Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Center have created an Active Shooter training program in response to recent public shooting events that have occurred around the country.  The tragedy that unfolded at Bronx Lebanon Hospital hit closest to home and prompted the hospitals’ Emergency Management and Security Departments to implement the program which had been in the works for several months.

The program teaches employees what to do in the event there is an active shooter on campus. The overall goal is to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

The three main points that the course teaches in case of an active shooter situation are:

• Run
  • Have an escape route and plan in mind
  • Leave your belongings behind
  • Keep your hands visible when law enforcement approaches
• Hide
  • Hide in an area that is out of the shooter’s view
  • Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors
  • Completely silence your cell phone and/or pager
• Defend
  • As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger
  • To attempt to incapacitate the shooter
  • Act with physical aggression and throw items at an active shooter

The classes are taught by prehospital care instructors and security personnel with law enforcement backgrounds. The first leg of the training was offered between July 25^th and August 11^th, over 1000 employees were trained at Jamaica Hospital and over 500 at Flushing Hospital.

Safety is always a top priority at the MediSys Health Network.  Implementing the Active Shooter training program and other safety initiatives helps us to create and maintain a safe environment for our patients, visitors and staff. We thank everyone for their participation and doing their part in making Jamaica and Flushing Hospital safe.

The  Medicaid Accelerated eXchange, program, also known as the “MAX Project” is a brand new initiative designed to assist Jamaica Hospital Medical Center to identify and better manage the care of those Medicaid and dual eligible patients who have been admitted to our hospital four or more times in the past twelve months.

The main goal of this program is to reduce or avoid unnecessary admissions for these patients by enhancing the level of care provided in an outpatient setting.

Most patients identified by the MAX Project are polydiagnostic-meaning they are being managed for many different health concerns and require a carefully coordinated interdisciplinary approach. These patients are also more likely to be exposed to non-medical factors such as financial or social challenges that can affect their quality of health. The project will provide these individuals with valuable resources and trained specialists who can assist them to overcome clinical and nonclinical obstacles they may encounter.

At the inception of the MAX Project, 455 patients were identified as having been admitted four or more times within a twelve month time period.   However, since the program began this number has been reduced to 192 people.

In order to ensure that these patients’ health care needs are being properly met, a daily conference call between the heads of each clinical department takes place to discuss all options of care. There are two components to each patient’s overall evaluation. One is a root cause analysis which evaluates why this patient requires extra attention, did they receive enough attention in the past, and which providers shall manage their health. The other main component is to develop a care plan that will allow this patient to be cared for comprehensively in an outpatient capacity.

Jamaica Hospital’s leadership anticipates that the MAX Project will successfully lower the number of admissions required in the past. It will also help the hospital to meet DSRIP Initiative goals and operate more cost effectively in the long term.

Every month, employees at Jamaica Hospital who go above and beyond to help coworkers, patients and visitors are nominated for the G.E.M award. G.E.M stands for Going the Extra Mile and recipients are recognized for their hard work, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.

This month’s G.E.M recipient is: Reyna Chong

Congratulations Reyna. Keep up the excellent work in helping us to serve our community.

As part of our commitment to providing compassionate care, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center (JHMC) is proud to introduce Schwartz Rounds®. This forum gives caregivers a supportive environment to discuss the human side of healthcare and the challenging emotional and psychosocial issue they face in caring for patients and families.

The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare was created more than 20 years ago by Ken Schwartz, a healthcare attorney who died of lung cancer at age 40. Writing about his experience, he explained that what made “the unbearable bearable” was the compassion shown by his doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. The Center’s vision is that “all patients receive compassionate care and all health professionals are supported in providing it”.

Schwartz Rounds is part of this vision which is now being realized in more than 500 health care organizations in the US, UK and Canada—helping more than 200,000 health professionals provide compassionate care to millions of patients. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has joined this initiative through a generous grant from the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) which has provided funding for our participation in the program.

At JHMC, Schwartz Rounds are coordinated by Planning Committee members: Gina Basello MD, Susan Iovino, RN, DNP, Sharon Narducci RN, DNP, Janis Sharkey RN, Vivekanand Sing RN, Frances Perez, SW.  Rounds are offered quarterly where participants from multiple clinical and administrative disciplines attend a one-hour, case-based, interactive discussion. Each session begins with a brief introductory presentation of a case by a panel of health care team members who cared for the patient.  This presentation focuses on the psychosocial themes in caring for this patient and family. Audience members and the panel participate in a facilitated group discussion. Those who have had interactions with the patient or have had similar experiences contribute to the discussion.

Those who participate in the Schwartz rounds often have their perceptions transformed.  They come to see how blurred the line between patient and provider is when we notice how profoundly human we are. Not perfect, not complete, but complex and multifaceted even as we strive for perfection.

The first Schwartz Rounds at JHMC took place in March and the second one was held in June. At each session, an audience of over 200 individuals attended from all areas of the hospital. The results were overwhelmingly positive with the majority of participants stating that after the Rounds they had a better sense of belonging to a team, a new appreciation for their colleagues of other disciplines, more compassion for patients and families, as well as, new ideas and strategies for dealing with challenging situations.

As a health care organization, the MediSys Health Network has a significant impact on the environment and has developed a committee known as ecoMediSys to encourage and monitor green initiatives for Flushing and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Since the implementation of the committee, both hospitals have adopted ecologically friendly practices such as recycling and using auto-off light switches in offices.

This year as part of the Network’s green initiative Jamaica Hospital Medical Center observed Earth Day by hosting an educational event in its main lobby.

This event provided an opportunity to promote environmental conservation awareness among employees and the community.  Each participating department showcased unique projects that help the hospital remain environmentally friendly.

For the past five years, on each Earth Day, the ecoMediSys committee has recognized an individual or department demonstrating a strong commitment to preserving the environment.  This year the department of Environmental Services at Jamaica Hospital was recognized for its contributions that help protect our environment, such as using environmentally safe cleaning supplies.  Leading this effort were Kary Shamlian and Oomen Chacko.

Congratulations to Environmental Services on this achievement and thank you to everyone who plays a part in keeping Jamaica and Flushing Hospital green.

On Wednesday, April 26^th, fourth, fifth and sixth graders from local elementary school P.S.99 presented Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with six paintings they created as part of an art project.

The theme of their artwork included mermaids, as well as scenes and landmarks that can be found around New York City.

Each student was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the hospital during an event in their honor. In attendance were the school’s principal, parent coordinator, art teacher and student chaperones. Representing Jamaica Hospital were Bruce Flanz; President and CEO, William Lynch; EVP and COO, Dr. Geoffrey Doughlin; Chairperson Emergency Medicine and other leadership from the Emergency Department.

The children’s creations are currently on display outside the Pediatric Emergency Room and will definitely make this area a much brighter place.

Every month, employees at Jamaica Hospital who go above and beyond to help coworkers, patients and visitors are nominated for the G.E.M award.  G.E.M stands for Going the Extra Mile and recipients are recognized for their hard work, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.

This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

• Jose Garcia – Environmental Services
• Michell Hololob – Creative Arts Therapist – Psychiatry

Congratulations to you both. Keep up the excellent work in helping us to serve our community.

Recently the Medisys Health Network launched a website called “MedisysCares”.  This site highlights eight medical conditions that are commonly found in our community and include:

• Breast Cancer
• Cervical Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Hepatitis B and C
• Human Papilloma Virus
• Lung Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Smoking Cessation

The objective of this website is to reduce the incidence of these diseases in our community by promoting healthy lifestyle choices and to encourage people with these health conditions to manage their healthcare through routine follow-up and compliance.

The website can be found at www.medisyscares.org

The Laundry and Linen Department at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center recognized Linen Awareness Day.  Both hospitals hosted the event in collaboration with Unitex, the laundry services company utilized by the MediSys Health Network.

The purpose of the event was to educate hospital staff about how the Laundry and Linen Department operates. Displays were presented in the lobbies at each hospital to demonstrate the importance of linen conservation and the costs associated with it.

The Laundry and Linen Department is responsible for the distribution and cleaning of all towels, patient gowns, bed sheets, wash cloths, underpads, blankets and employee uniforms. Each month Jamaica Hospital processes approximately 154,000 pounds of laundry per month at an annual cost of over $1,090,000 and Flushing Hospital processes over 63,000 pounds of laundry per month at an annual cost of $530,000, inclusive of linens and a combined total of 2,500 uniforms.

Proper linen utilization management can reduce these costs significantly. Jamaica Hospital, Flushing Hospital and our laundry services provider are working together to develop solutions to increase efficiency.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is excited to introduce Frankie, our newest employee.

Frankie (a Golden Retriever) is a therapy dog. Together, with her mom/owner Julia, Frankie provides pet therapy to hospital patients.

Through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Jamaica Hospital’s Nursing Department was able to connect with Julia and Frankie, who generously volunteer their services to hospital patients and nursing home residents in the area.

The benefits of pet therapy are numerous. Most experts agree that pets excel as therapeutic agents and that dogs are an antidote to depression. Studies have also shown a decrease in both blood pressure and stress levels during therapy dog visits. Most importantly, therapy pets bring joy to patients and help distract them from their concerns.

Frankie’s first visit was to Jamaica Hospital’s Pediatric Unit where she was greeted warmly by both patients and staff. She plans to return monthly to spend time with patients throughout the hospital.

Jamaica Hospital looks forward to offering our patients with the many benefits associated with pet therapy.