4 HEALTH • Fall 2016
C E N T R A L M A S S A C H U S E T T S
Executive Editor
Brad Kane, bkane@wbjournal.com
HEALTH Editor
Emily Micucci, emicucci@wbjournal.com
Staff Writer
Laura Finaldi
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Edd Cote, Livia Gershon, Susan Shalhoub
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HEALTH
{ From The Editor }
F
all is my favorite season. There's the glorious weather, a welcome sense
of routine and the promise of new beginnings. Even if you're years
removed from using the school calendar as a measure of the passing
year, fall still conjures the feeling of a fresh start.
For students at the New England School of Acupuncture, formerly of
Newton and now of downtown Worcester, that's especially true. Classes began
in September after the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
acquired it in 2015, creating a new option for students interested in this area of
complementary medicine, and signaling acupuncture's transition from popular
alternative medicine -- one of our issue focuses -- to mainstream health care. Read about how the
field has evolved in staff writer Laura Finaldi's Page 14 feature.
Also in the realm alternative medicine (or complementary medicine, as practitioners prefer), Finaldi
interviewed Dr. Judson Brewer of the University of Massachusetts Medical School for our Provider
Profile feature on Page 30. Brewer is an internationally-known mindfulness expert, and he has many
compelling arguments for using meditation to help treat a host of difficult conditions, such as chronic
pain, that may have no other cure.
Our other issue focus, health care careers, strikes an academic chord as well. Contributing writ-
er Livia Gershon gives a synopsis on the need for trained home care workers now and in the future in
her Page 20 feature, in which industry leaders discuss concerns that there won't be enough man power
to accommodate the aging population. Also from Gershon is a sobering yet hopeful look at treating
the youngest victims of opiate addiction crisis: newborn babies. On Page 16, read about how
Central Massachusetts hospitals are trying to give babies the best start.
Finally, Finaldi's Page 18 story provides a dose of reality when it comes to the growing field of
medical marijuana. While more doctors are becoming licensed to certify patients to use medical
marijuana, her reporting found that much of the health care establishment is skeptical about its
effectiveness, and that's having a real effect on marijuana doctors and their patients.
Regularly featured content
Fall is a time for catching up, so be sure to get up to speed to all that has transpired within the
Central Massachusetts health care industry over the summer months. For important news on labor
contracts, possible hospital mergers and more, see our Briefs section beginning on Page 5. And round
out your knowledge of current events with hiring announcements, new accolades and new hiring and
fundraising events in our Newsworthy section starting on Page 25. Finally, you will definitely learn
something new from each of our guest columnists featured on Pages 22-24.
Correction
One last note: I regret that Harrington Memorial Hospital was omitted from a chart showing c-sec-
tion rates at local hospitals in our feature, C-sections on trial, in the summer issue. At 14.3 percent,
Harrington has the lowest rate in the region. I apologize for the error.
- Emily Micucci, HEALTH editor
A new season in health care
Central Massachusetts HEALTH is published 4
times a year by New Engand Business Media LLC.
