Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – November 18, 2009 – Middle School students at New City’s Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School recently Stood Up to Cancer to raise funds for Nyack Hospital.  Organized by the Student Council, the “Stand Up to Cancer” day included a student/faculty dodgeball game, an opportunity for students to dress down and wear a baseball hat to school for a donation, a bake sale and T-shirt sale. 

With the theme of “Children Helping Children,” proceeds from the day were donated to Nyack Hospital at a special check presentation ceremony. 

“Every child is precious, and if we can make a difference in a child’s life it is a beautiful opportunity,” said Anat Valdman, Director of Student Life.  “Many of our students have performed individual acts of kindness, with donations of hair to Locks of Love or shaving their heads for St. Baldrick’s Day, but on Stand Up to Cancer Day we act as one in solidarity with other children.”

Nyack Hospital 

Nyack Hospital is a 375-bed community acute care medical and surgical hospital located in Rockland County, NY.  Founded in 1895, it is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System. For additional information, please visit our web site at www.nyackhospital.org. 

Contact:

Jodi-Ann Bailey

Public Affairs Associate

(718) 780-5367

jsb9010@nyp.org

Brooklyn, NY – November 13, 2009 – New York Methodist Hospital’s Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine recently established a Pulmonary Hypertension Center. New York Methodist (NYM) now offers the only center in Brooklyn with a comprehensive and integrated approach to the diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension (PH), which occurs when tiny arteries in the lungs become narrowed, blocked or destroyed, causing pressure to increase in these arteries. “This is a disease that takes an entire team to manage,” said Suhail Raoof, M.D., chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at New York Methodist.  “It involves the primary care physician, and specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, sickle cell disease and radiology.”

Photo Caption:

From left, Amber Monson, R.N., pulmonary hypertension nurse coordinator, Arthur Sung, M.D., director of interventional pulmonology, and Suhail Raoof, M.D., chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine.

Contact:

Katherine Emmanouilidi

Manager, Marketing and Public Relations

(201) 833-7092

emmanouilidi@holyname.org

Nicole Russell

Public Relations Coordinator

(201) 833-3284
n-russell@mail.holyname.org

Teaneck, NJ – November 9, 2009 – The Northern New Jersey Center for Sleep Medicine at Holy Name Hospital recently received re-accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

In order to earn the accreditation, which is valid for five-years, Holy Name's Sleep Center exceeded all standards for professional health care as designated by the AASM. The AASM is the national accrediting body for sleep medicine centers and labs and is dedicated to setting standards and promoting excellence in this specialty.

Contact:

Elizabeth Howell

Development and Public Relations

(212) 545-2404

ehowell@chnnyc.org

Brooklyn, NY – November 5, 2009 – TeensPACT (Positive Actions and Choices for Teens) trained 15 new teen peer educators to talk with other teens about family planning issues.

Peer educators: 

·         Talk with other adolescents in the TeensPACT lounge

·         Conduct educational workshops in schools and on-site

·         Conduct street outreach

·         Facilitate weekly rap sessions

·         Write and circulate monthly newsletters 

By offering a forum to discuss alternatives to early sexual activity, TeensPACT helps youth build self-esteem and envision a positive future. TeensPACT activities encourage teens to think carefully about sexual activity and access family planning services as needed.

Our youth development program, Teens P.A.C.T. (Positive Actions and Choices for Teens), provides confidential health services and a weekly Teen Lounge. The program's guiding philosophy is: Help youth become productive adults capable of making life-affirming decisions.

Visit our Teen Lounge on Wednesdays at the below centers from 3:00-6:00 PM for free workshops and rap sessions by teens, for teens and about teen issues. Or, drop in anytime for:

·         Free and confidential reproductive health services, including gynecological exams, pregnancy testing, STD screening and treatment, HIV counseling and testing, contraceptives, and more

·         Free counseling and supportive services

·         Free recreational and educational activities

Community Healthcare Network

Community Healthcare Network (CHN) is a not-for-profit organization that includes 10 health centers that provide access to affordable, culturally-competent and comprehensive community-based primary care, mental health and social services for diverse populations in underserved communities throughout New York City. CHN is accredited by The Joint Commission. Our services are completely confidential and as a Federally Qualified Health Center CHN does not turn anyone away. CHN serves more than 65,000 individuals a year who would otherwise have little or no access to critical health care

Contact:

Leanna Cherry

Publications Specialist

(516) 663-2234

lcherry@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY – November 3, 2009 – For the third consecutive year, Winthrop-University Hospital’s certified Home Health Agency (HHA) has been recognized among the HomeCare Elite – a compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the United States. This annual review identifies the top 25 percent of agencies, ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement and financial performance.

“Once again, Winthrop’s Home Health Agency has demonstrated their outstanding commitment to serving the vast needs of patients, and has been recognized as such with this designation as a leader among home healthcare agencies across the United States,” said John F. Collins, Winthrop’s President and CEO.

“This award is a testament to our outstanding staff and their commitment to our mission. It is through their clinical expertise and team approach to patient care that Winthrop’s Home Health Agency consistently provides this recognized level of excellence,” said Anne Calvo, RN, BSN, MPS, Administrator, Winthrop-University Hospital Home Health Agency.

With a staff of 200, Winthrop’s HHA logs more than 100,000 home visits annually and provides in-home care including nursing, social and therapeutic rehabilitative services for patients ranging from newborn to geriatric. From physical therapy following joint replacement and post-partum care for new mothers to chemotherapy for cancer patients, Winthrop’s Home Health Agency can meet the vast majority of patients’ needs at home.

For more information about Winthrop’s certified HHA, please call (516) 663-8000.

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – November 3, 2009 – A non-surgical diagnostic procedure called endobronchial ultrasound is now available at The Valley Hospital’s Lung Cancer Center to help physicians determine optimal treatment plans for patients with lung cancer and other disorders of the lungs. Valley is one of only a handful of hospitals in northern New Jersey to offer the procedure.

Caption:  Robert J. Korst, M.D., Director of Thoracic Surgery and Medical Director of The Valley Hospital’s Daniel and Gloria Blumenthal Cancer Center, and thoracic surgeon Benjamin Lee, M.D., use endobronchial ultrasound to diagnose lung cancer and other lung disorders. The procedure can replace the need for a surgical biopsy in many patients.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), used in conjunction with a procedure called transbronchial needle aspiration, can replace the need for a surgical biopsy in many patients. Thoracic surgeons at Valley use these techniques to obtain tissue samples from the lungs or surrounding lymph nodes to diagnose and stage lung cancer. EBUS can also be used to detect lung infections or diagnose sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that can affect the lungs.

Photo caption:

To perform EBUS, Dr. Korst is joined in the operating room by thoracic surgeon Benjamin Lee, M.D., and a pathologist, who examines the samples as they are taken from the patient