Contact:

Melissa Weisstuch                               

Vice President, Marketing

(914) 681-2380          

mweisstuch@wphospital.org

Valentine's Day and National Condom Week Event 

at Caribbean House Health Center

When:     Tuesday, February 10 from 2 - 6 p.m.

Where:    Caribbean House Health Center, 1167 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn 11225

What:     Stop by the center for a free health screening. Pregnancy tests, blood pressure, glucose, HIV counseling and testing will be offered. Workshops will also be offered.

More Info:   Call the center at (718) 778-0198 or email info@chnnyc.org

Give Yourself the Valentine's Gift of Good Health at

Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center

When:     Thursday, February 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where:     Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center, 999 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11208 

What:      Stop by the center for a free health screening. Pregnancy tests, blood pressure,  glucose, HIV counseling and testing will be offered.

More Info:     Call the center at (718) 277-8303 or email info@chnnyc.org. 

Contact:

Karen Huxtable

Manager, Public and Media Relations

(607) 547-4581

karen.huxtable@bassett.org

Diane L. Wells

(607) 547-6354

diane.wells@bassett.org

Cooperstown, N.Y. - January 20, 2009 - William F. Streck, M.D., president and CEO of Bassett Healthcare, announced that Charles L. Hyman, M.D., (at right) has joined Bassett as physician-in-chief. Dr. Hyman was formerly the chief of medicine at Kings County Hospital and vice-chair for the Department of Medicine at SUNY Downstate.

"We are most pleased to have Dr. Hyman join Bassett as the chief of the Department of Medicine, Bassett's largest clinical department," said Dr. Streck. "His experience and accomplishments as a clinician and as an administrator provide Bassett with the expertise required to continue the excellent work of the Department of Medicine and to provide overall leadership to the Bassett organization."

Contact:

Scott Orstad

Manager, Corporate Communications

(203) 276-5933

sorstad@stamhealth.org

Stamford, CT - January 15, 2009 - Stamford Hospital recently became Connecticut's first healthcare provider to offer HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemoperfusion), a new abdominal cancer-fighting procedure that combines surgery and heated chemotherapy into one session.   Surgical oncologist Dr. Xiang Da (Eric) Dong (at right) performed the state's first procedure at Stamford Hospital, and is currently the only surgeon in Connecticut trained to perform HIPEC.

HIPEC treats a variety of malignant Stage IV cancers that have spread to the abdomen such as primary colon, appendix, gastrointestinal and ovarian.  The procedure, which has been in practice in Europe since the 1990's, has been growing steadily in the United States for the past decade.  

Contact:

Scott Orstad

Manager, Corporate Communications

(203) 276-5933

sorstad@stamhealth.org

Stamford, CT – January 27, 2009 – Stamford Hospital has named Debra T. Hernandez, R.N., MHA, FACHE as its new Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services.  In this position, she is responsible for managing the hospital’s patient care nursing units, medical services (including pulmonary, respiratory, sleep medicine and cystic fibrosis), pharmacy, emergency services, intensive care, and the EMS Institute.

Contact:

Wendy L. Goldstein

Director, Public Affairs

(516) 663-2234

wgoldstein@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY - January 13, 2009 - Researchers at Winthrop-University Hospital have discovered why arthritis patients treated with a drug known as Methotrexate (MTX) appear to be protected against cardiovascular disease. In addition, they have identified the specific mechanism by which MTX helps the body to clear cholesterol from patients' arteries, and may therefore shed important new light on potential new treatments for heart disease, as well as a way to ameliorate the increased cardiac risk induced by certain other powerful anti-inflammatory medications.

Allison Reiss, M.D., Head of the Inflammation Section of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology at Winthrop-University Hospital, colleague Steven E. Carsons, M.D., Chief of the hospital's Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, and their collaborators recently published an important new paper in Arthritis & Rheumatism, an official monthly journal of the prestigious American College of Rheumatology. The title of the article, which appears in the December 2008 edition, is "Atheroprotective Effects of Methotrexate on Reverse Cholesterol Transport of Proteins and Foam Cell Transformation in Human THP-1 Monocyte/ Macrophages."  

Contact:

Melissa Weisstuch                               

Vice President, Marketing

(914) 681-2380          

mweisstuch@wphospital.org

Contact:

Melissa Weisstuch                               

Vice President, Marketing

(914) 681-2380          

mweisstuch@wphospital.org

White Plains, NY - January 14, 2009 - White Plains Hospital Center is the first hospital in the Westchester/Fairfield region - and among the first providers in the New York metropolitan area - to have the new RapidArc radiotherapy technology.  Treatment with the RapidArc linear accelerator, using advanced technology from Varian Medical Systems, is two to eight times faster than conventional radiotherapy. The new linear accelerator began operating at the Hospital's Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center in December.  "We are very excited to be able to offer patients this excellent treatment option," says Randy Stevens, M.D., director of radiation oncology at the Dickstein Center.  "RapidArc technology also enables us to provide treatment that spares more healthy tissue from the effects of radiation."

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

In honor of National Blood Donor Month, New York Methodist (NYM) encourages donors to give or pledge to give blood to NYM's Blood Bank, either during regular hours for walk-in blood donations or at one of Hospital's many blood drives throughout the month. In 2008, patients at NYM required over 9,000 units of blood.

New York Methodist has one of only four permanent blood donation centers in Brooklyn. Regular donor walk-in hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and other hours by appointment. NYM's blood bank is in the lobby of the Hospital's Medical Office Pavillion at 263 Seventh Avenue. The Hospital will also host community blood drives on January 18^th at Ahavas-Chesed International, 271 Kingston Avenue, Crown Heights; January 22-24^th at the Park Slope Food Co-op, 782 Union Street and January 25^th at Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place, Park Slope.

To be eligible to give blood, donors must:

• Be between 17 and 75 years old
• Weigh at least 110 pounds
• Be in good physical health the day you donate and not have donated whole blood in the last 56 days or platelets in the last three days.

Donors, who are 16 years of age and in good health, can donate blood provided that they have parental consent. 

For more information, please call 718 780-3644 or email Grace Gehrke, blood donor recruiter at donateblood@nym.org.

Contact:

Karen Huxtable

Manager, Public and Media Relations

(607) 547-4581

karen.huxtable@bassett.org

Diane L. Wells

(607) 547-6354

diane.wells@bassett.org

 Cooperstown, N.Y.  –  January 12, 2009 – Bassett Hospital recently participated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s first national assessment of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care, known as the mPINC Survey. Out of 2,690 hospitals and birth centers surveyed nationwide, Bassett ranks in the 95 percentile and among hospitals in New York state, Bassett is in the 98 percentile.

Contacts:

Karen Huxtable

Manager, Public and Media Relations

(607) 547-4581

karen.huxtable@bassett.org

Diane L. Wells

(607) 547-6354

diane.wells@bassett.org

Cooperstown, NY – January 12, 2009 – Robotic-assisted surgery to remove the prostate is now being offered at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. Prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men, can now be addressed at Bassett utilizing a minimally invasive, high-tech approach which has become the standard of care for patients who require removal of the prostate. In addition to prostatectomies, surgeons at Bassett will be using robotic-assisted surgery in the treatment of certain other cancers including head, neck, and rectal cancer. There will also be some general surgical applications. Soon to follow will be heart-related procedures such as valve repair, coronary bypass and arrhythmia surgery. Dr. Carlos Bermejo (photo above), who is specially trained in this technique, says “Robotic surgery allows for a smaller incision, and there is less risk of infection and bleeding, less pain and faster recovery.  In the case of a radical prostatectomy, erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence are two of the top concerns that patients voice. But with the robotic technique, there is better nerve sparing and so it offers the best chance for maintaining potency and continence."  

Photo Caption:

Fitness trainer Joanna Castro, of Metro Fit, assists a patient with her work out as part of New York Methodist Hospital's Comprehensive Weight Management Program. The Program is a joint effort between the Hospital and its affiliate, Metrofit.

Contact:

Jennifer Rampersad

Communications

(718) 281-8529

jrampersad@stmaryskids.org

Bayside, NY - December 22, 2008 - Some of New York's hometown hockey heroes act pretty tough when their out on the ice, but these superstar softies quickly melted when they visited with the kids of St. Mary's Hospital for Children, the region's largest provider of intensive rehabilitation, education, and specialized care for children with special needs. The NY Islanders made a special visit on Wednesday, December 17th to the Bayside hospital to hand out toys and spread some holiday cheer to some of New York areas most seriously ill and injured children battling complex medical conditions.

Contact:

Helen Hayes Hospital will host a Basic Adapted Yoga program designed specifically for people of varying abilities. Classes will meet on six Wednesdays, from January 14 through February 18, 2009, 12 Noon to 12:50 p.m., in the Auditorium at the physical rehabilitation hospital in West Haverstraw.

Yoga improves circulation, range of motion, flexibility and endurance. It also helps to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. The instructor, Bruce Van Horn, is experienced in adapting yoga to all levels of abilities. The classes offer an excellent opportunity for people with disabilities, including individuals with stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other  physically limiting conditions, to try yoga.  

Pre-registration for the Basic Adapted Yoga classes is required. The fee is $48 for six classes. For information or to register, call Matthew Castelluccio, Adapted Sports Coordinator at Helen Hayes Hospital at 845-786-4950.

This winter, Belleayre Mountain in Highmount, New York will be hosting a series of Adaptive Skiing Workshops and an Adaptive Awareness Day. The events, which are open to individuals with disabilities, are being held in conjunction with Helen Hayes Hospital's Adapted Sports and Recreation Program and are free of charge.

Adaptive Skiing Workshops are scheduled for the following dates:

January 18

February 8

February 22

March 1

March 29

April 12

Two sessions will be offered on each day: from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Instructors specializing in adaptive skiing will offer beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons. Lessons are free of charge but pre-registration is required. First time students will receive an overview of the equipment and fittings prior to getting out on the snow. Adaptive equipment will be available for skiers with disabilities. 

The Adaptive Awareness Day will take place at Belleayre on March 1. Staff of Helen Hayes Hospital will distribute information on adaptive sports and additional activities will take place at the mountain.

Helen Hayes Hospital, the region's leader in specialty physical rehabilitation services, is committed to enabling individuals of all abilities to pursue competitive and recreational sports and activities. These activities speed the recovery process, improve and maintain health and conditioning and foster socialization and camaraderie. The Adapted Sports & Recreation Program makes activities such as kayaking, yoga, sailing, softball, basketball and gardening available to individuals of all abilities. 

For additional information on the Adapted Sports & Recreation Program or the downhill skiing programs at Belleayre Mountain, or to register for one or more of the workshops, contact: Matthew Castelluccio, Adapted Sports Coordinator, 845-786-4950 OR castellucciom@helenhayeshosp.org

White Plains, NY - December 19, 2008 - On Saturday, January 24th, White Plains Hospital Center (WPHC) will host its third annual Nursing College and Career Day. The day-long event will be in the Hospital's Auditorium beginning with registration at 8:30am, and running from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

The free event is designed for high school and college-aged students who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing. Students will have the opportunity to meet admissions counselors from various local nursing schools, learn about financial aid and scholarship opportunities. They will also hear first-hand from nursing students and nurses who are passionate about what they do.