Boston Med Scores Big with Viewers

This summer, more than five million people across the nation tuned in weekly to get a glimpse of the outstanding care—provided by dedicated and talented clinicians—that makes BWH an internationally renowned academic medical center.

“Boston Med,” an ABC News documentary that aired on primetime television, followed care providers and patients at BWH, MGH and Children’s Hospital. One of the top rated programs each week, the series drew about 250,000 viewers per episode in the Boston television market, in addition to five million viewers nationally each week.

“Boston Med was an incredible and truly unique experience,” said BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD. “Not only did it showcase the superb care we provide, but it also shined a spotlight on the talented staff and the lengths they go to in order to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families.”

In 2009, the hospitals provided unprecedented access to ABC News cameras, as they captured nearly 2,500 hours of film featuring dozens of patient stories and care providers’ lives at the hospital and at home. At BWH, those hours of film highlighted resident education and care provided in OB/GYN, Cancer, Emergency Medicine and the heart, lung and face transplantation programs.

Phil Camp, MD, director of the Lung Transplant Program, hopes the program raised awareness of the importance of organ donation. “The audience got to see the amazing results that come from the incredibly generous act of signing up to be a donor,” he said. “By doing that, you give someone else, and their family, a second chance at life. There’s just no greater gift.”

After the show, Camp said the BWH Lung Transplant Program saw an increase in weekly referrals for lung transplant candidates, doubling from about six per week to nearly 12.

As episodes unfolded, many in the BWH community felt a tremendous sense of institutional pride after seeing the spectacular work of their colleagues.

“For me, the best part was seeing how our BWH team devote themselves to get a job done, no matter how difficult the task,” said Cynthia Morton, PhD, director of the Biomedical Research Institute.

Morton, who has been at BWH since 1987, noted that watching the show made her even more aware of the incredible work that people throughout the institution do on a daily basis. “I walk through the hospital and think about the busy operating rooms just a floor below. BWH staff are there saving and improving people’s lives, and “Boston Med” reminded me of that,” she said.

With the last episode of the series, the entire nation got a chance to witness rare footage of BWH’s first face transplant—an event that was possible because of incredibly talented clinicians and researchers and the generosity and courage of the donor’s family and the face transplant recipient, James Maki.

By chance, the cameras were following Joseph Helfgot as he waited for a heart transplant at BWH, enabling viewers of “Boston Med” to see the seldom told story of both donor and recipient.

“It was amazing to be able to put the two together,” said Lorrie MacDonald, RN, nurse-in-charge for Tower 12 and the primary nurse caring for Maki post-surgery. “In some way, Plastic Surgery cared for both of them. Even though the donor had passed away, we were helping to maintain his legacy and helping Jim to move forward.”

She added, “I had a huge sense of Brigham pride when I watched. I was left thinking that I’m really fortunate and privileged to be part of the Brigham. It’s amazing what we do here.”