquely close given that both institutions operate independently and will continue to do so. Tufts University School of Medicine’s campus is located steps from the Medical Center in downtown Boston, as is the Tufts University School of Dental MedicineTufts University School of Dental MedicineTufts University School of Dental Medicine is a private dental school and one of the eight schools that comprise Tufts University. Located in downtown Boston in the Chinatown district, it is one of three dental schools in the Boston area. The building is adjacent to Tufts Medical Center...
, the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical SciencesSackler School of Graduate Biomedical SciencesThe Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences is one of the eight schools that comprise Tufts University. It is located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts.-Organization and Degree Programs:...
and the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and PolicyGerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and PolicyThe Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University brings together biomedical, clinical, social, and behavioral scientists to conduct research, educational, and community service programs in the field of human nutrition...
. Seventeen of the 18 Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) physician faculty chairs reside at Tufts Medical Center. Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
President Lawrence S. BacowLawrence S. BacowLawrence Seldon Bacow is an American lawyer and economist. He served as the twelfth president of Tufts University from September 2001 until August 2011. His research focuses primarily on environmental policy, and he held faculty appointments in five departments at Tufts...
and TUSM Dean Michael Rosenblatt, M.D., actively serve on the Medical Center’s board, and Zane holds a seat on the Medical School’s Board of Overseers.
Tufts Medical Center President and CEO Ellen Zane said the "added benefit of our new name is that it is shorter and easier to say and remember." The tag line for the advertising of the new name was "We've done a little surgery on our name."
Tufts Medical Center is a partner with Tufts University in the Clinical and Translational Research Institute, funded by a Clinical and Translational Science Award
Clinical and Translational Science Award
Clinical and Translational Science Award is a type of U.S. federal grant administered by the National Center for Research Resources, part of the National Institutes of Health. The CTSA program began in October 2006 with a consortium of 12 academic health centers. When the program is fully...
from the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
.
Research
Tufts has a history of achievement in scientific research and clinical advances. Tufts research led to the discovery of drugs that prevent the body’s rejection of transplanted organs, coining the term "immunosuppressionImmunosuppression
Immunosuppression involves an act that reduces the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immuno-suppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse reaction to treatment of other...
," and also brought to light the link between obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
and heart disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
. Tufts ranks among the top 5 percent of the nation’s institutions that receive federal research funds.
Innovations
Tufts Medical Center and its predecessor institutions are responsible for numerous medical innovations, including:- In 1899, the Boston Dispensary established the first U.S. lung clinic.
- Around 1919, Dr. Alfred Bosworth invented a synthetic milk product for infants, known and sold today as SimilacSimilacSimilac is a brand of infant formula that was developed by Alfred Bosworth of Tufts University and marketed by Ross Laboratories....
brand of infant formulaInfant formulaInfant formula is a manufactured food designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder or liquid . The U.S...
. - In 1927, Dr. William Hinton perfected the diagnostic test for syphilisSyphilisSyphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
, which is still used today. - In 1952, the first preparation of human growth hormone was developed.
- In 1958, the suppression of the body's immune systemImmune systemAn immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
to avoid the rejection of transplanted tissueOrgan transplantOrgan transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
was demonstrated and the term "Immunosuppression" was coined. - In 1963, the Family Participation Unit was established, allowing parents to stay in the hospital overnight with their children.
- In 1981, the world's first pediatric trauma center was established.
- In 1997, the Neely House was established as a first-of-its-kind bed and breakfastBed and breakfastA bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
-style home within the walls of the hospital. The facility hosts the families of adult and pediatric cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients. - In 2001, the first-in-the-nation transplant exchange program, "Hope Through Sharing" was established.
Numbers
Tufts Medical Center has a total of 451 licensed beds: 210 medical/surgical beds, 46 adult intensive care beds, 66 pediatric beds (including 12 pediatric psychiatric beds), 62 pediatric and neonatal intensive care beds, 23 post-partum beds, 20 adult psychiatric beds, and 24 infant bassinets.Emergency medicine
The Emergency Department (ED) is equipped for the evaluation, resuscitation and stabilization of patients of all ages who present with acute illness or injury. The Floating Hospital for Children is the home of the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute and is a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center (the oldest pediatric trauma center in the country). The hospital is now an adult trauma center as well, verified by the American College of Surgeons as a Level II trauma center in 2008, one of 5 Boston adult trauma centers. Tufts Medical Center is part of the consortium of hospitals which operates Boston MedFlightBoston MedFlight
Boston MedFlight is a non-profit organization that provides emergency scene response and emergent interfacility transfer in Eastern Massachusetts...
, and is equipped with a rooftop helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
.
Transportation
Easy access to the MBTAMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
Orange Line
Orange Line (MBTA)
The Orange Line is one of the four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It extends from Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain, Boston in the south to Oak Grove in Malden, Massachusetts in the north. It meets the Red Line at Downtown Crossing, the Blue Line at State, and the Green...
and a Silver Line
Silver Line (MBTA)
The Silver Line is the only bus rapid transit line currently operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority . It operates in two sections; the first runs from Dudley Square in Roxbury to downtown Boston, Massachusetts and South Station, mostly via Washington Street, with buses...
is available at Tufts Medical Center MBTA Station beneath the overpass connecting the main atrium with Floating Hospital for Children. Chinatown station
Chinatown (MBTA station)
Chinatown is an MBTA subway station on the Orange Line, located at the intersection of Washington and Boylston Streets, roughly at the northwestern corner of Boston, Massachusetts' Chinatown neighborhood....
, also on the Orange line, is one block away.
Also within a short walking distance is South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
, a major transportation hub
Transportation hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include train stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stop, airports and ferry slips. Freight hubs include classification yards, seaports and truck...
serving the MBTA Commuter Rail
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
, MBTA Red Line
Red Line (MBTA)
The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2...
, Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
.
Additionally, several services of "Chinatown bus
Chinatown bus lines
Chinatown bus lines are discount intercity bus services that have been established in the Chinatown communities of the East Coast of the United States since 1998. Similar Chinese American-run bus services are cropping up on the West Coast...
" operate out of this neighborhood and provide a means of inexpensive travel between Boston and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.