The Harvard Vanguard Oncology Department has always provided superb hematologic and oncologic care for patients faced with what is often the greatest health challenge of their lives. The department now has a new facility that matches the quality of care it has always provided.

Planning for the new space, located in our Kenmore practice, began in 2011 and involved a great deal of direct patient input. 

With the many free ways to get information nowadays, spending money and devoting time to taking a childbirth class might seem unnecessary.  Here are 10 reasons that might change your mind.

When the first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss). Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain and is an overuse injury affecting the sole (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) that connects your heel bone (calcaneus) to the base of your toes.

Healthcare providers across Massachusetts including Atrius Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lahey Health Systems, Tufts Medical Center and other hospitals and physician groups have formed a coalition calling for a public process around the recently proposed settlement between Partners HealthCare and the Attorney General.

“Although we are competitors, we have joined together to draw attention to the threats posed to the Massachusetts healthcare system by the proposed deal between the Attorney General and Partners HealthCare,” said Howard Grant,

Many woman look for a way to relax and stay fit during pregnancy. The age-old practice of yoga can keep you limber, tone your muscles, and improve your balance and circulation with little, if any, impact on your joints.

A typical prenatal yoga class focuses on practicing different breathing techniques as well as gentle stretching of different areas of your body such as the neck and arms.

Below are five benefits that a woman can receive from taking prenatal yoga classes.

Most people would prefer to be in the comfort of their own homes when recovering after a stay at a hospital following an injury or serious illness, but sometimes a patient may need the specialized care of a skilled nursing facility (SNF) to receive additional, short term post-hospital care.

In 2012, Atrius Health sought to create a preferred network of skilled nursing facilities we could collaborate more closely with to improve the coordination of care of our patients requiring SNF services.

The SMArt Kids at Burlington are SMART! They can answer the following questions correctly – can you?

Question #1: How many hours of screen time per day is recommended?
(Answer: Less than 1-2 hours per day and no screen time for children under age 2 years)

Question #2: What room should you make TV-free?
(Answer: The Bedroom! And also consider making the kitchen TV-free so you aren’t tempted to watch during meal time.)

The SMArt kids were not only correct but quick to answer these questions.

A few years ago, my mother-in-law had a significant heart attack early one morning at home. She was transported to the emergency room near our town then helicoptered to a larger hospital for an emergency catheterization and treatment.  She ultimately made it out of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, graduated to a regular floor and was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital for a short stay.  Unfortunately, a week after being there, we got a middle-of-the-night call and were told she had experienced some bleeding and was being sent back to the hospital. 

Although our vision of partnering with our patients and communities to make it easier to be healthy is large, how we achieve it can come from many small steps and changes in our practices to deliver the highest possible quality of care. How, when, and where we provide care and services are all important aspects we consider to “get it right.”

When we do make changes, you need to know about them,