The Lown Institute Has Recognized Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Centers For Excellence in Health Equity

The Lown Institute has recognized Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Centers for excellence in health equity, receiving an “A” grade on the 2024-25 Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility.

Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Centers achieved this honor through strong performance across metrics of community benefit, pay equity, and inclusivity out of more than 3,500 hospitals nationwide.

“Great care is only great if everyone can access it,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “We need hospitals to be strong community partners—and Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals are at the top of our list showing the way.”

The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine health equity metrics and value of care alongside patient outcomes, for more than 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide—offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. In the fifth annual rankings, the 2024-25 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on over 50 measures including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity, and avoidance of overuse. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms. The full can be found on the Lown Index website.

The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. Learn more at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.

JHMC Nurses in Singapore

Recently, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center nurses attended the Sigma Theta Tau International Research Congress Sharing Insights, Advancing Care: Disseminating Nursing Research and Evidence for the Future in Singapore, Indonesia. Representing Jamaica Hospital was Sharon Wexler, PhD, RN, Nurse Scientist, Vik Singh, MS, RN, Director of Nursing, Annessa Madraymootoo-Ramdial, MSN, RN, Rohan Sumrah, MS, RN, Clinical Nurse Leaders, and Shiv Kumari Santram, MS, RN, Nurse Manager.

Sigma Theta Tau International Nurses Honor Society was founded in 1922 by six nursing students. It became the first US organization to fund nursing research. With membership being by invitation only, Sigma has more than 100,000 active members who reside in more than 100 countries. Throughout the world, there are roughly 600 chapters at more than 700 institutions of higher education. Jamaica Medical Center affiliates with Pace University Omega Delta Chapter of Sigma. Sigma has always recognized the value of scholarship and excellence in nursing practice.

The Research Congress was attended by 1,026 attendees representing 47 countries and 185 Honor Society Chapters. 65% of the attendees have a doctoral degree. There were 1,039 educational sessions.

At the Research Congress, the representatives from Jamaica Hospital presented the poster “Clinical Nurse Leader: An Innovative Solution to Facilitating Excellence at the Bedside”. The premise of the poster and presentation was to discuss the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. The role was introduced by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2003, the first new nursing role in over 35 years. The CNL assumes accountability for patient-care outcomes through the assimilation and application of evidence-based information to design, implement, and evaluate patient-care processes and models of care delivery. The CNL is a provider and manager of care, at the point of care, to individuals and cohorts of patients anywhere healthcare is delivered. The poster was curated by Sharon Wexler, PhD, RN, Nurse Scientist, Kathleen Karsten, PhD, RN, and Susan Iovino, DNP, RN.

In addition to the poster and presentation, this initiative was accepted for publication in the November 2024 issue of Nursing Management, titled, Transforming Care at the Bedside: The Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader.

Congratulations to the nursing team for this amazing achievement.

Schwartz Rounds at JHMC

On July 26th, 2024, Jamaica Hospital held Schwartz Rounds on campus with 179 attendees. The Schwartz Rounds program offers healthcare providers a regularly scheduled time during their fast-paced work lives to openly and honestly discuss the social and emotional issues they face in caring for patients and families. In contrast to traditional medical rounds, the focus is on the human dimension of medicine. “As a first-time attendee, this experience has improved my insight into how patient care looks outside of the actual clinical care. I also have a better understanding as to how each staff member contributes to the care team”, said one attendee.

During the event, caregivers can share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings on thought-provoking topics drawn from actual patient cases. The premise is that caregivers can better make personal connections with patients and colleagues when they have greater insight into their responses and feelings. “It is great to see how our organization cares for our patients and our staff”, an attendee said. Panelists from diverse disciplines participate in the sessions, including physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, allied health professionals, and support staff. After listening to a panel’s brief presentation on an identified case or topic, caregivers in the audience are invited to share their perspectives and broader related issues. One attendee described the experience as a “Fantastic concept of a round. I felt empathetic with the speakers and it will impact the patient care that I provide. Thank you for organizing this, and I am looking forward to the next one.”

The JHMC Schwartz Rounds® committee members and organizers include Dr. Sharon Narducci, CQO- Senior Leader Champion, Oksana Galibova, Director PCS- Program Coordinator, Dr. Gina Basello, Network Medical Director, GME&DIO- Physician Facilitator, Dr. Susan Iovino, CNO- Nursing Facilitator, Vivekanand Singh, DON- -Planning Committee Member, Robert Pryce, DON- Planning Committee Member, Frances Perez, SW- Planning Committee Member, Karen Codd, Senior Wellness Coordinator- Planning Committee Member, and Person Centered Services Department: Logistics.

Our Schwartz Rounds® Committee Members thank everyone for their participation and invite all employees to attend future rounds, with the next event scheduled at noon in the JHMC Auditorium on 10/25/2024.

For questions, please contact Oksana Galibova, MSN, RN, Network Director Person-Centered Services Email: ogalibov@jhmc.org

 

 

MediSys Health Network Research Day

The MediSys Health Network of Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Centers recently held its Third Annual Research Conference and Poster Competition. Sponsored by the Department of Research Education and Innovation and the Department of Clinical Research, the event allows the entire MediSys hospital community to present any scholarly activity they had done over the past academic year of 2023-2024.

Director of the Department of Research Education and Innovation, Dr. R. Jonathan Robitsek explained, “The competition is a great showcase of the intellectual curiosity of all that participate”. He also highlighted the importance of the competition noting, “It’s high-quality research some of which has been presented at national and international medical conferences”.

There were 131 posters submitted between Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital. Those posters were broken into three categories, Case Reports, Empirical Research, and Quality Improvements. Each poster was then graded on a rubric of five areas: format, visual, content 1, content 2, and impact.

The first-place winning posters in the Case Reports category were, “A Cycle of Complications: Trastuzumab-induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Causing LV Thrombosis Complicated by Thromboembolic Stroke” by V. Patel, J. Patel, J.L Lee, and T. Okan (JHMC) and “Making the Distinction between Cardiac and Vasovagal Syncope in a Patient with an Intracardiac Mass” by D. Desta, P. Kiarie, and R.P Gupta (FHMC).

Second-place winning posters of the category included, “Subcapsular Liver Bleed Secondary to Mal-Placement of a Lucas Device” by I. Agha, S. Montaquila, M. Guerges, A. Mangla, and R. Lakowski (JHMC) and “When the Lungs Become the Battlefield: Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome in GVHD Post Stem Cell Transplant for AML.” by J. Bawa, A. Inghirami, S. Desai, J. Silverman (FHMC).

And finally, the third place posters were, “Impact of Social Media in Acute Onset of Psychosis in Young Child” by H. Ruparel, G. Zelin, S. Peteru (JHMC) and “Skin Deep: Exploring Erythema Nodosum Induced by Dupilumab Therapy” by J. Bawa, E. Malana, N. Tasnim, S. Farhan, A. Khan (FHMC).

In the Empirical Research category, the posters that won first place were, “Demographic Analysis of Patients Seen by a Palliative Care Service Found to be Unbefriended/Unrepresented” by P. Gordon, I.J Wang, R.J Robitsek, A. Tewari, E. Divino, K. Forbes (JHMC) and “Attitudes and Barriers to Utilization of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment in Clinical Practice Among Residents and Medical Students: A Survey Study” by C. Bodden, M. Alla, P. Kiarie, M.A Louis (FHMC).

Second-place winning posters were, “Does Marijuana Legalization Result in Increased Psychiatric Emergency Visits for Cannabis Induced Psychosis?” by G. Zelin, N. Siddiqui, A. Miele, R. Kamal (JHMC) and “Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Emergent Non-Cardiac Surgery: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes” by D. Giannis, R. Zhao, L. Fernandez, N. Nikolov, C. Sneed, P. Kiarie, A. Miele, M.A Louis, N.R Mandava (FHMC).

Lastly, the third-place winning posters of the category were, “Systematic Review of Hematologic Values Among Transgender Patients: Establishing Standardized Reference Ranges to Improve Clinical Care” by L. Yap-Separovich, M. McDonald, L. Alhakim, J. Langaman, T. Millingen, A. Mir, L. Gance, C. Nienaber, A. Roth, G. Basello, E. Brondolo (JHMC) and “The Effect of Circadian Rhythm on the Glucose Challenge Test in Pregnancy” by A. Makol, M. Sun, L. Keating, I. Ngai (FHMC).

In the final category of Quality Improvements, the first-place winning posters were, “Advance Care Conversations in Primary Care Settings: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Factors” by I.J Wang, D. Patel, A. Spinelli, M. McDonald, A. Miele, R.J Robitsek, F. Falcone, K. Forbes, E. Brondolo, A. Roth, S. Mathew-Geevarughese (JHMC) and “Evaluating the Long Term Impact of Standardizing Written Sign Outs” by T. Lildar, W. Thu, S. Falak, M. Syed, S. Desai, A. Miele, K.L Cervellione, T. Toronjadze (FHMC).

Congratulations to those who placed, the honorable mentions, and everyone who participated in this year’s Research Day Conference and Poster Competition.

Jamaica Hospital Receives “A” Rating for Social Responsibility from the Lown Institute

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center was one of 39 hospitals in New York to receive an “A” rating for social responsibility from the Lown Institute, a nonprofit think tank that advocates for equitable treatment and services among healthcare organizations. This rating is the highest awarded by the Institute.

Social responsibility ratings are given to hospitals across the country. Out of the 39 institutions given A ratings in New York, 22 (including Jamaica Hospital) were located in the New York City metropolitan area. Among all hospitals ranked for social responsibility in New York, Jamaica Hospital ranked ninth.

Hospital ratings are based on more than 50 metrics focused on elements such as pay equity, community benefits, cost efficiency, and patient outcomes. Historically, many New York hospitals have struggled to achieve an A rating for social responsibility; this is partially due to difficulties with pay equity amidst the constantly-rising cost of living in New York City and other parts of the state.

Overall, Jamaica Hospital was rated A in Equity (which reflects a commitment to inclusion and community health), A in Value (which reflects the avoidance of low-value services and an emphasis on cost-efficiency), and B in Outcomes (which reflects performance in relation to patient health and care experiences). The hospital scored particularly high in a few key metrics, such as Community Benefit (which measures the extent of a hospital’s investment in community health) and Avoiding Overuse (which measures the avoidance of inappropriate tests and procedures that offer little or no clinical benefit).

Thank you to everyone at Jamaica Hospital for the work you’ve done to earn us this accolade!

Jamaica Hospital Provides On-Site Services at Jamaica Jams 2023

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center recently participated in the 2023 Jamaica Arts & Music Summer Festival (Jamaica Jams), an annual event that promotes family, senior, and youth-centered activities and showcases the diverse cultural talents, foods, and arts of the Queens community.

Jamaica Jams draws an estimated 150,000 people to the area’s central business district each year, stretching across 10 blocks of Jamaica Avenue between Parsons Boulevard and 170th Street. Jamaica Hospital was stationed in the Healthfirst Pavilion, located on 165th Street between Archer Avenue and Jamaica Avenue, which is primarily designated for senior health and wellness.

Teams from several of Jamaica Hospital’s departments provided a variety of on-site services during the event, including:

  • Nutrition counseling
  • Vascular screening and education
  • Trauma prevention education
  • Podiatry screening
  • Mental health and wellness education
  • Mindfulness and exercise Information
  • Blood pressure screening
  • Pulse oximetry screening
  • Respiratory and asthma education
  • Dental and oral screening

We were also joined at this year’s event by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This team provided genetic risk assessment screenings and educational information.

All of us at Jamaica Hospital are thrilled to have been able to participate in this year’s Jamaica Jams. We look forward to seeing our community at this event next year!

Jamaica Hospital Hosts ER Groundbreaking Ceremony with Governor Kathy Hochul

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Emergency Department (ED) on Friday, June 16th. This is the first major expansion of the hospital’s ED to occur in over three decades.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined the hospital in commemorating this momentous occasion as a special guest speaker. The Governor awarded Jamaica Hospital $150 million in funds for the expansion as part of the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program.

“With this new beginning, we say that this community and this hospital matter,” said Governor Hochul. “We’re going to continue working together with this $150 million investment in the future of the health of this community.”

Governor Hochul was joined by over 500 guests in a tent on the site of the new ER. Congressman Gregory Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards both spoke at the event, praising the Governor’s investment and its potential to help Jamaica Hospital improve healthcare outcomes for the Queens community. Other attendees included Senators Joseph Addabbo and Leroy Comrie, Assemblymembers Alicia Hyndman and David Weprin, and Councilmember Lynn Schulman.

The new ED will double in size and have the capacity to treat over 150,000 patients annually. In addition to increased space, the ED, designed with efficiency and safety in mind, will incorporate a layout that allows for better patient privacy, experience, and safety.

The new Emergency Department design features three additional trauma rooms (bringing the total to four) with negative air pressure to prevent the spread of airborne diseases such as COVID-19. These state-of-the-art trauma rooms, equipped with the latest technology, will also be added to support the demands of the busiest trauma center in New York City.

Another component of the expansion includes the addition of 22 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The need for an increase in ICU beds was made apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic when Jamaica Hospital found itself at the epicenter of the outbreak treating a surge of critically ill patients.

Jamaica Hospital’s Emergency Department expansion project is expected to be completed by 2027. The expansion will greatly improve access to quality emergency care in Southeast Queens and neighboring communities. “We thank Governor Hochul for supporting and investing in New York Hospitals. Her commitment to building a strong and equitable healthcare system will undoubtedly help our organization and others to provide the highest quality care to the communities we serve,” said Jamaica Hospital President and CEO Bruce J. Flanz.