Nyack Hospital is ready to hit the road on June 5, 2011 with the Hudson Valley Harley Riders as they co-produce one of Nyack Hospital’s newest events: The Nyack Hospital Rockland 100. This 100K motorcycle run will take riders through nearly sixty miles of scenic roads and parkways in Rockland County. All proceeds from the motorcycle run will benefit the Nyack Hospital Foundation.

The official start line is at Dolce/IBM Palisades at 334 Route 9W in Palisades, NY, where all makes and models of motorcycles will register between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., receive their route sheet, and take off. Bikers, passengers and guests are welcome back to the Dolce Palisades grounds for a festive barbeque picnic and entertainment provided by rockers known as Reverb. Even if you don’t ride, the community is welcome to view the motorcycles, enjoy refreshments and entertainment, take part in the raffles and 50/50 drawing, or purchase a commemorative t-shirt.

Contact:

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

Newer Electronic Health Record Systems Reduce Rx Errors, but Doctors Find the Switch Difficult

 New York, NY – May 26, 2011 – As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the government is investing billions of dollars to encourage health care providers to use electronic health record systems. Many providers will probably switch from older systems to new systems to qualify for the federal incentives, but whether the upgrade improves patient care and safety has remained an open question.

To address this issue, a team of physician-scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College tracked the prescription errors of 19 physicians in an adult ambulatory clinic before the switch from an older to a newer system, then again 12 weeks after the switch and once again a year later. The new electronic system provided extra guidance for prescribing to improve safety, such as alerts notifying providers about use of inappropriate abbreviations that can result in patient harm, as well as checks for drug-allergy interactions, drug-drug interactions and duplicate drugs.

In total, the researchers analyzed nearly 4,000 prescriptions for more than 2,000 patients and noted mistakes in abbreviations, usage directions, dosage, the quantity of medications to be dispensed and more. They also gave a survey to assess physicians' views of the switch. The results were published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Contact

Maureen Curran Kleinman
Marketing and Communications
(201) 291-6310
mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – May 26, 2011 – For the seventh year in a row, Valley Health System, which includes The Valley Hospital, Valley Home Care and Valley Health Medical Group, has been named to the list of the Best Places to Work in New Jersey by NJBIZ, New Jersey’s only weekly business publication. The award recognizes top places of employment in New Jersey that benefit the state's economy, its workforce, and businesses.

This year the program ranked 29 small and medium employers and 41 large employers. Valley is included among the 41 companies and organizations to have earned a spot in the large company category.

Valley Health System has been included in the list of top companies since NJBIZ began the annual rankings program in 2005.

Contact:

Sonia Nayak
Public Affairs Associate
(718) 780-5367
nymethodist@gmail

Brooklyn, NY – May 25, 2011 – On Tuesday, May 10th, New York Methodist Hospital honored a select group of registered nurses at the Hospital’s 2011 Nurse Recognition Awards Ceremony. At this year's event, multiple awards were given out to reflect NYM’s talented and diverse group of nurses.

Among those honored were Uchenna Okoro, R.N., a resident of East Flatbush and an assistant nurse manager at NYM, and Wayne Christie, R.N., who resides in Park Slope, the director of nursing retention and professional development. Both received the Nurse Mentorship Award for guidance and support in the development of the professional nurse.

Michael Sasse, R.N., a critical care nurse from Williamsburg, received the Nursing Clinical Excellence Award for direct care giving. Joanna Zanko, R.N., director of nursing critical care services from Rahway, New Jersey, received the same award as a nursing executive who demonstrated leadership and excellence in patient care.

The Nursing Visionary Award went to Esther Mercado, R.N., director of nursing, who lives in Flatlands.

The Outstanding Nursing Associate award went to Sheila Blake, a unit secretary from Canarsie and Malika Benbader, a nurse technician from Bath Beach, in the Department of Neurosciences. An honorable mention was given to Marlene Chavez, a cleaner for Environmental Services from Red Hook.

Captions:

Uchenna Okoro, assistant nurse manager at New York Methodist, accepted an award for Nursing Mentorship.

From left, Wayne Christie, R.N., director of nursing retention and professional development, who won the Nursing Mentorship Award, Rebecca Flood, R.N., senior vice president of nursing, Joanna Zanko, R.N., director of nursing critical care services and Michael Sasse, R.N., Critical Care. Both Ms. Zanko and Mr. Sasse were winners of the Nursing Clinical Excellence Award.

Contact:

Cynthia Bacon
Director, Public Affairs
(718) 670-2515
crm9002@nyp.org

Flushing, NY – May 24, 2011 – More than 2,500 employees, medical staff and benefactors of New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ) came together at Lincoln Center last night to honor the work of Eugene M. Lang for his innovations around the globe and for his commitment and dedication to the hospital.  He was conferred the hospital’s highest honor, the Pacesetter Award, at the hospital’s signature fundraising event, A Spring Night Gala.

The 15th annual gala raised $860,000 to support hospital programs.  The ceremony featured a private performance by Grammy Award winner, Patti LaBelle.

The Pacesetter award is presented each year to an individual who has had a major impact on the advancement of patient care, medical education, research and the well-being of the human community. Eugene (Gene) M. Lang, and his late wife, Theresa, have contributed to the success of the hospital for more than 50 years. Mr. Lang has a long history of philanthropic ventures in education and health care, most notable among them, the nationwide I Have A Dream Program and the Theresa and Eugene M. Lang Center for Research and Education at NYHQ.

Captions:

Left to right: George Heinrich, M.D., Chairman, Board of Trustees, NYHQ; Phyllis August, M.D., M.P.H., director, Lang Center for Research and Education, NYHQ; Eugene M. Lang, Pacesetter honoree; Stephen S. Mills, President and Chief Executive Officer, NYHQ; Kanak Golia, Trustee, NYHQ Board; Alma Ceballos, one of the original students from PS 121; and Johnny Rivera, who worked with Mr. Lang for 30 years with the I Have A Dream Foundation. 

Patti LaBelle and her band wooed employees, medical staff and benefactors of New York Hospital Queens at Lincoln Center with hits like “On My Own” and “Lady Marmalade.”

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

New York, NY – May 23, 2011 – Patients with bipolar disorder may be eligible for a new clinical research study comparing two medications – quetiapine (Seroquel), a widely prescribed second-generation antipsychotic mood-stabilizing medication, and lithium, the gold-standard mood stabilizer.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is one of 10 sites nationally -- and the only site in the greater New York metropolitan area -- participating in the CHOICE (Clinical Health Outcomes Initiative in Comparative Effectiveness) study. The research is funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research Quality (AHRQ).

Contact
John Rodgers
Weill Cornell Medical College
(212) 821-0560
jdr2001@med.cornell.edu

New York – May 23, 2011 – Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College and the provost for medical affairs of Cornell University, was honored Friday by the National Lipid Association (NLA) at its Annual Scientific Sessions in New York. The Distinguished Achievement Award, the highest award conferred by the NLA, recognizes Dr. Gotto's decades-long leadership and major contributions to advancing the use of lipid therapy for cardiovascular disease.

"Tony's work in clinical lipidology has changed the way we practice medicine," says Dr. Michael T. Davidson, president of the National Lipid Association. "The NLA is honored to have him among our ranks and couldn't be more proud to publicly acknowledge his commitment to the science."

Dr. Gotto is a world-renowned physician-scientist whose postgraduate work included doctoral studies at Oxford University in England, as a Rhodes Scholar, and residency training at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. While at Oxford, he studied biochemistry under the supervision of Sir Hans Kornberg, with Sir Hans Krebs as a mentor. After his residency, he worked at the National Institutes of Health with Drs. Donald Fredrickson and Robert Levy.

Contact
John Rodgers
Weill Cornell Medical College
(212) 821-0560
jdr2001@med.cornell.edu

New York, NY – May 23, 2011 – In a significant breakthrough, investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, San Francisco, have been able to overcome resistance of a form of leukemia to targeted therapy, demonstrating complete eradication of the cancer in cell and animal studies.

Their study, published in the May 19 issue of Nature, shows that an investigational drug, RI-BPI, developed at Weill Cornell, in combination with the drug Gleevec shut down stem cells responsible for about one-third of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of white blood cells that affects young children as well as older adults.

This form of ALL has the so-called Philadelphia chromosome, which is also found in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). But while Gleevec has greatly improved survival in CML, it has had a less dramatic effect in ALL, and most patients still die within a relatively short timeframe.

Contact:

Nicole Russell
Public Relations Coordinator

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

Teaneck, NJ – May 23, 2011 – Holy Name Medical Center's MS Center recently held its 14th Annual Spring Fashion Fling raising over $155,000 which will go towards patient care and research at the Center.

 “With Holy Name’s MS Center raising over $155,000 through its Annual Spring Fashion Fling, we are able to continue to provide outstanding care to thousands of patients and their families that are affected by multiple sclerosis,” says Kevin McCarthy, Vice President of Development and Executive Director of the Holy Name Health Care Foundation. “The success of this year’s event is due in great measure to our dedicated sponsors, volunteers, and patient community. We’re fortunate to have their ongoing commitment.” 

Caption:

Johanna Zurndorfer, Mother of Susan Zurndorfer, model and volunteer of the MS Center for 20 years; Chris Cimino, Meteorologist, WNBC-TV New York and Honorary Chairperson of the 14th Annual Spring Fashion Fling for MS; Susan Zurndorfer, Chairman of 14th Annual Spring Fashion Fling for MS and; Lisa Futterman, Development Officer, MS Center, Holy Name Healthcare Foundation; Kevin McCarthy, Vice President of Development and Executive Director Holy Name Health Care Foundation; and Joseph Parisi Jr., Chairman, Holy Name Healthcare Foundation Development Committee.

June 14 - 17, 2011

The New York Academy of Medicine

1216 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd Street)

New York, New York

Program Highlights:

TUESDAY JUNE 14

Full-Day: SIM-COOL: Interactive Simulator Workshop for Hypothermia

WEDNESDAY JUNE 15

Full-Day Review Course: Nuts + Bolts Of Neurocritical Care

Abstract Plenary Session: Case Studies in Cheating Death

THURSDAY JUNE 16

Morning: Neurologic Crises in the ED: State of the Art

Special Lecture: D2N: Optimizing Door-to-needle Time for Acute Stroke

Special Lecture: Expanding Access to Interventional Therapy for Stroke

Special Lecture: TBI: Insights from the Battlefield

Plenary Session: Enter The Neurohospitalist

Game Show: Who Wants to Be a Neurointensivist?

FRIDAY JUNE 17

Morning: Multimodality and EEG Monitoring WorkshopAdditional Information

Center for Continuing Medical Education

Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons

630 West 168th Street, Unit 39

New York, NY 10032

Telephone: (212) 305-3334

Fax: (212) 781-6047

e-mail: cme@columbia.edu

http://columbiacme.org

For more information, go to: http://nyneurosymposium.columbia.edu

EVENT:
New York Hospital Queens will host a Palliative Care Symposium to educate medical professionals, community leaders and news media about the value of palliative care for individuals with life threatening illness.

Speakers will include: 

Diane Meier, M.D., F.A.C.P., Director, Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, "Palliative Care 2011: Role in Health Care Reform"

Judith Nelson, M.D., J.D., Faculty, Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, "You Can't Go Home Again. The Problem of Chronic Critical Illness"

An interdisciplinary panel discussion will be led by moderators Cynthia Pan, M.D, director, Palliative Care, NYHQ; and Jane Morris, M.S., R.N., clinical care coordinator, Palliative Care, NYHQ.

WHERE:
New York Hospital Queens
Lang Auditorium
56-45 Main Street
Flushing, NY 11355

WHEN:
Friday, June 3, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

BACKGROUND:
There are misconceptions about the role of palliative care; for example, many believe that palliative care is only for hospice or end of life care. Palliative care can be used in those situations. It is more comprehensive care that includes pain management or the strengthening of quality of life for individuals who have serious health issues.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.nyhqcme.org/pdf/Palliative_Care_2011.pdf

Contact
Bryan Dotson
(212) 305-5587
brd9005@npy.org

New York, NY – May 17, 2011 – NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is the only tri-state-area hospital listed on the 2011–12 U.S. News Media Group Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, and the hospital ranks eighth in the country in pediatric care.

NewYork-Presbyterian provides children’s health services at two major sites: NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

NewYork-Presbyterian — where the world’s first six-organ pediatric auto-transplant surgery was performed — is ranked in all 10 clinical specialties, which include Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology and Urology.

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – May 17, 2011 – Nyack Hospital is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Morris as Chief Compliance Officer.

In this role, Ms. Morris is responsible for maintaining Nyack Hospital’s Corporate Compliance Program, serving as the focal point for all compliance activities within the Hospital.

Ms. Morris comes to Nyack Hospital from the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, where she was a Senior Internal Auditor in the Corporate Compliance and Internal Audit Department. Prior to that role, she was Senior Associate, then Manager, at KPMG LLP Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance Services, located in New York City, where she provided oversight and direction to engagement teams involved in audits, risk management advisory activities, and quality and compliance reviews, among other activities. She also has experience in various auditing positions at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Berdon LLP, both in New York, NY.

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – May 17, 2011 – The Diabetes Education Program at Nyack Hospital was recently named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. This will allow residents in our community increased access to critical diabetes education services.

Diabetes education as a collaborative process through which people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions. This program is led by diabetes educators.

Nyack Hospital’s Diabetes Self-Management Training Program will be offering a series of diabetes education classes monthly both during the day and evening.

The Diabetes Self-Management Training Program teaches persons with diabetes the skills they need to control their diabetes and reduce the risk of developing complications associated with diabetes.  Persons who complete this program reduce their A1C levels and develop healthier behaviors.

“Trends show that diabetes education is moving out of the hospital and into the community, so AADE’s accreditation program was created, in part, to encourage diabetes education where the patient is seeking care,” said Leslie E. Kolb, RN, BSN, MBA, Program Director, Diabetes Education Accreditation Program.  “Nyack Hospital’s Diabetes Self-Management Training Program” is exactly the type of program we envisioned when we set up our accreditation program in 2009.”

To register or for further information about our program please call 845-348-2004.

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:

Natalia Sturtz-Verastegui

Public Relations and Marketing

(914) 681-2435

NSturtzverastegui@wphospital.org

White Plains, NY – May 17, 2011 – The White Plains Hospital’s auxiliary held its Annual Spring Luncheon on Wednesday, April 13th at Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison. Part of the proceeds from the event will go to the Hospital’s Caregivers Support program- a program designed to provide support, resources, and services to the many caregivers of loved ones facing illness at White Plains Hospital.  Still in its first year, the program has already provided support for thousands of caregivers.

This year’s luncheon was highlighted by guest speaker Gail Sheehy, author of “Passages In Caregiving-Turning Chaos into Confidence.” She spoke about her own challenges and personal experiences as a caregiver and how she learned to turn the stressful, life-altering situation into a safely-navigated journey from which she could benefit.

Captions:

Luncheon Committee:  Barbara Ramsdell, White Plains; Rachel Chalchinsky, Scarsdale; Barbara Loucks, White Plains; Susan Yubas, Rye; Michele Schoenfeld, White Plains; Annette Cappucci, Scarsdale; Barbara Schwarz, White Plains; Cindy Frenchman, White Plains

White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Guest Speaker Gail Sheehy, and Beth Roach

 “Having Sheehy as a guest speaker at this year’s luncheon fits in with the Auxiliary’s strong interest in the Caregiver Support Program at White Plains Hospital,” said Co-President of the Auxiliary Michele Schoenfeld of White Plains. “We are pleased to contribute part of the proceeds from the luncheon to the continued growth and success of this program.”

The Caregivers Support Program is financed entirely through community donations and the help of the Auxiliary of White Plains Hospital.

The Auxiliary thanks the all the generous sponsors of the event, with a special thanks to The House of Flowers in Mamaroneck, for the centerpieces, Auxiliary members, Nancy Clarvit, of Scarsdale and Susan Yubas, of Harrison for their donation of copies of Ms. Sheehy’s book for all attendees, and Willow Ridge Country Club for its hospitality.

The Campaign for Villa Marie Claire through Holy Name Health Care Foundation will hold its second Annual Benefit.  This year’s event, titled “An Evening in Provence” will be held on Friday, June 3 at 7 pm at the Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Attracting local community leaders to its cause, the Campaign for Villa Marie Claire is raising awareness and funds for this unique and first-of-its-kind residential hospice and palliative care facility.

“The Villa Marie Claire Hospice represents an important extension of healthcare that our community needs to recognize,” said Terrie O’Connor an Upper Saddle River resident and proprietor of Terrie O’Connor Realtors. “The Villa has already made a tremendous impact and will continue to do so for so many families in need of hospice care. We’re creating An Evening in Provence to be an elegant event featuring French wines and fine food reminiscent of the South of France. I hope others will support the Villa through this event.”

Benefit Committee Members

(Seated left to right):   Linda Barba, Terrie O’Connor, Barbara Gross and Lourdes Mulkay

(Standing left to right):  Margi Lemaire, Patricia Blaszko, Peter Fenzel, Maria Harper, Teresa Tosi, Esq., Niva Donohue, Kathy Minarik and Diana Frankel

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – May 16, 2011 – Nyack Hospital, in conjunction with The Rockland County’s Steps to a Healthier NY Program, recently completed a “Lose to Win” Weight Loss Instructor training program. 

Certified instructors may offer the Lose to Win weight loss program to senior citizen, church, school, PTA, other club or organization.

The following individuals have completed the training and are bringing the Lose To Win program to their organization!

Julie Albrecht:  Dominican College

Randi Colten: Sloatsburg Library

Adriana Bernal: Hudson River HealthCare

Lynn O'Connor:  Mental Health Association of Rockland County

Lisa Fairbairn: Cornell Cooperative Extension

Juana Wison:  Dolce Hotels and Resorts

Matilde A. Lopez and Rafael Lopez:  St. Peter's Church

Ellie Martin: Salvation Army

Gina Paccione:  Salvation Army

Gail Terrell Green: Fidelis Care at Home

The Lose to Win Weight Loss Program has proven successful in locations throughout Rockland County in 2005 through 2008.  Information is available in Spanish, Creole and French.

Help combat the high rates of obesity and health-related diseases in New York State by becoming a certified Lose to Win instructor at your organization.  We are currently accepting registrations for the upcoming summer program.

For further information, please contact Linda Suarez, MS, RN, CDE, Manager, Patient & Community Education Department, at 845.348.2004.

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:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – May 16, 2011 – Nyack Hospital is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth (Betty) Casey, RN, BS, as Administrative Director of Surgical Services

Betty holds a BS in Health Care Administration and is actively pursuing a Masters Degree in Nursing from Walden University.  She has a strong background in operating room management, having been Manager at Onslow Memorial Hospital, Jacksonville, FL, Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT, and most recently, Manager of Surgical and Endoscopic Services for Ambulatory Surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital.

She can be reached at 845.348.2184.

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:

Nicole Russell
Public Relations Coordinator

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

Teaneck, NJ – May 12, 2011 – Dr. Mark A. Hartzband, orthopaedic surgeon on staff at Holy Name Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center, as well as medical director and founder of Hartzband Center for Hip and Knee Replacement, will be the Medical Honoree of the 2011 Bergen County Arthritis Walk® to be held on Sunday, May 15th at Bergen Community College in Paramus. Dr. Hartzband and members of his practice will be participating in the walk, leading team “Mobility.”

The annual Arthritis Walk® is the signature fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation, celebrating movement and making a positive impact on the lives of people living with arthritis by raising funds for arthritis research, education and life improvement programs in 250 communities across the country.

Dr. Mark A. Hartzband was one of the first surgeons to perform minimally invasive hip and knee replacements. He has pioneered many of today's surgical techniques including two-incision hip replacement and quadriceps, sparing knee replacement. Dr. Hartzband has helped develop some of the industry's most advanced orthopaedic implants, including a gender knee and hip specifically designed for a female's anatomy.

Contact:

Scott Orstad

Manager, Corporate Communications

(203) 276-5933

sorstad@stamhealth.org

Stamford, CT – May 12, 2011 – Stamford Hospital has received a $10 million grant from OdysseyRe, a leading worldwide underwriter of reinsurance and specialty insurance based in Stamford, to help fund the Hospital’s recently approved Master Facility Plan. OdysseyRe was honored for its gift last night at Stamford Hospital’s annual Leadership Dinner, held at the Rockrimmon County Club in Stamford.

Photo Caption: Sitting: (left to right) Steve Van Degraff (New Canaan); Tom Bredhal (Darien); Patricia Robinson (Fairfield); Mary Coca (Greenwich); Brian Quinn (Fairfield); Standing: (left to right) Chris Riendeau, Stamford Hospital’s Senior VP of Fund Development (Westchester); H. Darrell Harvey, Co-chair of the Stamford Hospital Foundation Board (Darien); Alane Carey (Fairfield); Peter Lovell (Milford); Kevin Wood (Stamford); Jan Christensen (Greenwich); Brian Grissler, Stamford Hospital’s President and CEO (New Canaan); Douglas Milne, III, Chairman of the Stamford Hospital Board of Directors (Darien).

Stamford Hospital announced in December 2008 an ambitious master facility plan that would include building a new hospital at its current location over a 10-15 year timeframe. The project, estimated at $575 million, is planned in two phases. The first phase of the plan features the construction of the first five stories of a new multi-level specialty healthcare building with public amenities and a pedestrian walkway connecting it to the current hospital. Phase one will also include an all-new, state-of-the-art Emergency Department to handle current and anticipated future demands for services.  Highlights of the new Emergency Department include more than doubling the number and size of exam rooms to accommodate today’s technology and the new guidelines endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians.  It will also have separate, dedicated areas for adult, pediatric, and psychiatric services as well as trauma and cardiac services.

Department of Radiation Oncology recognized for highest level of quality and patient safety

Contact:

Nicole Russell
Public Relations Coordinator

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

Teaneck, NJ — May 10, 2011 – Holy Name Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in radiation oncology as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Radiation oncology (radiation therapy) is the precisely-targeted use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer and to relieve cancer-related pain.

The ACR-ASTRO seal of accreditation awarded to Holy Name Medical Center represents the highest level of quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting specific practice guidelines and technical standards developed by ACR and ASTRO after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Patient care and treatment, patient safety, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR-ASTRO Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

Dear Colleagues:

In honor of Earth Day, we formally announced the many initiatives that make up our “green” program. A big facet of the program is reducing our carbon footprint - or the impact that operating our facility may have on our environment. We are using innovative ways to conserve energy, recycle our waste and reduce water usage and carbon emissions.  

By launching green initiatives we are setting an example for our community that we are doing what we can to taking responsibility for the environment. We also want to promote the public health message that a cleaner environment supports a healthier community.

Energy conservation initiatives also result in a cost savings for the hospital and the community.  Results from an EPA study released in February shows that for every dollar we spend to cut carbon emissions and pollutants, the public will see between $10 to $24 in health benefits, including fewer premature deaths.

Through partnerships with federal, state and city agencies, New York Hospital Queens has gained access to resources such as funding, new technology, participation in studies, benchmarking, and collaboration with industry-leading vendors and other health care organizations. For example, New York Hospital Queens is one of 13 non-profit hospitals that signed on to accept Mayor Bloomberg’s challenge to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent over 10 years. So far, NYHQ has achieved a reduction of 14 percent in total carbon emissions - and we are ahead of schedule. Many of our gains have been achieved by switching from fuel oil heat to a natural gas-based system.

As a facility that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we installed daylight and occupancy sensors on lighting, so the lights automatically turn off when they're not needed.  Heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems have also been upgraded with newer, more efficient and reliable equipment. We have trimmed the power consumption of servers and desktop computers, by using more energy efficient, compact-sized products.

We don’t plan on stopping there. This month we started a hospital-wide recycling program. We are exploring more “green” alternatives - such as the development of a green roof, the use of solar panels and the feasibility of developing a cogeneration plant, that recycles our heat exhaust into energy for heating and cooling the building.

This program supports our ability to provide a higher quality of care for patients, while enhancing the patient’s experience and satisfaction with our hospital.

Sincerely,

Stephen S. Mills, F.A.C.H.E.

Contact:   

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

New York, NY - May 10, 2011 - A NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center review of almost 500,000 cardiac cases nationally shows that the clinically indicated medical therapy reported in a widely publicized study was lost in translation to real-world heart care after its publication.

The researchers report in the May 11 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, that medical therapy given to patients who received a heart stent improved less than 3 percent as a result of the Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation (COURAGE) trial. Overall, fewer than half of all patients received appropriate treatment with the combination of common cardiac drugs used in the COURAGE trial, such as aspirin, before their stenting procedure, and almost one-third didn't receive these drugs afterward.

Contact:
Kathleen Robinson
krobinso@med.cornell.edu
(212) 821-0560

Gloria Chin
glc9010@nyp.org
(212) 305-5587

New York, NY – May 10, 2011 – NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the Official Hospital of the New York Yankees, is teaming up with the Yankees during National Nurses Week, celebrated annually in May to honor the extraordinary patient care provided by New York metro-area nurses. The celebratory message will be broadcast to fans at Yankee Stadium on the true high-definition video board in center field prior to three home games vs. the Kansas City Royals on May 10, 11 and 12. Before the May 11 game, a pregame ceremony will recognize nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and throughout the metropolitan area.

"The city's nurses are our own local heroes -- a championship team in their own right -- and we wanted to show our heartfelt appreciation for their skills, hard work, dedication, caring and compassion," said Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "Bringing this message to Yankee Stadium is our way of saying 'thank you' to all the nurses in the greater New York area. They have fans wherever there are Yankees fans -- all across the metropolitan area and beyond."

Contact
Sonia Nayak
Public Affairs Associate
(718) 780-5367
nymethodist@gmail.com

Brooklyn, NY – May 10, 2011 – On Tuesday, May 10^th, New York Methodist Hospital honored a select group of registered nurses at the Hospital’s 2011 Nurse Recognition Awards Ceremony. At this year's event, multiple awards were given out to reflect NYM’s talented and diverse group of nurses.

Among those honored were Uchenna Okoro, R.N., a resident of East Flatbush and an assistant nurse manager at NYM, and Wayne Christie, R.N., who resides in Park Slope, the director of nursing retention and professional development. Both received the Nurse Mentorship Award for guidance and support in the development of the professional nurse.

Michael Sasse, R.N., a critical care nurse from Williamsburg, received the Nursing Clinical Excellence Award for direct care giving. Joanna Zanko, R.N., director of nursing critical care services from Rahway, New Jersey, received the same award as a nursing executive who demonstrated leadership and excellence in patient care.