Qualified participants will receive all study-related care, including physician visits, laboratory services and study medications.

To be eligible for the study, a woman must be postmenopausal, between 55 and 85 years of age.  In addition, the individual must have been diagnosed with osteopenia/osteoporosis and have been taking alendronate (Fosamax®) for at least one year.

Osteoporosis is a serious health concern worldwide. It is a preventable disease which causes weakening of the bones and a loss of bone mass, resulting in fractures and disability.  The disease is expected to affect one in every two women. Helen Hayes Hospital is one of the country’s leading centers in osteoporosis research.

For more information on this study, contact Nancy Barbuto, R.N., at 845-786-4804 or barbuton@helenhayeshosp.org

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

Debbie Pagano Cohen
(718) 670-1586
dec9067@nyp.org

Flushing, N.Y. – May 14, 2012 – Making a decision on where to have a child’s surgery just became much simpler for parents in Queens. Now, parents can rely upon New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ) for pediatric surgery services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whether a necessary procedure is planned or due to an emergency.

The hospital’s new pediatric surgery program is dedicated to the health and well being of children and families in Queens. The program is led by Charles Coren, M.D., director, Pediatric Surgery, NYHQ, and includes physicians and surgeons affiliated with the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons -- also a member institution of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System.

“Today, children and their families do not need to leave Queens to find a higher level of pediatric surgical care,” said Stephen S. Mills, president and chief executive officer, NYHQ. “We are proud that we can provide the Queens community with increased access to a level of expertise and compassionate service that has been rated among the very best in the country.”

NYHQ offers a full complement of pediatric services, including a 20-bed pediatric inpatient unit, a dedicated pediatric emergency room, pediatric intensive care unit, Level III neonatal intensive care unit, The Theresa Lang Children’s Ambulatory Care Center, the longest running, free-standing pediatric asthma program in Queens, as well as the full spectrum of pediatric subspecialties, from gastroenterology to cardiology.

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Barbara Franzese Cron
Director, Marketing Communications
(201) 530-7904
cron@holyname.org

Teaneck, NJ – May 8, 2012 – For the seventh consecutive year, Holy Name Medical Center has been named among the “100 Best Places to Work in New Jersey” by NJBIZ magazine. Holy Name has achieved recognition for workplace excellence 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, which benefit the state’s economy, its workforce and businesses. Companies from across the state enter 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 is managed by Best Companies Group (BCG), which analyzes the data and determined the final rankings.

“As a new member of the Holy Name family, I’m incredibly impressed with the expertise and dedication I’ve witnessed, and I’m happy to be part of an organization that is accomplished in so many areas,” says April Rodgers, Vice President for Human Resources at HNMC, where about 2,500 medical, nursing and allied health professionals, as well as non-clinical staff, are employed.   “Holy Name has a positive working environment focusing on quality, safety and patient satisfaction. The pride our employees take in their jobs and their enthusiasm is very evident in the care they give our patients.”

Ms. Rodgers explains that the Medical Center shows its employees how much they are valued not only by offering them benefits and amenities aimed at improving their quality of life, but by empowering them to use their skills, advance professionally, and to think creatively.

The Medical Center has also received awards for workplace excellence for four consecutive years from Modern Healthcare magazine’s “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” program and from Companies That Care’s “Honor Roll” for three years in a row.

Holy Name Medical Center

Holy Name Medical Center is a fully accredited, not-for-profit healthcare facility based in Teaneck, New Jersey, with off-site locations throughout Bergen County.  Founded and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1925, the comprehensive 361-bed medical center offers leading-edge medical practice and technology administered in an environment rooted in a tradition of compassion and respect for every patient. Holy Name provides high quality health care across a continuum that encompasses education, prevention, early intervention, comprehensive treatment options, rehabilitation and wellness maintenance—from pre-conception through end-of-life.

Contact:

Doug Feingold
(212) 305-5587
dof9022@nyp.org

New York, NY – May 8, 2012 – NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College presented their annual Public Service Award to Senator Arlen Specter yesterday for his sustained efforts to increase support for biomedical research and enhance mental health care services at their reception during the 2012 American Psychiatric Association Meeting in Philadelphia.

The annual award honors a member of the American community for his or her contributions to psychiatric medicine and mental health. Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, psychiatrist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association, and Dr. Jack Barchas, psychiatrist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College, presented Senator Specter with the Public Service Award.

"We are very pleased to honor Senator Specter for his unwavering support to expand mental health care for veterans and for his profound commitment to medical research," added Dr. Barchas, who is also the chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. "His influence in this area has been extraordinary, and we look forward to his continued support for mental health programs." 

During his tenure as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee in the United States Senate, Senator Specter led the fight to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health to expand medical research. In addition, he signed a bill to provide autism treatments for military personnel and their families under the TRICARE health program and co-sponsored a bill to improve and enhance mental health care benefits for returning veterans.

In addition to the Public Service Award, the Departments of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College presented three department awards.

Dr. Lieberman honored Dr. Deborah Cabaniss, clinical professor of psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the director of psychotherapy training in the Department of Psychiatry with the Columbia Alumni Award, for her extraordinary commitment to psychiatry residents and to the educational mission of the department.

Dr. Barchas recognized Dr. Gerard Smith, professor emeritus of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, with the Weill Cornell Alumni Award for his pioneering work into the neurobiology of appetitive behavior.

Dr. Philip J. Wilner, vice president and medical director for behavioral health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and executive vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and an associate professor at Weill Cornell Medical College also honored Dr. Mary Zanarini with the Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Severe Personality Disorders from the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Resource Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. Dr. Mary Zanarini is the director of the laboratory for the study of adult development at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., and professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.

There is a continuous need for blood donors in the Hudson Valley region. All eligible donors are urgently encouraged to come out and donate blood. Blood donors receive a mini-medical exam on-site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level.

Employees, volunteers, visitors, and community members are invited to donate blood. Donors should be healthy, between the ages of 17 and 76, weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated whole blood in the last 56 days, or an ALYX donation in the last 112 days. People age 76 and over may also participate by presenting a doctor’s note Donors must eat and drink well before donating and present photo or signature I.D.

 Donating blood is literally giving the gift of life. There is simply no substitute for donated blood. Without volunteer donors, our community would not have an adequate community blood supply.Appointments are not necessary and walk-ins are welcome. For further information, please call 845-786-4967.

GolfAbility workshops and outings have been schedule to run from May through July. The workshops will take place at the GolfAbility center, which is located on the campus of the physical rehabilitation hospital. The center consists of a 1300 square foot synthetic putting green with six cups and three accessible netted tee areas. Participants will learn how to use appropriate adaptive golf equipment, including single-rider carts. A single-rider cart is a specially equipped golf cart that allows a disabled golfer to play seated or standing, directly from the cart, and can be driven right on to the green.  The two outings will take place at a local golf course.

Joyce Fried, LPGA golf pro, conducts lessons and outing are conducted by recreational therapists. Sessions will start with a group lesson, with participants then breaking into small groups to practice concepts learned during the lesson, as well as building on skills learned in previous sessions. The GolfAbility programs will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and each workshop will be limited to 16 participants. GolfAbility outings will take place at the Rockland Lake Executive Course with a tee time of 3:00 pm. Players will pay their own course fees.  Dates are as follows.

Workshops:

May 7  Putting (modeling the hold, alignment stroke)                      

May 14  Chipping (modeling the hold, alignment stroke)     

June 4  Iron off tees  (model the hold, alignment, follow-through)         

June 11 Iron off tees (target, hold set-up & follow-through)                        

June 18  Fairway metals & sand bunker                                                  

July 2   Short game competitions/review & questions                                   

July 9  Driving woods (swinging the club)                                              

July 16  Specialty shots (hooking, fading, high, low, bunker shots)

 Outings: 

May 21 and June 25 *

* Must attend at least one workshop to qualify for outing registration

All workshops are free, but pre-registration is required. Participants may register for as many workshops as they wish. Registered participants will be called one week prior to each workshop to confirm acceptance status. For additional information or a registration form, contact Matthew Castelluccio at 845-786-4950, or castellucciom@helenhayeshosp.org.

Helen Hayes Hospital has announced the introduction of Ai Chi classes, designed specifically for people of all abilities. Classes will meet for six week sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays  from 1:15-2:00 p.m. at Helen Hayes Hospital, in the warm water aquatic center, in West Haverstraw. Participants must wear water shoes and bring their own towel.

Ai Chi is an easy water exercise that uses deep breathing and slow, controlled movements of the arms, legs and torso in smooth continual patters to encourage relaxation and increase flexibility, balance and pain. 

The instructor, Krista Hludzinski, OTR/L is experienced in teaching Ai Chi to individuals of all abilities. She says Ai Chi helps provide a, "mind-body relationship including improved physical health, better sleep, effective stress and anger management and reduced responsiveness to stress hormones."

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

Dear Colleagues:

Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order for New York to implement a health insurance exchange by 2014 as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. A “health care exchange” is an online marketplace where individuals and small businesses can choose among competing health insurance plans. Seventeen states have either enacted, or are in the process of passing, health insurance exchange legislation. We believe that a health care exchange presents several benefits for the community, physicians and hospitals.

Benefits of a Health Insurance Exchange for the Community

Through the creation of Web-based marketplaces for health insurance exchanges, individuals or small businesses in need of coverage can find health plan information in a standardized format with coverage options and pricing that can be quickly and easily compared. Another guaranteed benefit of the exchange would be that insurers cannot refuse to insure any individuals.

The goals for establishing a health insurance exchange are to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, quality health insurance coverage and to drive down the overall cost of insurance. Increases in health care costs are driven by increases in costs per case, not merely the overall prevalence of disease. It makes sense that by having greater access to health coverage, the pool of uninsured people decreases, and so would the cost per case. Earlier entry in the health care system with community-based, preventive care has been shown to reduce the severity of illness and critical care expenditures. An exchange can help reign in health care costs and preserve the health of the community.

The American Medical Association is in support of health insurance exchanges due to the potential for more Americans to have health coverage. The AMA is advocating for physicians to serve in health insurance exchange governance. Governor Cuomo’s executive order includes health care providers as part of the advisory panel to establish the NYS health care exchange. Additionally, the AMA recommends that qualified health plans should be allowed to participate in the exchange to increase competition in health insurance markets. It asks that plans maintain adequate physician networks, not restrict enrollee access to out-of-network physicians and not mandate physician participation in a particular health plan.

How Hospitals Can Benefit from a Health Insurance Exchange

For uninsured individuals, emergency rooms are a medical last resort as hospitals are obligated to provide care regardless of ability to pay. However, health care comes at a price, and hospitals absorb the financial burden for paying for that care. It is prudent to have affordable options for individual health insurance coverage. And, since hospitals already have extensive experience in helping patients identify and seek assistance for health insurance coverage, including working with Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Medicaid), it makes sense that hospitals should be actively involved in promoting a state-based health care exchange. 

The Affordable Care Act is being hotly contested in this year’s presidential campaign. In March, the Supreme Court heard arguments that could nullify all or parts of the ACA including the federal mandate for state-based health care exchanges. The ACA remains law until determined otherwise. We stand united with the Health Care Association of New York State, the Greater New York Healthcare Association and the American Medical Association in supporting health insurance exchange and increasing access to care for all New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

 Stephen S. Mills, FACHE

PEOPLE

On April 26, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen S. Mills, FACHE, and the Board of Trustees announced the restructuring of the Office of the President to add the new position of Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

In recognition of his strong leadership in leading the clinical enterprise, Stephen Rimar, M.D., MBA, has been promoted to assume this new position. John Sciortino, FACHE, who continues in the Office of the President has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Under the leadership of Mr. Mills, Dr. Rimar will oversee the entire clinical enterprise and Mr. Sciortino will oversee the administrative structure.

This is an exciting time for NYHQ as we proudly continue to provide healthcare excellence to our Queens community.  Theaddition of our Chief Medical Officer to the Office of the President sends an important message to the medical community – that we are firmly focused on supporting physicians and the practice of excellent medicine – right here at New York Hospital Queens.

On May 1, we welcomed our new chairman of Surgery and surgeon-in-chief, Pierre F. Saldinger, M.D. He comes to us from Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn., where he served as chairman of the Department of Surgery, and program director of the Surgical Residency Program. Dr. Saldinger is a professor of clinical surgery at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He previously held academic appointments at New York Medical College and Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Saldinger is a renowned surgeon with expertise in the surgical treatment of cancer and benign disorders of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, stomach as well as retroperitoneal sarcomas. Dr. Saldinger achieved his medical degree from the University of Basel School of Medicine in Switzerland. He completed his residency in Surgery at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass., a research fellowship in mucosal immunology at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and a clinical fellowship in Hepatobiliary Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, N.Y.

We are pleased to announce the following appointment of our medical and professional staff:

Jason Hu, M.D., attending surgeon, Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, was appointed to the faculty of Weill Medical College of Cornell University as an Instructor in Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at New York Hospital Queens.

It is an honor for us when our hospital team members attain professional achievements and when they are recognized by other organizations:

Congratulations to Peri Millman, M.D., (pictured, left) director, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition and the FitKids Program, and Marta Kazandjian, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P, B.R.S.-S., (pictured, right) director, Speech and Swallowing Disorders, for being selected as Top Women in Business for 2012 in Queens by the Queens Courier. They were nominated by the Division of  Public Affairs and Marketing.

Christopher Calandrella, D.O., attending physician, Emergency Medicine, has been appointed medical director, Middle Village Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Edward Choi, M.D., international ambassador to South Korea, American College of Emergency Physicians, and attending physician, Emergency Medicine, coordinated a month-long NYHQ visit by Dong Eun Lee, M.D., a senior Emergency Medicine resident, Kyungpook University Hospital, South Korea.

Our physicians and clinical staff frequently present their work and share their expertise at medical conferences, in peer-reviewed publications and at community meetings:

Alison Suarez, M.D., assistant residency director, Emergency Medicine, Mark Kindschuh, M.D., M.B.A., associate chairman, Emergency Medicine, and George Benedetto, Jr,, M.P.A., E.M.T.-P., director, the Patient Simulation Center, presented “Critical Care Strategy: Building Team Competence Through Simulation” at the 12th Annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare in San Diego.

Harmony Leighton, D.O., medical resident; Hormoz Kianfar, M.D., cardiology fellow, Stephen Serynek, M.D., cardiology fellow, and Todd Kerwin, M.D., director, Non-Invasive Cardiology, presented “Effect of an electronic ordering system on adherence to American College of Cardiology Guidelines for Cardiac Monitoring,” at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session and Expo. The abstract of the same name was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Marta Kazandjian, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P, B.R.S.-S., director, Speech and Swallowing Disorders, presented “Managing Communication and Swallowing for Tracheostomized and Ventilator Dependent Adults Across the Continuum of Care,” at the 2012 American Veterans Administration Speech and Language Pathology National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Kazandjian presented her experiences as a medical speech pathologist in acute, subacute and long term care settings at Hunter College Alumni Night, her alma mater.

PROGRAMS & PROGRESS

Center for Wound Healing
New York Hospital Queens is pleased to announce the start of a new program, The New York Hospital Queens Center for Wound Healing at Silvercrest. The center is located on the first floor of the Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at 144-45 87th Avenue, Briarwood, N.Y. and is scheduled to begin treating patients in June. When it opens, the center will offer a comprehensive approach for patients with chronic wound issues. The center will have a multi-disciplinary health care team, which includes physicians with advanced training in wound management and hyperbaric medicine, and nurses skilled in chronic wound care treatment. The center will offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a state-of-the-art facility. For more information about the center, call (855) 480-HEAL (4325).

Grants Program Update—Medicaid EHR Incentive
NYHQ successfully registered and attested to the NYS Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, which provides incentives to eligible professionals, hospitals and critical access hospitals as they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.  The hospital will receive $3.7 million over the next three years.  

Residents and Fellows Research Day
The Theresa & Eugene M. Lang Center for Research and Education is holding the 7th Annual Residents and Fellows Research Day on May 16, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Lang Auditorium. This program was created to foster research among NYHQ physicians-in-training. This year will feature 14 oral and 63 poster presentations in 15 specialty areas. Awards for excellence will be given at 1 p.m., following the presentations. No RSVP is necessary to attend the oral and poster presentations. All are welcome. For the presentation schedule, contact the Lang Research Center at (718) 670-2914.

Mother’s Day Screening Breast Cancer Initiative
One in eight woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. If you are 40 or older, New York Hospital Queens is participating in the Mother’s Day Breast Cancer Initiative co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the New York State Department of Health Cancer Services Program and the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection Program. For more information on how to get a mammogram in May at little to no cost through the Eastern Queens Cancer Services Program, call (800) 564-6868.

Palliative Care Symposium

Palliative care is a comprehensive plan of care for improving the quality of life for individuals with any serious illness at any age. Palliative care also helps patients and families with decision making during serious illness and navigating a complex health care system. The NYHQ Palliative Care Program presented a symposium to medical professionals about the principles of palliative care as it applies to patients who have dementia, and identifying those at risk for moral stress, such as seriously ill patients and their families.

Diabetes Clinical Research Study

Diabetes affects nearly 26 million people in the United States and approximately 700,000 people in New York City. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the five boroughs, according to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A research team at New York Hospital Queens is studying the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. To be eligible for the study, participants must have type 2 diabetes, be 18 years of age or older, and have taken only Metformin, or no other anti-diabetic medication for 12 weeks or more. Qualified participants will receive all study related procedures and the study drug and will be reimbursed for time and travel expenses. Daniel Lorber, M.D., associate director, The Theresa and Eugene M. Lang Center for Research and Education, New York Hospital Queens, is the principal investigator of the research study. For more information, contact Susan Ingenito, senior medical assistant, at 718-670-2414.

Progress

A Spring Night Gala

A Spring Night Gala, the hospital’s premier fundraising event, will be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 31, 2012. The honorees are Prabha and Kanak Golia, a member of the New York Hospital Queens Board of Trustees. For ticket and sponsorship information, please contact Julie Varghese at juv9007@nyp.org or 718-670-1564.

NYHQ Day at CitiField

The hospital is hosting a new special event, NYHQ Day at CitiField, for employees, medical staff, colleagues, family and friends on Sunday, August 12, when the New York Mets will be playing the Atlanta Braves. There will be special recognition for NYHQ in the stands. Children 12 and under can run the bases at Citi Field following the game with the Mr. Met (weather permitting). For more information, contact Julie Varghese, director, Special Events, 718-670-1564. 

NYHQ Updates Queens Borough Cabinet on Progress

An update about the programs and progress at New York Hospital Queens and The Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation was presented to the members of the Queens Borough Cabinet. The Cabinet consists of the Borough President, all Queens community boards leaders, as well as F.D.N.Y. and N.Y.P.D. leaders. Presenters from the hospital included Maureen Buglino, R.N., M.P.H., vice president, Ambulatory Care & Emergency Services; Debra Pagano Cohen, R.N., M.S.N., director, Community & Government Affairs; Mary Godfrey, R.N., vice president, Professional Services and Strategic Planning; Kenneth Ong, M.D., M.B.A., chief medical informatics officer; Cynthia X. Pan, M.D., director, Palliative Care Program, and from Michael Tretola, F.A.C.H.E., L.N.H.A., senior vice president, Continuum of Care, and, administrator, Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Earth Day Fair Featured Green Initiatives

The hospital hosted an Earth Day Fair to feature environmentally friendly “green” practices added over the past year. NYHQ has implemented “green” enhancements that have begun to reduce the amount of waste in landfills, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They include a green roof project with Manhattan College and a biodigester machine in the kitchen to reduce organic waste. For more information about our “Go NYHQ Green” initiatives, visit the hospital Web site: http://nyhq.org/gogreen.

Neuroscience

In recognition of stroke awareness month in May, the Neuroscience Institute will host a free Stroke Assessment Day for the community on May 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the hospital’s Lang Lobby and Auditorium. For more information or to register for an assessment call 800-282-6684. Institute to Focus on Stroke Awareness in May

Community Symposium on Bones, Muscles and Joints

Medical experts from NYHQ’s Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation hosted a free community symposium to discuss hand, back, shoulder, knee, hip and balance issues. HealthGrades, an independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings, presented the hospital with the Orthopaedics Award of Excellence to kickoff the Community Symposium on Bones, Muscles and Joints. NYHQ has ranked among the top 5% of hospitals in the nation for joint replacement for two years in a row. Following the lectures, attendees were offered free balance assessments by the rehabilitation team.

NYHQ Participates in Upcoming Events Throughout the Community

New York Hospital Queens collaborates with community organizations throughout the year. Health information and screenings by New York Hospital Queens will be provided at the following community events:

Queens Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at CitiField on May 22

Community Board #3 Leon Von Holden Memorial Health Care Expo 2012 at the Corona Center on June 9

Friends of Fort Totten Parks 8th Annual Family Fun Day at Fort Totten Park on June 16

Community Board #8 Health Fair at Cunningham Park on June 28

For further details about these events or for a full list of upcoming events, visit www. nyhq.org.

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – April 26, 2012 – The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that it has been named a finalist in four categories in the 2012 Healthcare Heroes Awards, presented by business publication NJBIZ.

Valley’s finalists are:

• The Valley Hospital in the category of Hospital of the Year
• The Valley Hospital’s “Green Team” and its environmental efforts in the category of Corporate Achievement
• Neurosurgeon Anthony L. D’Ambrosio, M.D., in the category of Physician of the Year
• Volunteer and Oakland resident Joan Ferrando in the category of Volunteer of the Year

As a Hospital of the Year finalist, The Valley Hospital is being recognized for several hospital-wide initiatives to improve patient care quality, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and health care delivery and throughput.

Formed two years ago, Corporate Achievement finalist “The Green Team” is an all-volunteer task force of 25 Valley employees that oversees environmental efforts at all Valley facilities. In March 2011, the hospital became the first in New Jersey to sign a pledge to adhere to a Healthier Hospital Agenda put forth by the nationwide Healthier Hospitals Initiative.

Finalist Anthony L. D’Ambrosio, M.D., is Director of Valley’s Neuro-Oncology Disease Management Team and Co-Director of the Gamma Knife Center. Dr. D’Ambrosio was instrumental in opening northern New Jersey’s first Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery center to treat brain tumors without open surgery.

Finalist Joan Ferrando has been a Valley volunteer for 16 years and has been honored with almost every award bestowed upon volunteers at the hospital. She is the volunteer coordinator of the “Best Medicine Cart,” supervising 16 volunteers who make 20,000 annual patient visits with the cart. Founded on the idea that “a sense of humor, a positive perspective, and laughter are potent healing allies,” the “Best Medicine Cart” visits adult and pediatric patients four days each week, bringing for free an amusing assortment of stuffed animals, puzzles, handmade blankets, magazines, hats and turbans, and other trinkets. Joan also staffs the concierge desk at Valley’s Luckow Pavilion in Paramus every Thursday, trains and mentors new volunteers, and conducts tours for newly diagnosed patients with cancer.  

Contact:

Camela Morrissey
718-670-1065

cam9065@nyp.org

Flushing, NY – April 26, 2012 – N ew York Hospital Queens announces the promotion of two long time executives and a restructuring of the Office of The President. The announcement was made today by President and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen S. Mills, FACHE, and the Board of Trustees.

Effective immediately, a new position of Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer has been added to the Office of the President. Stephen Rimar, M.D., MBA (above right) has been promoted to assume this new position from his previous position of Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Rimar will continue to lead the hospital’s clinical enterprise and quality improvement programs.

John Sciortino, FACHE, (above left) continues in the Office of the President and has been promoted from Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He will continue to oversee the operations and administrative structure of the organization.

“These two talented and strong individuals will continue to work together with me and the rest of our senior team and clinical leaders to make sure that the greater community of Queens has access to excellent healthcare – right here in Queens,” said Mills. “The addition of our Chief Medical Officer to the Office of the President sends an important message to the medical community – that NYHQ is firmly focused on supporting physicians and the practice of excellent medicine.”

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College.

Contact:

Richard Pietzak
(212) 821-0560
riz2008@med.cornell.edu  

New York, NY – April 25, 2012 – Outcomes from use of a robot to assist surgeons in removal of a cancerous prostate are at least as good, if not better, than the other two techniques used for a radical prostatectomy -- open or laparoscopic surgery -- according to a large meta analysis led by researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.  

The study, published February 24 online in European Urology, should help resolve some of the controversy regarding use of the robotic option, known as robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP), says the study's lead author, Dr. Ashutosh Tewari, director of the Lefrak Center for Robotic Surgery and director of the Prostate Cancer Institute at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

There is a lot of debate about the best way to remove a cancerous prostate gland," says Dr. Tewari, who is also the Ronald P. Lynch Professor of Urologic Oncology and professor of urology and public health at Weill Cornell Medical College. "Since the robotic technology is expensive, the patient benefits often get intertwined with the societal costs. It is clear, however, that robotic surgery is the most popular surgical modality today. This study represents the largest ever systematic review of patient outcomes comparing robotic-assisted, laparoscopic and open radical prostatectomy.

The researchers also found that robot assisted surgery had fewer intraoperative and perioperative complication rates when compared to both laparoscopic and open approaches. In addition, robotic showed both less intraoperative blood loss and less blood transfusions as compared to open surgery.

The meta analysis included treatment information on 286,876 patients, representing the largest compilation of radical prostatectomy patients to date.

"Understanding the best method to remove the prostate matters," Dr. Tewari says, "because prostate cancer is the most common diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death for men in developed countries."

But given the nature of the study, Dr. Tewari says he cannot recommend one surgical approach over another. He emphasizes that surgical approaches need to be adjusted for the technique and experience of the surgeon. Many studies have shown that surgical experience is an independent predictor for outcomes, far beyond the approach alone.

"This paper is innovative in its attempt to unpack the outcomes data, in a systematic way, surrounding the three surgical modalities for prostate cancer treatment, but the data we used were not standardized -- outcome measures differed between studies," he says. "Still I believe the results are meaningful in that it shows RALP has at least as good outcomes as the other methods."

Challenges of Randomized Studies for Prostate Surgery

The three forms of surgery studied are "open radical" in which the prostate is removed via an abdominal incision in the belly button or pubic bone; laparoscopic prostatectomy that requires several small minimally invasive "keyhole" incisions in the abdomen, and robotic surgery, which is a form of laparoscopic surgery. RALP is done through keyholes with the aid of robotic arms that eliminate hand tremor as well as advanced optics that magnify the prostate and surrounding nerves in three-dimensions.

"It is hard to accrue patients for randomized studies. We have an ongoing study open at our institution, investigating the quality of life differences between robotic and open radical prostatectomy. This is designed as a randomized controlled study," he says. "But no one has enrolled because they did not want to be randomized to a treatment they don't prefer. Patients often come, especially to prostate cancer specialists, self-selecting for a particular treatment modality."

So Dr. Tewari and Peter Wiklund, M.D., of Sweden's Karolinska University Hospital, developed a study that examined all of the peer-reviewed studies published on any of the three techniques.

This ambitious effort was aimed at understanding the short-term (30 day) outcomes of the three surgical techniques. Given the short time frame, the meta analysis did not compare outcomes for urinary continence or sexual potency.

The researchers determined that complications and mortality were low for all three methods, suggesting that radical prostatectomy is a safe procedure.

Significant differences found were in the lower positive surgical margin (PSM) rates for RALP compared with laparoscopic surgery and lower intra operative and perioperative complications for RALP in comparison to other modalities.  "PSM rates are important because they represent the effectiveness by which cancer is removed," Dr. Tewari says. "The RALP PSM rate was as good as open surgery," he adds.

The researchers also found that both laparoscopic and robotic surgery patients experienced lower rates of blood loss and transfusions and a shorter hospital stay compared with patients who had traditional surgery. Other measures, such as rates of readmission, reoperation, and complications, seemed to favor RALP, the researchers say.

"We would love to be able to directly compare the three prostatectomy surgical techniques, but that may not happen," Dr. Tewari says. "This study is the first to provide an important -- and much needed -- analysis of the short term benefits and risks between curative surgeries that many men rely on."

While the current research was not funded, Dr. Tewari has received research grants from Intuitive Surgical Inc., manufacturers of da Vinci robotic surgery system, in past and is funded from NIH, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Lefrak Foundation.

Co-authors include Dr. Prasanna Sooriakumarana, of Weill Cornell Medical Center and  Peter Wiklund, of Karolinska University Hospital, Daniel A. Bloch from Stanford University School of Medicine, Usha Seshadri-Kreadend and April E. Hebert, from Intuitive Surgical Inc. For more information, patients may call (866) NYP-NEWS.

Lefrak Center for Robotic Surgery and Institute of Prostate Cancer  
The Lefrak Center for Robotic Surgery is dedicated to the care of patients with prostate cancer using innovative MRI based diagnostic and staging approach and provides comprehensive care involving active surveillance, focal therapy, robotic prostatectomy, radiation and medical therapy. The Center has performed over 3500 robotic procedures and its faculty have published extensively about their outcomes in peer reviewed literature. For more information visit www.cornellurology.com/about/treatment-centers/lefrak/

Contact:

Allison Fleming
(718) 670-2374
alf9034@nyp.org

Debra Pagano-Cohen
(718) 670-1586
dec9067@nyp.org

Flushing, NY – April 25, 2012 – Today, over 130 Queens residents packed a free symposium given by medical experts from the Bone and Joint Hospital of Queens at New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ). Problems that affect the hand, back, shoulder, hip and balance were discussed.

During the symposium, a representative from HealthGrades, an independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings, presented the medical team of the Bone and Joint Hospital of Queens at NYHQ with an Orthopaedic Award of Excellence. HealthGrades rated NYHQ among the top 5% of hospitals in the nation for joint replacement for two years in a row. New York Hospital Queens has also received a Five Star Rating by Healthgrades for:

·         Overall Orthopedic Services for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)

·         Joint Replacement for 6 Years in a Row (2007-2012)

·         Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)

·         Total Knee Replacement for 6 Years in a Row (2007-2012)

·         Total Hip Replacement for 3 Years in a Row (2010-2012)

·         Back and Neck Surgery (Spinal Fusion) for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)

Caption:  On behalf of the Bone and Joint Hospital of Queens at New York Hospital Queens, Jeffrey Rosen, M.D., chairman, Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, (center, with award) accepted the Orthopaedic Award of Excellence from Brody Westcot, strategic client manager, HealthGrades, (left of center)

The Bone and Joint Hospital of Queens at NYHQ offers a higher level of orthopaedic care — right here in Queens. For more information about the medical team and available services, visit: http://www.nyhq.org/Orthopaedics_and_Rehabilitation.

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and affiliated with Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Contact:

Jacqueline Kates
Community Relations Coordinator
( 201) 530-7902
kates@holyname.org

Teaneck, NJ – April 25, 2012 – On Friday, April 20, 2012, GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition, partnered with Holy Name Medical Center to offer a Solar Screening Event at the medical center for Holy Name employees.  Through the GreenFaith - AP Solar 2012 Residential Solar Program, qualified New Jersey Homeowners can receive a no-cost solar installation, and purchase the electricity generated by the installation at a discount to utility prices.  GreenFaith is offering these screening events at faith-based sites statewide.

Jane F. Ellis, Holy Name Medical Center Vice President of Marketing, Public Relations and Community Health, organized the event in collaboration with GreenFaith as part of Holy Name’s observance of Earth Day.  “It’s been a real pleasure to work with Jane and with Holy Name,” said Rev. Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith’s Executive Director.  “The hospital clearly understands the importance of the environment in regard to human health.”

Caption: Joining Holy Name Vice President Jane F. Ellis are Matthew Morra, Joseph Mitchell, Salvatore Trifiro and Bud Wenzler of AP Solar, and Jamaal Reavis, GreenFaith Solar Project Director.

“We were able to screen over 60 homes for potential solar arrays – including those of doctors, nurses, administrators, and other staff,” noted Jamaal Reavis, Director of GreenFaith’s Solar Program.  Each solar array generates thousands of dollars of savings over its lifetime, while preventing the release of greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter air pollution.

For more information about GreenFaith, or to register on-line to have your home evaluated for a solar installation, visit www.greenfaith.org.  

Holy Name Medical Center 

Holy Name Medical Center is a fully accredited, not-for-profit healthcare facility based in Teaneck, New Jersey with off-site locations throughout Bergen County.  Founded and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 1925, the comprehensive 361-bed medical center offers leading-edge medical practice and technology administered in an environment rooted in a tradition of compassion and respect for every patient. Holy Name provides high quality health care across a continuum that encompasses education, prevention, early intervention,

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman

Marketing and Communications

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ – April 20, 2012 - The Saddle River Branch of The Valley Hospital Auxiliary recently hosted a fundraiser at the Salvatore Ferragamo store at The Shops at Riverside that featured Emmy Award-winning actress Susan Lucci as the event’s special guest.

A portion of sales made during the fundraiser were donated to the Auxiliary’s pledge to raise $1.5 million for the expansion of The Valley Hospital Breast Surgery Program and to support Valley Home Care’s Butterflies Program for children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses.

Pictured at the event (from left to right) are:  Nancy Davidson, President, The Valley Hospital Auxiliary; Audrey Meyers, President and CEO, The Valley Hospital; Nancy Bush, Co-Chair of the Saddle River Branch of The Valley Hospital Auxiliary; Susan Lucci; and Tara Maw, Co-Chair of the Saddle River Branch of The Valley Hospital Auxiliary.