HE A LTH • Summer 2019 3
T h is iss u e
F E A T U R E S
The Region's Quarterly Health Care Magazine
CBD: The new wonder drug
Patients are increasingly seeking out marijuana's buttoned-up
cousin, although doctors remain wary of the actual benefits.
\\ BY GRANT WELKER
12
Health Care Briefs
An overview of the latest
healthcare business news ............. 4
Local Innovation
........................... 4
The Lists
• Medical marijuana
dispensaries ................................. 15
• MassHealth accountable care
organizations (ACOs) .................. 18
• Medicare accountable care
organizations (ACOs) serving
Mass. .............................................. 19
Column:
Are we getting healthier
or not? .......................................... 20
Column:
Building better patient
recovery rooms ........................... 21
Pictures of Health
A photographic look at the region's
healthcare happenings ................ 22
Movers & Shakers
People, providers and
practices ....................................... 24
D E P A R T M E N T S
10
Fighting a rising problem
Opioid deaths in Worcester and Worcester County increased last
year, while the statewide death toll dropped.
\\ BY LIVIA GERSHON
16
Early positive returns
Aer less than a year, Central Mass. ACOs appear to benefit
patients, providers and insurers. \\ BY SUSAN SHALHOUB
C E N T R A L M A S S A C H U S E T T S
Editor
Brad Kane, bkane@wbjournal.com
News Editor
Grant Welker, gwelker@wbjournal.com
Contributors
Edd Cote, Livia Gershon, Susan Shalhoub
Editorial & Events Intern, Devina Bhalla,
dbhalla@wbjournal.com
Research Director
Stephanie Meagher,
smeagher@nebusinessmedia.com
Research Assistant
Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com
Production Director
Kira Beaudoin, kbeaudoin@wbjournal.com
Art Director
Mitchell Hayes, mhayes@wbjournal.com
Senior Accounts Manager
Matt Majikas, mmajikas@wbjournal.com
Custom Publishing Project Manager
Christine Juetten, cjuetten@wbjournal.com
Senior Special Accounts Manager
Mary Lynn Bosiak, mlbosiak@wbjournal.com
Marketing & Events Manager
Kris Prosser, kprosser@wbjournal.com
Chief Operating Officer
Mary Rogers, mrogers@nebusinessmedia.com
Accounting Manager
Valerie Clark, vclark@nebusinessmedia.com
Accounting Assistant
Rae Rogers, rrogers@nebusinessmedia.com
Collections Manager
Raki Zwiebel, rzwiebel@nebusinessmedia.com
Human Resources
Jill Coran, jcoran@nebusinessmedia.com
Publisher, CEO
Peter Stanton, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com
Associate Publisher
Mark Murray, mmurray@wbjournal.com
President
Joseph Zwiebel, jzwiebel@nebusinessmedia.com
Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
New England Business Media
48 Free St. Suite 109
Portland, ME 04101
Tel: 508-755-8004
Email: circulation@nebusinessmedia.com
To reach us:
Visit www.WBJournal.com
Email: editorial@wbjournal.com
Call: 508-755-8004 ext. 227
A division of:
HEALTH
Central Massachusetts HEALTH is published four
times a year by New Engand Business Media LLC.
8
High alert
e largest U.S. outbreak of measles in two decades has
Massachusetts medical professionals pushing for more
vaccinations. \\ BY DEVINA BHALLA
8
10
12
16
26
Provider Profile ......................... 26
Q&A with Lisa Brennan, executive
director of the Genesis Club in
Worcester
• COVER PHOTO/EDD COTE
