First chair holder, BMC Chief of Emergency Medicine Christian Arbelaez, to leverage support to advance clinical care and health equity in emergency medicine
BOSTON – Boston Medical Center (BMC) today announced that William F. “Ted” and Kathy O. Truscott have donated $4 million to establish the Innovation in Exceptional Care Chair in Emergency Medicine at BMC. Mr. Truscott, the CEO of Columbia Threadneedle Investments, is a Trustee of BMC and Chair of its Philanthropic Trust. BMC Chief of Emergency Medicine Christian Arbelaez, MD, MPH, was named inaugural chair.
Nationwide, emergency departments serve as the front door to societal challenges that impact patients and the healthcare system, including mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness, among other conditions plaguing historically underinvested communities. Emergency departments across the country have also seen operational challenges like overcrowding and staff shortages. Addressing these demands will involve an evolved, comprehensive, and holistic approach that includes greater access to timely care, improved healthcare system capacity, and added finances.
The Truscotts’ gift, funding the first philanthropically endowed chair at BMC, gives current and future endowment recipients the resources to tackle these challenges by innovating and pushing the frontiers of emergency medicine.
“This extraordinary gift, along with his service to our Philanthropic Trust and Board of Trustees, exemplifies the dedication and commitment Ted has to BMC. He is truly a champion for our patients and believes deeply in our work and mission,” said Alastair Bell, MD, MBA, President & CEO of Boston Medical Center Health System. “This gift will further enhance BMC’s innovative and equitable approach to emergency medicine, creating new operational and clinical models to meet the most pressing challenges faced by health systems across the nation.”
Chief Arbelaez will leverage support to advance clinical care and health equity in emergency departments to continue BMC’s work as a national model in emergency medicine.
Arbelaez leads the largest and busiest emergency department in New England, which provides expert emergency medical care to over 130,000 patients each year. In response to rising patient volume since the COVID pandemic, he helped redefine patient care in the emergency department by implementing a Rapid Assessment Zone, a nationally recognized multidisciplinary model to improve patient flow and reduce crowding.
“This is a critical time for emergency medicine,” said Christian Arbelaez, MD, MPH, Chief of Emergency Medicine at BMC and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. “As one of the busiest emergency departments in the country caring for patients with a range of needs, innovation is essential to improving care. What we learn and develop here at BMC with support from this gift can be applied to improve care nationwide.”
In June 2023, Arbelaez spearheaded the first ever Leaders of Essential Emergency Departments Conference in Boston. The conference brought together leaders of hospitals and emergency medicine departments from across the country for a bold opportunity to reshape and improve emergency care to ensure systems across the nation are poised to provide innovative and equitable care for all.
“Kathy and I believe deeply in furthering the mission of BMC and are committed to supporting the essential work that Dr. Arbelaez and his colleagues undertake every day to provide exceptional emergency medical care to all who need it, regardless of their circumstances,” Mr. Truscott shares. “It is a privilege to make this gift and recognize the critical role that emergency medicine plays at BMC and in our healthcare system.”
About William F. “Ted” Truscott
Ted Truscott is CEO of Columbia Threadneedle Investments, a leading global asset manager headquartered in Boston that provides a broad range of actively managed investment strategies and solutions for individual, institutional, and corporate clients around the world.
Truscott is a corporate leader committed to service and philanthropy. Throughout his career, he has given back to non-profit organizations, both locally and nationally, with his time, expertise and generosity. In addition to his work with BMC’s Board of Trustees and Philanthropic Trust, he serves on the Investment Company Institute’s Board of Governors, as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Middlebury College, and as Chair of the Board of Directors of The Greater Boston Food Bank.
The Columbia Threadneedle Investments Boston Triathlon annually supports BMC’s health equity programs to benefit patients. Over the eight years that Columbia Threadneedle has sponsored the Boston Triathlon, it has raised nearly $500,000 for BMC and hundreds of its employees have participated as athletes and volunteers.
About Boston Medical Center
Boston Medical Center models a new kind of excellence in healthcare, where innovative and equitable care empowers all patients to thrive. We combine world-class clinicians, cutting-edge treatments, and advanced technology with compassionate, quality care, that extends beyond our walls. As an award-winning health equity leader, our diverse clinicians and staff interrogate racial disparities in care and partner with our community to dismantle systemic inequities. And as a national leader in research and the teaching affiliate for Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, we’re driving the future of care.