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April 14, 2026

Last Week in Patient Safety

A physical therapist identified a critical finding hidden in a report, prompting the care team to act quickly. Their attention to detail and rapid escalation ensured the patient received timely follow-up care and highlighted an opportunity to strengthen how we communicate critical results.

General Updates

Starting today, the Emerson Laboratory will begin using a new chemistry testing platform. This upgrade will improve reliability, turnaround times, and alignment with our partner sites.

What You Need to Know:

• Some lab tests and reference ranges will be updated
• The lab will perform more tests on-site
• Urine drug screens will now include oxycodone
• There is no change to how you order tests.

Clinical staff should refer to the recent communication or speak with their manager for additional details.

Questions?
Contact Joy Sitnik, Core Lab Manager, at 978-287-3322 or jsitnik@emersonhosp.org.

The Safety Culture Survey opens next week.

This survey is your opportunity to share feedback about your work environment, teamwork, communication, and patient safety across Emerson.

Your input helps us understand what is working well and where we need to focus next. It also plays an important role in shaping decisions that support safe, effective care for both patients and staff.

You will receive an anonymous survey link via email from Press Ganey on Monday, April 20. Please plan to take the time to complete it.

Beginning May 7, Emerson will introduce a new sign-in approach using a 16-character passphrase.

This change means you will no longer need to reset your password every few months. Instead, you will create a single secure passphrase that remains active unless compromised.

You will receive a prompt to create your passphrase the next time you reset your password after May 7.

As you begin thinking about your passphrase, keep these tips in mind:

• Use multiple words that are meaningful to you, easy for you to recall, and not guessable.
• Make it strong by using:
  • 16+ characters (3 or more words).
  • Upper and lowercase letters.
  • Numbers.
  • Symbols.
  • Intentional misspellings.
• Make it unique to Emerson – you should not use this passphrase for any other account.

Visit the North Bridge Cafe or the table outside of the north elevators on the second floor (near the North Bridge Cafe) from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM through this Thursday, April 17, to enter for a chance to win a gift basket. 

• $5 for 6 tickets
• $10 for 13 tickets
• $20 for 28 tickets

All proceeds will benefit Minute Man Arc. 

Stop by to shop the Mother’s Day sale from April 9 through May 16!

Enjoy 20% off on clothing, accessories, and jewelry. 

The sale includes women’s, men’s, and baby clothing, and may not be combined with any other discounts. Please, no returns on jewelry.

Benefits Updates

Avoid These Common Retirement Mistakes

Planning for retirement can feel complex, but avoiding a few common missteps can make a meaningful difference over time. Common pitfalls include delaying savings, contributing too little, or failing to take full advantage of employer matching contributions. Keeping retirement funds too conservative may also limit long-term growth. Starting early, saving consistently, and reviewing your investment approach can help keep you on track.

Mark Your Calendar

Adolescent Substance Abuse: Understanding Brain Development and Risk to Inform Prevention and Care

Friday, April 17, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Presented by Marisa M. Silveri, Ph.D., MHC, Director of the Neurodevelopmental Laboratory on Addictions and Mental Health at McLean Hospital and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

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