Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – January 31, 2012 – Audrey Meyers, FACHE, of Ridgewood, NJ, president and CEO of Valley Health System and The Valley Hospital, was recently installed as board chair of the New Jersey Hospital Association, the state’s oldest and largest hospital and healthcare advocacy organization. The board chair’s official installation, as well as the appointment of new board officers and members, was held during NJHA’s 93rd Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Princeton.

Meyers succeeds outgoing chairman Thomas A. Biga, FACHE, of Barnabas Health in Livingston. In taking the reins of the NJHA Board, Meyers said, “Our ability to continue to serve faces many challenges. There are times in every industry when circumstances lead organizations to a crossroads - to a New Frontier.  Now is such a time.”

Meyers challenged hospital leaders to continue to work together, both in New Jersey and with the American Hospital Association in Washington, D.C., to avoid potentially devastating cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.

“In 2013 alone, New Jersey’s healthcare providers stand to lose $130 million in Medicare funding – on top of $4.5 billion in cuts New Jersey hospitals will sustain under the Affordable Care Act,” said Meyers. “Recognizing that Medicare already pays New Jersey hospitals and physicians at rates less than costs, these added cuts jeopardize healthcare quality. They jeopardize patient access to care. And they jeopardize jobs and other economic benefits that ripple throughout our communities. We must let Washington know, in a clear and unified voice, that these cuts would have a devastating impact.”

“It is essential that we continue our keen focus on improving healthcare quality, patient safety and efficiency,” she added. “While we have made some significant gains in the last decade there is still much to be accomplished.  We should strive for nothing less than a 100 percent commitment to quality and patient safety.”

Contact:

Doug Feingold

dof9022@nyp.org

(212) 305-5587

Pilot Study Shows 60 Percent of Children Who Received Liver Tissue From a Parent Can Safely Discontinue Immunosuppression; Larger Study Planned

New York, NY – January 31, 2012 – Physicians at three transplant centers have found in a pilot study that a majority of children who receive liver tissue from a parent can eventually stop using immunosuppression (anti-rejection) medications safely. These drugs, which tamp down natural immune function, have been linked to a bevy of complications, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney failure.

In the study, published in the Jan. 18, 2012, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers also found three clinical factors that appear to predict which pediatric liver transplant patients are most likely to do well if the medications are withdrawn. “These findings bring us closer to the Holy Grail of transplant medicine, which is to give a patient an organ and then taper off use of drugs that prevent rejection,” says co-author Dr. Steven J. Lobritto, associate clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and medical director of pediatric liver transplantation at NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

Contact:

Gloria Chin

glc9010@nyp.org

(212) 305-5587

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Is NYC Metro Area’s Only Hospital Offering the New Approach

New York, NY – January 31, 2012 –  NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is the first hospital in the New York metro area to offer breast cancer survivors an at-home method for tissue expansion in preparation for breast reconstruction surgery. Patients use a remote control to gradually create a space within their chest wall for a breast implant.

Breast cancer patients who wish to have reconstructive surgery after mastectomy have often had to undergo a process involving injections of saline to gradually expand skin and muscle of their chest. The process can be painful and may require frequent doctor’s visits over the course of four to six months or longer.

“Unfortunately, less than half of all women who have mastectomies in the United States undergo reconstructive surgery. One major factor in this decision may be  limitations of the traditional approaches,” says Dr. Jeffrey Ascherman, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia’s principal investigator of the study, site chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, and professor of clinical surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – January 31, 2012 - Nyack Hospital is pleased to announce that the following providers were recently appointed to its Medical Staff:

Rasha Batarseh, DO

Inpatient Medical Specialist Rasha Batarseh, DO, is a member of the Department of Medicine.  Dr. Batarseh is a graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center. Dr. Batarseh is fluent in Arabic. She is associated with Inpatient Medical Associates at Nyack Hospital, and may be contacted at 845.348.8884.

Lisa Corrente, MD

Radiologist Lisa Corrente, MD, is a member of the Department of Radiology.  Dr. Corrente is a graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine, and completed her General Surgery Internship at Sound Shore Medical Center. Her Radiology Residency was held at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center, where she served as Chief Resident, followed by a Fellowship in Musculoskeletal and MR Imaging at the University of San Diego Medical Center. Dr. Corrente is board certified by the American Board of Radiology. She is a member of the Radiological Society of North America, and American Roentgen Ray Society, the American College of Radiology, New York Roentgen and Radiological Societies. Dr. Corrente is associated with Imaging On Call located in Poughkeepsie, NY, and she may be contacted at 888.647.5979.

Ruth Holliday, DO

Radiologist Ruth Holliday, DO, is a member of the Department of Radiology. Dr. Holliday is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is board certified by the ABMS of Radiology, and completed her Internal Medicine Internship at the Scott & William Memorial Hospital, followed by her Radiology Residency at Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Holliday is associated with Imaging On Call located in Poughkeepsie, NY, and she may be contacted at 888.647.5979.

Mark Papish, MD

Emergency Services Physician Mark Papish, MD, is a member of the Department of Emergency Services. Dr. Papish is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine, where he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Dr. Papish completed his Internship and Emergency Medicine Residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, and is a member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Papish is fluent in Spanish. Dr. Papish is associated with Emergency Medical Associates located in the Emergency Department at Nyack Hospital, and may be contacted at 845.348.2340.

Stuart Reiber, MD

Internist Stuart Reiber, MD, is a member of the Department of Medicine, subsection of Internal Medicine.  Dr. Reiber is a graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He completed his residency at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, and holds a clinical appointment at New York Medical College, where he serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine. Dr. Reiber is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and is a Diplomate in the National Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Reiber’s practice is located in Suffern, and he may be contacted at 845.354.1181.

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, an affiliate of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and has partnered with Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine providing clinical rotations to third-year medical students.  To contact a member of our medical staff, please visit our web site at www.nyackhospital.org.  

Contact:

Amy Massimo

Director, Public Affairs

(845) 348-2773

massimoa@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY – January 31, 2012 – The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to the Cancer Program at Nyack Hospital.

Nyack Hospital received this Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation following an onsite evaluation by a physician surveyor during which the Hospital demonstrated a Commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program (cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach, and quality improvement). In addition a facility receives a compliance rating for all other standards.

Contact:
Karen Huxtable-Hooker
karen.huxtable-hooker@bassett.org

Cooperstown, NY — January 27, 2012 — Bassett Healthcare Network (BHN) has been named one of the most integrated health networks in the nation, ranking 48th out of 100 health systems around the country. Bassett is one of only five health systems in New York State that made it into the ranking of top-performing IHNs. Published in Modern Healthcare magazine, the SDI Top 100 IHNs for 2012 recognizes health systems that optimize health care delivery.

 “This ranking is a benchmark that places Bassett among the country’s best health systems,” notes Bassett Healthcare Network President and CEO Dr. William F. Streck. “It is hard proof that the work we’ve engaged in to coordinate patient care, improve access and integrate best practices across the Bassett network is paying off to the benefit of our patients. It is important to note that this is all possible because of the high quality physician group and the talented and committed staff of the Bassett network. ” 

Contact:

Melissa Snead

Public Affairs Associate

(718) 780-5367

Brooklyn, NY – January 25, 2012 – Adding to its advanced robotic-assisted surgery program, New York Methodist Hospital now offers minimally invasive, robotic gastric bypass surgery to help obese patients achieve weight loss of up to 70 percent of body fat. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index, or ratio of height to weight, of greater than 35. NYM is one of only three hospitals in the Northeast to offer robotic gastric bypass surgery.

“Weight loss surgery can greatly improve the quality of life of many patients,” said Steven J. Carryl, M.D., attending surgeon, Department of Surgery at NYM. “With better results, less post-operative symptoms and a shorter recovery time, minimally invasive bariatric surgery can be a good option for many obese patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight.”

Caption:  Steven J. Carryl, M.D., attending surgeon at NYM, poses with the da Vinci robot.

Contact:
Amy Massimo
Director, Public Affairs
(845) 348-2773

Nyack, NY — January 24, 2012 — For the second year in a row, Nyack Hospital received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.  The award recognizes Nyack Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing excellent care for stroke patients, according to evidence-based guidelines.

To receive the award, Nyack Hospital achieved of 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals and achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 10 Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.  

These measures include aggressive use of medications, such as tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs and smoking cessation, all aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients.

Contact:
Maureen Curran Kleinman
(201) 291-6310
mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ — January 23, 2012 — The Valley Hospital announced today that it has formed the Valley Health System Regional Accountable Care Organization and has partnered with Atlantic Health System to submit an application for the Atlantic Health System ACO, LLC, to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The Atlantic ACO, of which Valley’s ACO is a regional division, was formed to improve patient care quality, reduce costs, and streamline health care delivery. ACOs are considered by many to be essential to the realization of national health care reform and an integral part of an overall vision of better and more affordable care for Medicare beneficiaries and heightened efficiency among physicians, hospitals, and insurers.

 Touted as one of the "10 ACOs to Know" by Becker's Hospital Review, the Atlantic ACO application includes participation from more than 1,200 physicians, including more than 150 primary care physicians, 50 nurse practitioners and 10 ancillary care providers in four regions: Sussex, Morris, Union, Somerset, and Bergen counties.  Member hospitals, which include Atlantic Health System's Morristown, Overlook, and Newton Medical Centers, in addition to Valley, will work together to improve the quality of health care and reduce the individual and clinical health care costs for the Medicare population served in these regions. Once the application is accepted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Atlantic ACO will begin operating on April 1. 

The Evolution of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Care in the 21^st Century

Sponsored by the Department of Nursing, School of Continuing Education for Nurses in collaboration with the Wound Ostomy and Continence Program

When:

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

8:30 am to 5 pm

Location:

Hilton Pearl River

500 Veterans Memorial Dr.

Pearl River, NY

845.735.9000

To Register or For More Information:

www.nyp.org/nursing/news/cme

The registration fee includes continental breakfast, snack, lunch, and all educational materials.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Elizabeth A. Ayello PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CWON, MAPWCA, FAAN

Planning Committee

Beatric Forlizzi, BSN, RN, BC, CWOCN, Nurse Clinician, NYP

Bernadette Melido, BSN, RN, CWOCN, WOC Consultant, NYP

Denise Robinson, MPH, RN, CHWOCN, WOC Program Manager, NYP

Linda Saal, MA, RN-BC, Program Director, Continuing Education, NYP

Juliet Smith, MSN, RN, CWOCN, WOC Consultant, NYP

Rosemary Sullivan, MA, RN, Director, Special Programs, NYP

Contact:
Maureen Curran Kleinman
(201) 291-6310
mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Caption:  Valley employees join President and CEO Audrey Meyers in celebrating the hospital’s 9th consecutive recognition for inpatient service excellence and 2^nd consecutive recognition for emergency department care by J.D. Power and Associates

Ridgewood, NJ — January 20, 2012 — The Valley Hospital has been recognized for service excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program. This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by the hospital to provide “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience” and “An Outstanding Emergency Department Experience.” This is the ninth consecutive year the hospital has been recognized for its inpatient services, and the second consecutive year it has been recognized for its emergency department services.

“In achieving certification of both the emergency department and the inpatient unit, The Valley Hospital demonstrates its ability to provide outstanding service from the moment patients arrive at the hospital to the time they are discharged,” said John Clark, director of the healthcare practice at J.D. Power and Associates.

The service excellence distinction was determined by surveying recently discharged patients about their perceptions of their hospital visit and comparing the results to the national benchmarks established in the annual J.D. Power and Associates National Hospital Service Performance Study.

Contact:

Carolann Martines

Associate Writer
(516) 663-2234
cmartines@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY – January 19, 2012 – John F. Collins, President and CEO of Winthrop-University Hospital, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Menniti Stecker, MD, PhD, to Chairman of the Department of Neurosciences. Dr. Stecker comes to Winthrop from Cabell Huntington Hospital in West Virginia, where he most recently served as Director of the Neurophysiology Laboratory and Director of the Stroke Program. In addition, Dr. Stecker was the Director of the Epilepsy Center and Associate Chair for Neurology in the Department of Neuroscience at Marshall University.

Board certified in neurology with added qualification in clinical neurophysiology, neurophysiologic monitoring, electroencephalography and evoked potentials, Dr. Stecker has extensive experience in many areas of neurophysiology and is a welcome addition to Winthrop’s outstanding medical staff.

Contact:
Maureen Curran Kleinman
(201) 291-6310

Ridgewood, NJ — January 16, 2012 — The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that Maria Mediago, Vice President of Facilities Management, was selected as one of “Three Wise Women” honored at the annual Epiphany Celebration by the Greater New York Region of National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW).  The 2012 Wise Women honorees were selected for their success in their respective professional fields.

The Greater New York Region’s Epiphany Celebration was held on January 6 at the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York City.

Kathleen Guglielmo, President of NOIAW, Greater New York Region, noted in her congratulatory letter to Maria, “Your long-term achievements as an executive in facilities management with responsibility for the planning and execution of numerous multi-million dollar healthcare projects make you a source of pride and inspiration to the Italian and Italian American communities.”

Contact:

Wendy L. Goldstein

Director, Public Affairs

(516) 663-2234

wgoldstein@winthrop.org

Official Opening Event Places Focus on Growing Healthcare Needs of 9/11 Responders

Garden City, N.Y. – January 13, 2012 – The Stony Brook University World Trade Center Health Program is expanding its clinical Center of Excellence to Winthrop-University Hospital which enables care and treatment for thousands more who were exposed to toxic chemicals and who continue to suffer from upper and lower respiratory ailments, mental health symptoms, and other conditions related to the environment at Ground Zero.

With an annual budget of more than $8 million, Stony Brook’s Islandia-based WTC Health Program is a clinical and research program that has been in operation since immediately after 9/11. The program is supported primarily by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), an arm of the Centers for Disease Control. The Stony Brook program to date follows  more than 6,000 9/11 responders, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and construction workers with an 80 percent retention rate. The Center of Excellence in Islandia cares for more than 3,500 responders, most of whom live or work in Suffolk County. It is also the administrative headquarters for both clinic locations in Suffolk and Nassau counties.

Contact:
Amy Massimo
(845) 348-2773
MassimoA@nyackhospital.org

Nyack, NY — January 11, 2012 — Are you looking to get a jump start on your New Year’s resolution to lose weight?  Nyack Hospital announces that it will host several series of its popular Lose to Win weight loss program for adults throughout the community:

Monday, January 23, 10:30 am
Sloatsburg Library
Fee:  $10 for the entire 8-week series
Please call the Sloatsburg Library at 753-2001 to register.

Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 pm
Sloatsburg Library
Fee:  $10 for the entire 8-week series
Please call the Sloatsburg Library at 753-2001 to register.

Friday, February 3, 6:30 pm
Nyack YMCA
Fee:  $10 for the entire 8-week series
Please call Nyack Hospital's Community Health Education Department at 845.348.2004 to register.

The Lose to Win Weight Loss Program is an 8-week series that incorporates the latest guidelines on losing weight safely and successfully.  The program curriculum includes information on nutrition, exercise and behavior change.  Each session allows for discussion of participant's motives, obstacles and successes at weight loss.   All classes facilitated by a person specially trained to lead the Lose to Win program.

Contact:
Cynthia Bacon
(718) 670-2515
crm9002@nyp.org

Flushing, NY — December 23, 2011 — George F. Heinrich, M.D., chairman, Board of Trustees, New York Hospital Queens, was presented with the first Herbert Pardes, M.D. Leadership Award by the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System. The award is in honor of his dedication, vision and promotion of excellence in quality and patient safety.

Dr. Heinrich has been a member of the Board of Trustees for New York Hospital Queens since 1986. In 1994, Dr. Heinrich was elected Chairman of the Board. An ardent supporter of quality health care and medical education, he was the recipient of the hospital’s highest honor, the Pacesetter Award, in 2000.

Dr. Heinrich serves as Chairman of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System Performance Improvement Committee, is a trustee of the system’s board, Quality Assessment and Information Technology committees at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and is a member of the New York Weill Cornell Council. He is also Chairman of the Board of the Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Dr. Heinrich and his wife, Debra, support several other organizations.

A graduate of Cornell University, Dr. Heinrich received his medical degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.  He is the Associate Dean for Admissions and an Adjunct  Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at New Jersey Medical School, and is Vice Chairman and CEO of the Foundation of UMDNJ. In addition, he is President of the Eye Institute of New Jersey.

Contact:
Cynthia Bacon
(718) 670-2515
crm9002@nyp.org 

Flushing, NY — January 1, 2012 — New York Hospital Queens welcomed the first baby of 2012 at 12:18 a.m., a baby girl, Nina Love McConnell-Honore, weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz., born to proud parents Rose Honore and Duane McConnell, and big brother, 12-year-old Aamin, of St. Albans, N.Y. 

"I feel great. I feel special and so does she," says mother, Rose Honore, about her and the baby. "She is sweet, quiet and lovely. That's why her middle name is Love."

A $1,000 savings bond and a congratulatory basket of flowers were among the first gifts for the family and baby from the hospital.

Contact:
Melissa Snead
(718) 780-5367

Brooklyn, NY – January 1, 2012 – Richard and Myra Moran received the best gift they could ask for at the start of the New Year: the birth of their first child.

The couple welcomed their New Year’s baby, named Richard Michael, on Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 7:42 a.m. The baby boy was one of New York Methodist Hospital’s first babies of 2012.

Baby Richard weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 18.75 inches in length. He and his parents reside in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

“We never expected to have a New Year’s baby,” said mother, Myra Moran. “This was such a wonderful surprise and a great way to begin 2012.” This is the first child for Mr. and Mrs. Moran.

New York Methodist has long been known as “The Baby Hospital” because of its large number of deliveries. In 2011, there were over 5,000 births.