Contact:

Toni Calabrese Boelsen
Community Relations and Development
(914) 597-2348
tboelsen@burke.org

White Plains, NY - May 29, 2008 -Treatment with the drug escitalopram over the first year following acute stroke will decrease the number of post-stroke depression cases according to a study published May 28 in JAMA.

Pasquale Fonzetti, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the memory evaluation and treatment service (METS) at Burke, participated in the research with  colleagues from Carver College of Medicine and the College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL; and Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H. The research conclusions show the use of escitalopram "resulted in a significantly lower incidence of depression over 12 months of treatment compared with the placebo."

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman 

Marketing and Communications                                          

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Contact:

Leanna Mauro

Publications Specialist

(516) 663-2234

lmauro@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY - May 28, 2008 - As a leader of comprehensive cardiac services, Winthrop-University Hospital was pleased to host the Boston Scientific Mobile Simulation Training Unit (photo above) on May 14 to provide state-of-the-art, hands-on training for the Hospital's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory physicians and staff. The Mobile Simulation Training Unit emulates a Cardiac Catheterization Lab and is equipped with realistic simulation technology to afford practitioners a unique opportunity to explore advanced surgical techniques in a risk-free environment. 

 "While Winthrop's Interventional Cardiology and Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery Programs are both recognized state-wide for their excellent outcomes, simulated training such as the one conducted in Boston Scientific's Mobile Simulation Training Unit is an important avenue for our physicians and clinical staff to gain further proficiency in the latest techniques and technologies for the treatment of diseases such as coronary artery disease and stroke," said Srihari S. Naidu, MD, Director of the Cardiac Catherization Laboratory at Winthrop-University Hospital.

Contact:                                                                               

Contact:

Jennifer Rampersad

Communications

(718) 281-8529

jrampersad@stmaryskids.org

Bayside, NY - May 28, 2008 - Research shows that four out of five car seats are installed incorrectly. A properly installed car seat can mean the difference between life and death in the case of a crash, and it can also dramatically reduce the risk of injury for babies and toddlers. St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children is taking the initiative to help families become more aware of the significance of car seat safety and as part of its ongoing community outreach program, St. Mary's will be holding a car seat safety program during the months of April -August between the hours of 9 am and 12 pm at its Bayside campus.

The program will offer a variety of dates to accommodate the needs and schedules of working families and a St. Mary's certified child passenger safety technician will be doing a free installation of car seats. The program successfully kicked off with its first session on Friday, April 4th and addressed the emerging needs of properly installing car seats and the difference it can mean in possibly saving a child's life.

Contact:

Roger Greene

Director, Public Relations/Marketing

(212) 410-8147

rgreene@nycpm.edu

Contact:   

Wendy Goldstein
Director, Public Affairs
(516) 663-2234

 wgoldstein@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY - May 15, 2008 - When the New York State Department of Health recently released its latest reports on Angioplasty and Adult Cardiac Surgery outcomes across the state, Winthrop-University Hospital was pleased to learn that both its Chief of the Division of Cardiology - Kevin P. Marzo, MD (photo left)  - and Chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Scott L. Schubach, MD (photo right) - had earned the rare and prestigious double-asterisk (**) ranking, which indicates outcomes significantly better than the statewide average.

According to the New York State Department of Health report "Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) in New York State," Dr. Marzo was one of only three interventional cardiologists statewide to have achieved the prestigious status for all cases in the three-year period covered by the study (2003-2005). The report looked at treatment of coronary artery disease via percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as angioplasty, by more than 300 cardiologists at 50 hospitals that are licensed to perform the procedure across the state.

Contact:

Jack Routledge

Marketing

(914) 681-1119

jroutledge@wphospital.org

White Plains, NY - May 12, 2008 - Continuing its 115th year tradition of meeting the healthcare needs of the community, White Plains Hospital Center (WPHC) today celebrated the opening of its cardiac catheterization laboratory. Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey, White Plains Mayor Joseph M. Delfino and members of White Plains Common Council joined WPHC administrators, board members, physicians, nurses and others in marking the Hospital's latest investment in an advanced medical capability that will benefit patients.

The state-of-the-art cardiac cath lab will arm the Hospital's cardiologists with highly sophisticated and effective diagnostic procedures that can identify heart disease and structural heart defects. Services will include coronary angiograms, which use narrow catheters, contrast dye, and X-ray images to identify blockages in the coronary arteries.

Contact:   

Wendy Goldstein
Director, Public Affairs
(516) 663-2234

wgoldstein@winthrop.org

Mineola, NY - May 8, 2008 - Thanks to an unprecedented $1 million gift from a Garden City family, Winthrop-University Hospital has created and dedicated the new Phyllis & Nathan J. Mistretta Emergency Diagnostic Imaging Center in the Hospital's Emergency Department.

Mr. and Mrs. Mistretta recently visited the Emergency Department at Winthrop to see the fruits of their most magnanimous gift - a state-of-the-science 64-slice dual-head computed tomography (CT) scanner and the acquisition of additional digital imaging technology for the Hospital's Emergency Diagnostic Imaging Center. During their visit, Mr. and Mrs. Mistretta met with Orlando Ortiz, MD, Chairman of Winthrop's Department of Radiology, and Barry Rosenthal, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Winthrop's Emergency Department, and senior members of Hospital administration including Daniel P. Walsh, President and CEO of Winthrop and John P. Broder, Vice President of External Affairs & Development at Winthrop.

Contact:

Maureen Curran Kleinman 

Marketing and Communications                                          

(201) 291-6310

mcurran@valleyhealth.com

Ridgewood, NJ - May 6, 2008 - Cardiovascular specialists at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., are the first in the state to use magnet-guided technology to enhance the precision and safety of procedures to treat certain heart rhythm problems, or cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac arrhythmias are any disturbance in the regular rhythm of the heartbeat.

The acquisition of the new technology, called Stereotaxis Magnetic Navigation System, continues a tradition of innovation at Valley in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.  Valley was  the first hospital in New Jersey to offer catheter ablation -- a non-surgical approach -- and a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. 

Contact:

Scott Orstad

Manager, Corporate Communications

(203) 276-5933

sorstad@stamhealth.org

Stamford, CT - May 2, 2008 - The Connecticut state Office of Health Care Access has approved Stamford Hospital's request to expand its Wound Care Center to include hyperbaric oxygen therapy services.

The Wound Care Center treats patients with chronic wounds stemming from diabetes, venous stasis, collagen vascular disease, ischemia, pressure and other causes. A chronic wound is defined as any wound that has not decreased in volume by 50 percent over a four-week period. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy service (HBOT) is now considered the optimal treatment care for a range of chronic non-healing wounds.