New York, NY – March 31, 2011 - Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, the nation's largest nonprofit, non-sectarian hospital, called for increased attention to health care reform efforts that may inadvertently damage the nation's academic medical centers, which provide the bulk of medical innovation and new life-saving techniques to patients across the country. His remarks were delivered in a Newsmaker Lecture Event at the National Press Club here today.

"In 2014, 32 million more Americans will have health insurance and will need access to care. At the same time, vast numbers of baby boomers are reaching retirement age, and facing the increased medical needs of old age, 72 million of them by 2020. This growth will place unprecedented demands on the health care workforce," said Dr. Pardes. "The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of 130,000 physicians by 2025. It takes 10 years to train a new doctor. We need at least 6,000 to 8,000 new physicians annually on top of the 16,000 that are currently produced each year."

Brooklyn, NY – March 30, 2011 – New York Methodist Hospital (NYM) will host the 2011 Board of Trustees “Candlelight Gala,” on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at the Brooklyn Museum.  Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Hospital’s Institute for Neurosciences; with a portion going towards the renovation of New York Methodist’s inpatient rehabilitation gymnasium.

This year, the hospital will honor Madhu B. Gudavalli, M.D., chief of neonatology, Prasad Gudavalli, M.D., attending physician in surgery, and James Perkins, Esq., a Hospital trustee, for their generous commitment to New York Methodist.

Madhu Gudavalli, M.D., chief of neonatology, and her husband, Prasad Gudavalli, M.D., will receive the Lewis S. Pilcher, M.D., Award.  

James Perkins, Esq., is the recipient of the James Monroe Buckley Award for Distinguished Trustee.

Contact:

Kathleen Robinson

Public Affairs

 (212) 821-0560.
krobinso@med.cornell.edu

New York, NY - Mar 29, 2011 - NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, among the top 10 hospitals in the country, is ranked #1 in the metro area, according to the first edition of U.S.News & World Report's Best Hospitals metro-area rankings.

NewYork-Presbyterian is the only hospital that is highly rated in all 16 clinical specialties. The new survey ranks 66 hospitals based on reputation, mortality rates and other patient-care-related factors.

"New York is known as one of the world's best cities for many reasons, not least of which is the quality of health care we provide," says Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "NewYork-Presbyterian is pleased to be acknowledged as the metro area's top hospital. This honor reflects our continued commitment to provide our patients with the most effective and compassionate care — from everyday illnesses to some of the most complex and life-threatening conditions."

Contact:

Gloria Chin

(212) 305-5587.
pr@nyp.org

New York, NY – March 24, 2011 - Breast cancer specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are offering patients new ways to detect early signs of lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring swelling in the arms following removal of lymph nodes.

As many as 30 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery with lymph node removal will develop lymphedema. Radiation treatment increases this risk to as high as 50 percent. While it is possible to arrest the condition through physical therapy and bandaging, there is no cure.

"Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce women's risk for developing lymphedema," says Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

Gloria Chin

(212) 305-5587.
pr@nyp.org

New York, NY - March 24, 2011- The rheumatology program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is expanding with the addition of one of the nation's leading rheumatologists, the creation of a new integrated Arthritis Center, and plans for additional disease-specific centers.

Dr. Joan Bathon has been appointed director of the Division of Rheumatology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Previously, she was deputy director of the Division of Rheumatology and director of the Arthritis Center at Johns Hopkins.

Contact:

Belinda Mager

(212) 305-5587.
pr@nyp.org

New York, NY - March 24, 2011 - NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has established a Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, led by Dr. Heakyung Kim. In this role, Dr. Kim will provide specialized care for children with neuromuscular disorders and other special needs at the Hospital's two major centers for pediatric care: Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and the Komansky Center for Children's Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Kim has also been named to the faculties of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medical College. Previously, she served as director of pediatric rehabilitation at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and as associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Contact:

Gloria Chin

(212) 305-5587.
pr@nyp.org

New York, NY - March 24, 2011 - An experimental therapy that may prevent the death of dopamine neurons in patients with Parkinson's disease is now being tested at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and 10 other leading medical centers around the country.

"CERE-120 therapy is the only neurotrophic factor–based gene therapy currently in clinical trials that has the potential to slow down the progression of Parkinson's," says Dr. Blair Ford, professor of clinical neurology, neurologist and the principal investigator of the study at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "Other gene therapies currently under investigation aim to reduce symptoms but are not designed to help prevent the death of nerve cells in the brain."

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – March 24, 2011 – The Valley Hospital has been named one of the top hospitals in New Jersey by doctors, and the top hospital in the state by patients, according to the results of two surveys recently published in Inside Jersey magazine. 

The magazine joined with Castle Connolly, a healthcare research and information company, to ask New Jersey doctors to identity the Top Hospitals in New Jersey.  Inside Jersey also worked with Improving Healthcare for the Common Good, an independent not-for-profit health care consulting organization, to present patient ratings regarding the care they received in New Jersey hospitals.

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – March 22, 2011 – Being apart from your newborn while he or she is cared for the in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be heart-wrenching.  To make the separation a little bit easier, The Valley Hospital’s NICU has launched a service that allows parents and extended family to conduct “virtual visits” with their little ones via webcam on any computer.  Called “Peek-A-Boo I.C.U.” the service is believed to be the first of its kind in Bergen County.

“We have mothers who are ill for various reasons and can't come to the NICU to see their babies. We also have parents who have to get back to work, and can’t come to the NICU every day.  So to be able to log on to the computer and watch their baby has really been wonderful for them," said Frank Manginello, M.D., Director of Neonatology at Valley.

Photo 1: The camera setup for the Peek-A-Boo ICU in the neonatal intensive care unit at The Valley Hospital.

Photo 2: Ryan Brock (seated) views his daughter Sydney via the Peek-A-Boo ICU system, a new service offered by The Valley Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

Contact:

Nicole Russell
Public Relations Coordinator

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

Teaneck, NJ – March 22, 2011 – Holy Name Medical Center has appeared for the second consecutive year on the Center for Companies That Care Honor Roll. The Honor Roll is a national list recognizing employers for outstanding workplace practices and active community involvement, and includes privately-held, publicly-traded, and not-for-profit organizations. Holy Name is the only New Jersey hospital on the list.

Michael Maron, President/CEO, Holy Name Medical Center, says, “Many of the companies on the Honor Roll are respected, national organizations, and we’re proud that Holy Name is counted among them. We have a longstanding reputation as a great place to work, and our low turnover rate and consistently high number of job applicants bears that out.” He notes that the values of HNMC’s sponsors, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, are evident among employees—“Not only in their daily work with patients and each other, but with a charitable mindset that extends beyond our walls, with numerous staff members volunteering their time and skills to humanitarian efforts locally and around the world.”

Contact:

Andrew Klein

(212) 821-0560.
ank2017@med.cornell.edu

New York, NY – March 17, 2011 – A gene therapy called NLX-P101 dramatically reduces movement impairment in Parkinson's patients, according to results of a Phase 2 study published today in the journal Lancet Neurology. The approach introduces a gene into the brain to normalize chemical signaling.

The study is the first successful randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a gene therapy for Parkinson's or any neurologic disorder, and it represents the culmination of 20 years of research by study co-authors Dr. Michael Kaplitt, vice chairman for research in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and a neurosurgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Dr. Matthew During, originally at Yale University and now professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics, neuroscience and neurological surgery at the Ohio State University.

Contact:

Jodi-Ann Bailey

Public Affairs Associate

(718) 780-5367

jsb9010@nyp.org

Brooklyn, NY – March 16, 2011 – NYM’s surgeons are now treating a variety of gynecological conditions with minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic procedures. “Historically, many treatments for women’s conditions required major surgery, hospitalization and a lengthy recovery period,” said Michael Lewis, M.D., director of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at New York Methodist Hospital. “Today, the vast majority of these surgeries, including hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries) and myomectomy (removal of fibroids) can be performed using minimally invasive techniques that eliminate the need to make a large incision in the abdomen.”

Dear Colleagues:

Earlier this month, I presented the annual State of the Hospital update to our employees and medical staff. We reviewed highlights from 2010, the impact of the changing health care landscape, and our plan to meet those challenges in 2011 and beyond.

We are particularly proud of several advancements that enable our hospital to provide even better quality care, and a safer, more satisfying experience for our patients. These include the creation of a formal palliative care program that offers patients and families a high level of communication surrounding pain relief and comfort - at any stage of a person’s life or illness. As well, our highly trained specialists in gynecology and urology are finding great success using state-of-the-art robotic technology for procedures.  

It is more important than ever that hospitals such as NYHQ have a clear focus and plan that balances the need to grow with the need to remain fiscally sound.  Our plan for 2011 and beyond is designed to help us create a nimble health care institution for a future that is likely to be even more challenging than today.  Our plan includes these priorities:

·         Improve the patient care experience, and outcomes (results) of that care, including measures of patient safety, patient & family satisfaction, and quality improvement in core clinical measures 

·         Complete the build of our Electronic Medical Record - use information technology to connect caregivers and patients in ways that increase quality, communication and outcomes

·         Physician integration - more closely align the hospital with physicians practicing in the community for the good of our mutual patients; this will strengthen loyalty and help us become more integrated with the primary care physician base

·         Maintain and improve financial viability and continue to manage a closely calibrated budget; as we plan for unforeseen challenges and push ourselves to do more with less, we will continue to make strategic decisions that will allow us to serve the greater Queens community for decades to come – as a hospital and employer of choice

As always, there is so much more happening here than we can possibly include in the State of the Hospital presentation.  We urge you to learn more by using our robust find-a physician directory, our calendar of events and educational programs, and our up-to-the minute news that can benefit you, your colleagues and our community. And as always, we ask our employees and medical staff to serve as ambassadors to help us spread the word about what is available right here and right now.

Sincerely,

Stephen S. Mills, F.A.C.H.E. 

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – March 15, 2011 – The Valley Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute welcomes board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon Juan B. Grau, M.D., who performs the entire scope of cardiac surgery and specializes in the treatment and research of diseases of the heart valves.

Dr. Grau comes to Valley from the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He was an attending cardiovascular surgeon, assistant professor of surgery, and National Institutes of Health-funded researcher at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he will remain as adjunct faculty in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Grau is also an assistant professor of surgery at the The Valley Hospital-affiliated Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Caption: Board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and researcher Juan B. Grau, M.D., recently joined The Valley Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute.

Contact:

John Rodgers

(212) 821-0560.
jdr2001@med.cornell.edu

New York, NY – March 14, 2011 - During a regular annual physical exam, blood is usually drawn to check the health of a person's heart, kidneys and liver. Now, researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center say a blood test that detects the early development of emphysema — well before symptoms occur — may someday also be offered.

In today's online edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the researchers say that because most cases of emphysema are caused by smoking, the test they are developing can warn smokers about impending development of the untreatable disease — which is currently a major cause of disability and death in the U.S.

Not all smokers develop emphysema, but those who find out they are at risk will be motivated to quit to halt progression of the disease, says the study's lead investigator, Dr. Ronald G. Crystal, chairman and professor of genetic medicine and the Bruce Webster Professor of Internal Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Contact:

Takla Boujaoude

(212) 821-0560.
tab2016@med.cornell.edu

New York, NY – March 14, 2011 – An intricate procedure that finds and carefully removes individual sperm from testicular tissue has made fathers of men who were once considered sterile due to prior cancer treatment, say researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center who pioneered the technique.

In the March 14 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the physician-scientists say 20 children have been born to the female partners of men who underwent the technique, known as microdissection testicular sperm extraction (TESE). After the sperm was taken from the tissue, they were injected into eggs that had been clinically removed from the women. Of the 73 men in the study, 15 became fathers.

Contact:

Jodi-Ann Bailey

Public Affairs Associate

(718) 780-5367

jsb9010@nyp.org

Brooklyn, NY – March 9, 2011 – Each year, one in seven adults in the U.S. is affected by sinus disease; and 31 million individuals will be diagnosed with sinusitis. People with sinusitis experience a range of debilitating symptoms, including constant nasal congestion, facial pains, headaches, fatigue, and loss of smell.

Until recently, treatment options for sinusitis have been limited to medication such as antibiotics and topical nasal steroids or conventional sinus surgery. Medical therapy helps 75 to 80 percent of chronic sinus sufferers. For patients who fail to respond to medical treatments, surgery may be the best option. However, conventional sinus surgery involves painful bone and tissue removal.

Contact:

Nicole Russell
Public Relations Coordinator

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

Teaneck, NJ – March 8, 2011 – For the sixth year in a row, Holy Name Medical Center has been named one of NJBIZ magazine’s “Best Places to Work in New Jersey.”  The program is composed of 70 companies divided into two groups: small to medium (15-249 employees) and large (more than 250 employees). Holy Name has achieved recognition in the large employer category every year since 2006.

According to NJBIZ, the survey and award program identifies and honors the best places of employment that benefit the state’s economy, its workforce and businesses. Companies from across the state entered a two-part application process that begins with an examination of workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics, worth 25% of the total evaluation. The second part, worth 75%, consists of confidential surveys to measure the employee experience.  The combined scores determine the top companies and the final ranking.  The overall registration and survey process was managed by Best Companies Group (BCG), which analyzed the data and determined the final rankings.

Helen Hayes Hospital will host its fourth annual “Adapted Sports & Recreation Expo” on Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the physical rehabilitation hospital in West Haverstraw. The event is free of charge and is open to the public. Individuals with physical disabilities, as well as their family, friends and caregivers, and professionals and volunteers working with individuals with disabilities, will find the event to be an excellent resource. 

The event is free of charge. For additional information or directions, please call the Helen Hayes Hospital Public Relations Office at 845-786-4225, or visit the hospital’s web site at www.helenhayeshospital.org

The Expo will feature an extensive exhibit fair with representatives from various organizations that offer a range of adapted sports and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including: downhill skiing; adapted golf; kayaking; rowing; sailing; handcycling; horseback riding; basketball, tennis; gardening; quad rugby and others. Participants will be able to speak with the representatives to learn about the activities available in the greater New York Metropolitan region, how they can play or participate, and the specialized equipment that is available. Adapted sports equipment will also be on display.

Matthew Castelluccio, Adapted Sports Coordinator at Helen Hayes Hospital states, “Participating in sports and recreational activities, whether competitively or just for enjoyment, helps to maintain optimum health. The Expo is an ideal opportunity for individuals of all abilities to learn about the range of adapted equipment and programs that are available in our region.”

Teaneck, NJ – March 2, 2011 - Nechama, Inc. and Holy Name Medical Center will co-sponsor a Nechama Infant/Pregnancy Loss Awareness Event on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at 7:45 PM in the Marian Hall Conference Center of Holy Name Medical Center.  Reva Judas, Founder and Director of Nechama, will discuss the important work of the organization in supporting family members who have experienced infant or pregnancy loss at any time in their lives.  Bringing community awareness to the issue of infant/pregnancy loss will also be addressed.

The program will feature two guest speakers. Renowned cookbook author Jaime Geller will describe her journey from MTV producer to kosher cookbook author and will demonstrate some of her delicious original recipes.  Daniel H. Smith, MD, preeminent Holy Name gynecologic oncology specialist, will discuss the increased risk of breast/ovarian cancer to Ashkenazi Jewish women with the BRCA 1 gene mutation, emphasizing the importance of education, assessment and prevention as well as available treatment options.

Dairy and pareve desserts will be served.  

Couvert for the event at the $18, $36, or $54 levels includes the price of a raffle ticket.  The $72 level also includes an autographed cookbook.

For more information or to RSVP by March 11, please contact Reva Judas at 201-692-9302 or Nechamacomfort@gmail.com.